From the other side: Florida Atlantic
October 06, 2008
Thanks to Ted Hutton, FAU beat writer for the Sun-Sentinel, for his time
How much have injuries affected this year’s FAU team?
Well, not to make excuses, but they have hit pretty hard. It started in the spring, when TE Jason Harmon blew out his knee in the Spring Game. Harmon was the primary target last season, had great range, speed, hands, etc. There has been a big dropoff at that position. Then senior center Nick Paris injured his foot in the final scrimmage of preseason camp, and he has not played yet. The line has not been the same without him. (The good news for FAU is that Paris is expected to play Tuesday.)
FAU also started this season without its two starting defensive ends. Both are back now, though senior Robert St. Clair is limited recovering from knee surgery and Jermaine Council is coming in off the bench..
That said, FAU shouldn’t be struggling like they are, especially on offense. They are minus-9 on turnovers, which is killing them.
How is the morale after the recent loss, and how will that loss affect the Owls for this next game?
That loss was devastating. FAU dominated the game for 54 minutes, then fell apart and got beat on a Hail Mary. Nothing worse could have happened. It even prompted Schnellenberger to ream them out, something they said they deserved, but something he had never done before. Instead of making progress this season, the team has regressed. No other way to portray it. Now they have all the pressure on them, knowing they can’t lose again. They have not handled the role of favorites well at all. I really don’t know what kind of team will show up Tuesday, other than a desperate one.
Where could Troy take advantage of FAU?
Well, teams have beaten them all kinds of ways. The problem for FAU is turnovers and mediocre play in the trenches. The D line is OK, but nothing great. The O-line has not provided good enough pass protection to allow the offense to be what it was last year. FAU’s defense has not played well against the spread. MTSU can’t run, so I don’t consider them a true spread team this year. Minnesota, Texas and UAB all had no problem moving the ball.
Troy should be aggressive on D and try and force a turnover, because if FAU gives the ball away early, it will get into their heads, and they’ll be thinking, ‘here we go again...”
On the other side, where could FAU take advantage of Troy?
Everyone is waiting for the passing game to get back on track. From what I understand, Troy is susceptible at the corners, but what has been happening is defenses have been blitzing and have not paid for it, so they keep coming, and that has worked. Smith has very little time to get rid of the ball, which also explains his seven INT in five games, when he threw just nine all of last season (13 games). I would expect the Owls to try to run more than they have in the past to take the pressure off Smith.
For fans staying close by, where’s the best place to eat in Fort Lauderdale?
To get a good slice of life, I would head to Las Olas Boulevard (lasolasboulevard.com) and Riverwalk (goriverwalk.com), which are right downtown. Las Olas is lined with eateries and high-end shops, and the walk along the New River is a20pleasant way to spend an evening, or even an afternoon, since the game doesn’t start until 8 p.m.
Make a prediction if you’re comfortable
Hopefully FAU snaps out of its funk soon, but given how bad FAU has looked during this three-game losing streak, I am going to have to go with Troy. I think both defenses will control things, and it will be 17-13 Trojans.
