Football FAU counting on fast start against USF

[Brad]

FAU counting on fast start against USF

 

In a battle of winless teams, FAU coach Carl Pelini expects squad that has best start to win Saturday.

 

By Dieter Kurtenbach, Sun Sentinel

6:52 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2013

 

BOCA RATON — The winless FAU Owls have plenty of issues, but coach Carl Pelini thinks that fixing one could result in the subsequent correction of a few others.

 

The way Pelini sees it, if the Owls can start Saturday's game at USF well, they'll avoid the fate of their first two games, which ended in blowout losses.

 

Take FAU's Sept. 5 loss, when the Owls (0-2, 0-1) allowed East Carolina's offense to march 81 yards to the end zone on their first possession.

 

Against a stronger team, ECU's opening touchdown would have been countered, but so far this season, FAU has passed for a total of 7 yards in the first quarters of their two games.

 

No, for a young offensive team like FAU, that opening score was the first nail in a coffin that was well-sealed by the end of the game.

 

"The way we start has to change," Pelini said. "Right away, you're spotting them, you feel like you've got to press a little and come from behind. We fought like crazy to get some momentum back."

 

Pelini would be looking for better starts no matter who the opponent is, but against USF (0-2) and first-year coach Willie Taggart, the message is especially poignant.

 

Pelini and Taggart squared off last year in the Sun Belt Conference, when Taggart was the coach of Western Kentucky. FAU won that game, but it took their best offensive performance of the season to do so.

 

Taggart brought his Stanford-style offense with him to South Florida, and he's pushing to instill the grind-it-out attitude that best compliments the two-tight-end, power-running set.

 

Pelini, who was effusive with his praise of Taggart in his weekly press conference, thinks that mindset is already in place, despite USF's 0-2 record.

 

"Playing a physical running team like South Florida, and you can't get down to them. That's what they'll rely on — taking a lead and just grinding it out," Pelini said. "We've got to start fast and not hurt ourself in a game like this."

 

Pelini and offensive coordinator Brian Wright are hoping that ending their two-quarterback rotation can help foster that strong start Saturday.

 

In the first two games of the season, Wright has started sophomore junior college transfer Jaquez Johnson at quarterback, only to substitute him for freshman Greg Hankerson on the Owls' second possessions. The quarterbacks alternated series until the second half of the 31-13 loss to ECU, when Johnson played the third quarter and Hankerson was given the fourth.

 

Rest of story

[Damon]

It just amuses me that a team like FAU can actually consider beating us. Sorry but it's just not going to happen. Losing to McNeese is one thing, but losing to a fa/i/u school is just not happening.

[JTrue]

Is it our lights out defense or our explosive offense that makes you think that?

[OwlFamily]

You do know that FAU is full FBS right and has been for years? We've won 2 bowl games. Not saying we win. (because I don't think our Offense has any umph at all) but losing to us is not as bad as losing to a FCS team.

[JTrue]

You do know that FAU is full FBS right and has been for years? We've won 2 bowl games. Not saying we win. (because I don't think our Offense has any umph at all) but losing to us is not as bad as losing to a FCS team.

We didn't lose to McNeese, Skip Holtz did.

Edited September 14, 2013 by JTrue

[slick1ru2]

Never know in college football. Nebraska jumped up on UCLA and they came roaring back.Neither have that talent but sometimes things are found that work and the other team doesn't adjust. Happens at all levels.

[BullFan98]

You do know that FAU is full FBS right and has been for years? We've won 2 bowl games. Not saying we win. (because I don't think our Offense has any umph at all) but losing to us is not as bad as losing to a FCS team.

Almost as bad, but you are right the McNeese State loss would be worse.