Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Florida Atlantic Owls season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Florida Atlantic Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in Conference USA
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin, 3rd year, 16-10
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FLORIDA ATLANTIC OFFENSE
– The offense still worked. The problems weren’t necessarily on that side of the ball, leading Conference USA with 479 yards per game and scoring 31 points per outing. So what was the problem? It wasn’t the offense that scored 568 points in 2017. The passing game wasn’t efficient enough, but with Devin Singletary, the ground attack led the league and was 13th in the nation averaging 242 yards per game.
– Singletary is off being a Buffalo Bill, and top backup Kerrith Whyte left early and got picked up by the Chicago Bears. The running back situation will be a revolving door with no one taking over the gig this spring.
Junior James Charles ran for 20 yards last season, but he has to hold off the fast Malcolm Davidson – the team’s leading returning running back – and Alabama transfer BJ Emmons. They’ll all work behind a line that returns just two starters after having a nightmare of a time giving up tackles for loss, but was great in pass protection.
– The quarterback situation is in a holding pattern. This gig is Chris Robison’s, but the former Oklahoma transfer isn’t currently on the team after being suspended indefinitely. Fortunately, Indiana transfer Nick Tronti looked and played the part this offseason and should at least provide a push if Robison – who threw for 2,533 yards and 12 touchdowns with 12 picks – as the top option last year.
– The receiving corps has potential, but the top guys have to stay healthy and be amazing. Leading receiver Jovon Durante left early and was signed by the Seattle Seahawks, but Harrison Bryant is a terrific tight end who should be the go-to guy in key plays. Willie Wright is a smallish speedster who caught 46 passes, and 6-3 Tavaris Harrison returns after averaging over 17 yards per catch.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FLORIDA ATLANTIC DEFENSE
– The defense struggled throughout last season, finishing 88th in the nation allowing 427 yards and 32 points per game. The pressure and pass rush weren’t awful, but the run defense struggled, and the secondary didn’t come up with enough big plays. Just six of the top 12 tacklers return, but …
– There are just enough good enough players to work around to hope for an improvement. Start up front, where the tackle combination of Kevin McCrary, William Davis and Marcel Southall should at least be experience on the inside. 225-pound Tim Bonner and 205-pound Leighton McCarthy might not be big, but they can move on the ends.
– The D works around leading tackler Rashad Smith at one linebacker spot, but the rest of the corps has to rely on a slew of young players who have a little experience and can move. There’s not much in the way of returning playmaking talent in the secondary, but James Pierre is a good-sized corner who finished fourth on the team with 55 tackles, and Zyon Gilbert is a decent-tackling veteran. Now everyone has to pick off and break up more passes.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP FLORIDA ATLANTIC PLAYERS
Best Florida Atlantic Offensive Player
TE Harrison Bryant, Sr.
It’s a bit of a down time for college football tight ends after a slew of stars were taken in the NFL Draft. Bryant might not be the best of the returning bunch in terms of pro prospects, but the 6-5, 240-pounder is a reliable pass catcher coming off a 45-grab, 662-yard, four-score season averaging close to 15 yards per catch.
2. WR Willie Wright, Jr.
3. OT Brandon Walton, Sr.
4. QB Nick Tronti, Soph.
5. QB Chris Robison, Soph.
Best Florida Atlantic Defensive Player
LB Rashad Smith, Sr.
The undersized 6-1, 215-pounder can pop. He followed up a 99-tackle, six-sack 2017 season with 86 tackles, a sack, and a team-leading four interceptions. Needed more for his range to help out against the run than he is for his pass rushing skills – coming up with 16 stops against Air Force and 12 against Marshall – he’s quick, athletic, and the experienced leader and tone-setter for a defense that needs some tightening.
2. DE Tim Bonner, Sr.
3. CB James Pierre, Jr.
4. S Zyon Gilbert, Jr.
5. S Da’Von Brown, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Florida Atlantic Offense
If the offense isn’t going to be as devastating as it was in 2017, is has to at least be able to keep the chains moving. That monster attack of two years ago wasn’t great on third downs, but it was outstanding at cranking up first downs and keeping everything going.
Last year, the Owls were 12th in Conference USA and 118th in the country in third down conversions, hitting just 33% of them. When the O was under 30%, FAU was 0-4.
Biggest Key To The Florida Atlantic Defense
Start taking the ball away. The Owls were able to generate 26 takeaways in Lane Kiffin’s first season, but they only recovered six fumbles and didn’t get one in the final six games. That means the D has recovered just three fumbles over the last 18 games – spreading out those three last season.
Overall, FAU went from being +13 in turnover margin in 2017 to -7 last year, going a +4 in the five wins, and -11 in the seven losses.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Nick Tronti, Soph.
Chris Robison is still probably the main man at quarterback if and when he’s back on the team after being indefinitely suspended. He’s still included on the roster, and he’s probably going to be back in the mix in fall camp, but it’s not like the former Oklahoma transfer was Kyler Murray last year, hitting 63% of his passes for 2,533 yards and 12 scores and 12 picks.
The 6-2, 205-pound Tronti is a good athlete who can run even more than Robison and showed good decision-making ability this spring. Robison has more talent, but overall, the quarterback play has to be sharper – that’s where Tronti has to step up.
Key Game To The Florida Atlantic Season
FIU, Nov. 9
To with the Conference USA East title for the second time in three years, beating Middle Tennessee would be nice – but that comes after a week off. Beating Marshall could be a must – but that’s in Boca Raton, too.
FIU should be the division’s strongest team, but it has to come up the road to deal with FAU. If the Owls win those first two East battles, this will probably decide the division.
– Florida Atlantic Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Florida Atlantic Fun Stats
– Fumbles: Florida Atlantic 16 (lost 6) – Opponents 9 (lost 3)
– Penalties: Florida Atlantic 79 for 770 yards – Opponents 49 for 488 yards
– Sacks: Florida Atlantic 24 for 150 yards – Opponents 14 for 83 yards
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. FLORIDA ATLANTIC WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
So what is it? Is this going to be the team that destroyed the Conference USA world in Lane Kiffin’s first season in 2017, or will it be the one that struggled so much to find its footing in a massively disappointing 2018?
It’ll be somewhere in between.
The offensive backfield has way too many question marks – the quarterback and running back situations aren’t settled – and the offensive front loses several key parts. Give it a fall camp, and wait and see if any transfers come in, and expect a decent enough season to be at least as good offensively as last year.
The defense is the key when it comes to the consistency, focus and improvement. Tougher play against the run is a must, but more than anything, all the speed and athleticism has to lead to more big plays and takeaways.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 8
All of the big conference games – Middle Tennessee, Marshall, FIU, Southern Miss – are at home, and the four league road dates are against teams that failed to go bowling.
Throw in the non-conference road game at Ball State, and there’s no excuse not to win at least four of the five away dates after likely losing to Ohio State in the season opener.
In all, seven of the last ten games are against teams that didn’t go bowling.
Expect a bounceback year, and expect Florida Atlantic to be a player again in the race for the Conference USA championship.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
