Owl Things Considered

Friday's Daily Briefing: Lockley’s block saves the day, possibly season for Owls

I saw some hats flying from coaches in frustration on the sideline before UAB lined for an easy field goal with five seconds remaining that would have won the game.

A few seconds later, after senior linebacker Michael Lockley came through with one of the biggest plays in Owls history, there were helmets, caps and other headgear flying through the air.
Lockley, shown here right after the block with running back Willie Floyd,  came up the middle to get a hand on the kick and preserve a 32-31 FAU victory.
Rallying from 16 points down in the third quarter to take a late lead, then still lose would have been a bitter pill to swallow. And losing this game would have the Owls staring at a likely 0-2 start – not exactly what you want to do to bounce back from a lousy season in 2009.
But after Lockley’s heroics, FAU started off the season on a winning note for the first time since 2007 and we all remember what happened that season.
> Owl Links: Articles of interest to Owl fans
FAUOwlAcccess.com covered all angles of FAU’s thrilling victory over UAB with our recap, video highlights and analysis of what happened. Check it our coverage here.
Other linkage…
Minnesota 24, Middle Tennessee 17: The Murfreesboro Daily News Journal 
FAU officials visit University of Alabama, talk about possible series

FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos and other members of the athletic department spent Thursday morning at the University of Alabama to take a look at the Crimson Tide’s facilities.

While there, Angelos said he talked to UA Athletic Director Mal Moore about setting up a series with the Crimson Tide in 2012 and 2014.
Assuming Howard Schnellenberger is still the Owls’ coach, it would be a no-brainer. Schnellenberger was an assistant at Alabama under Bear Bryant from 1961-65, winning three national championships in that span, and was often considered a candidate to be the head coach at Alabama when he was at Louisville.
The discussions are in the early stages, Angelos stressed, but Alabama has played several Sun Belt teams  with no connections to the school in the past few years. Bringing back Schnellenberger to a place where he had great success would be a great move.
Thursday’s Daily Briefing: Gameday is finally here

It’s going to be a long day here in Birmingham, Ala. With plenty of time to hang around the hotel until the late afternoon bus trip to historic Legion Field.

But around 8 p.m. toe will meet leather and the 2010 football season will be underway.
Here’s my predictions on the season and I’ll go in-depth on today’s game a little later.
  • S2 at UAB…L, Game goes down to the final possession, but Owls lose a close one
  • S11 Michigan State…L, It sure doesn’t feel like a home game as Spartans role
  • S. 25 vs. North Texas…W, Owls have never lost to the Mean Green and it doesn’t start now
  • O2 at USF…L, Owls play well, but not enough to win
  • O9 at ULM…W, FAU has easy time with Warhawks
  • O23 at Arkansas State…W, FAU wins low-scoring game
  • O30 vs. FIU…W, Golden Panthers getting better, but not good enough to win Shula Trophy
  • N6 at WKU…W, Owls win another close one
  • N13 vs. ULL…W, FAU on a roll after victory vs. Ragin’ Cajuns
  • N20 at Texas…L, Momentum killed in ugly game vs. Longhorns
  • N27 at MTSU…L, Blue Raiders a bit too much for Owls
  • D4 vs. Troy…L, Owls struggle again vs. Trojans team battling for Sun Belt title
That puts my prediction at 6-6 and 6-2 in Sun Belt. But the margin for error here is plus or minus 2 games.
FAU could sneak up on UAB tonight and also has a chance to beat MTSU or Troy at the end of the season.
Too optimistic, or too pessimistic?
Wednesday’s Daily Briefing: Award winners from pre-season practices

The pre-season practices are over.

Up ahead is the 2010 season beginning with Thursday’s opener at UAB.
Since FAUOwlAccess.com was at every single practice (hey, even Howard Schnellenberger had to miss one when he went to Detroit) we are uniquely qualified to give our awards to the best players in the pre-season.
MVP: Let’s start with senior linebacker Michael Lockley. Remember when Lockley lost his starting job last season? It’s safe to say he does, because since then he has played like a man possessed. There is no doubt he will be looked to for solid play and even more solid leadership this season.
Biggest surprise: Cornerback Tavious Polo is playing like a freshman out there. But for him, that’s a good thing. Polo has been pretty quiet since his memorable freshman season in 2007. However, Polo has shown in three weeks of practices just how much his skills can flourish in the Kurt Van Valkenburgh’s new defensive philosophy.
Best leader: When offensive linemen began going down with injuries, it made life miserable for senior quarterback Jeff Van Camp. However, Van Camp stayed positive as snaps were sailing over his head or falling at his feet. He also didn’t get discouraged when he was sacked or had to tuck and run. It may be difficult to keep that brave face on all season, but he hasn’t shown much frustration, which is a calming influence on the team
Best true freshman: No contest here, as defensive end Cory Henry showed in training camp that he is going to be a big-time player for years at FAU – starting with this one when he will make an impact. Henry had the benefit of going through spring training, so if you are looking for a “true” true freshman, keep your eye on wide receiver Marcus Cunnigham who has plenty of speed and a knack for the ball.
Biggest busts: The late signings of wide receivers Paul Moore, a junior college transfer, and Jerrard Hunter, who signed with West Virginia out of high school, had everyone excited. But that enthusiasm has waned as Moore hurt his hand early in training camp and Hunter hasn’t done anything to distinguish himself. I’m not saying they won’t amount to anything, but the notion that they would make an immediate impact was way off base.
> Owl Links: Articles of interest to FAU fans
FAUOwlAccess.com couldn’t miss Tuesday’s “Thursday” practice – the last one before the big game vs. UAB. Here’s our report featuring defensive end Cory Henry.
 

 

FAU releases depth chart for opener vs. UAB

FAU's official depth chart is out for Thursday's opener at UAB.

Also out is the official injury report on the game. The only player listed on it is C Jordan Sessa. However, LT Sam McCroy, who hadn't practiced the last few days after being hurt, was back at practice Thursday, but not listed on the depth chart.

Also it lists David Kooi on the same line as Graham Wilbert.

But here it is, FAU's official depth chart for the first game of the season....

FAU OFFENSE

LT 64 Max Karrick
 63 DeAndre Williams

LG 56 Andy Czuprynski
 62 Chris White

C 65 Mike Nweze
 50 Jimmie Colley

RG 52 Chris Newbold
 51 Erik Hansen

RT 55 Joe Bailey
 64 Max Karrick

TE 81 Rob Housler
 85 Darrian Williams

QB Jeff Van Camp
 7 David Kooi

FB 8 Xavier Stinson
 36 David Muniz

RB 32 Alfred Morris
 4 Jeff Blanchard

ZWR 1 Avery Holley
   2 DeAndre Richardson

XWR 3 Lester Jean
 87 Byron Hankerson

FAU DEFENSE

LDE 92 Kevin Cyrille
 31 Cory Henry

LDT 58 Dino Cox
 94 Andrew Stryffler

RDT 96 Jimmy Jean
 93 Jarvis Givens

RDE 98 Jamere Johnson
 99 Daniel Jospeh

SLB 21 Malik Eugene
 48 Yourhigness Morgan

MLB 45 Michael Lockley
 11 David Hinds

NB 24 Brentley Harstad
 5 Tavious Polo

CB 5 Tavious Polo
 34 Keith Reaser

FS 27 Marcus Bartels
 24 Brentley Harstad

SS 38 Ed Alexander
 18 Tony Rodriguez

CB 9 Tarvoris Hill
 26 Curtis Cross

SPECIALISTS
P 17 Mickey Groody
 20 Ross Gornall

PK 20 Ross Gornall
 34 Vincent Zaccario

LS 74 Tim Raber

PR 1 Avery Holley
 5 Tavious Polo

KOR 5 Tavious Polo
 4 Jeff Blanchard

Schnellenberger MVP Award to go to top player in Saturday’s Kentucky-Louisville game

There’s no doubt that Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger had an impact on the sport of football in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Now the best player in the biggest game between state’s flagship universities, Louisville and Kentucky, will win the Howard Schnellenberger Award.

It’s appropriate.
Without Schnellenberger, the annual game probably wouldn’t even be played. Schnellenberger, who coached Louisville, and played at Kentucky, was instrumental in getting the rivalry renewed and at having the high schools there participate in spring football and elevate their programs.
Here’s the full text of the release from the Louisville Sports Commission…
Louisville, KY (August 31, 2010) -- The Louisville Sports Commission today announced the creation of the Howard Schnellenberger MVP Award that will be presented annually to the most valuable player on the winning team in the University of Louisville - University of Kentucky football game. The announcement was made in conjunction with the athletic departments at both universities and the blessing of Schnellenberger, who has ties to both programs and remarkable football credentials.
 
"It is a source of great pride for me to become a part of the Governor's Cup Football Game," Schnellenberger said. "This intense rivalry has become the defining game for collegiate football within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. My hat's off to the Wildcat and Cardinal teams, coaches and fans."
 
Schnellenberger was recruited to UK out of Louisville Flaget (fla-jay') High School by the legendary Bear Bryant, earned varsity letters in 1952-53-54-55 and was an All-American tight end for the Wildcats under Blanton Collier as a senior. Schnellenberger was an assistant coach at UK under Collier in 1959 and 1960. As the head coach at UofL for 10 years (1985-1994), Schnellenberger is credited with rejuvenating the football program and boosted support for a new, on-campus stadium. He led the Cardinals to victories in the Liberty and Fiesta Bowls.
 
The annual renewal of the intrastate rivalry between the Cardinals and the Wildcats will be played September 4 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. The Howard Schnellenberger MVP will be selected by a vote of the working press covering the game as identified by the sports information directors from each school. Voting will take place near or at completion of the game at the discretion of the SIDs.
 
Schnellenberger currently is head coach and director of football operations at Florida Atlantic University, having built the Division I program from scratch starting in 1998. At Miami, Louisville and FAU, Schnellenberger-coached teams are a remarkable 6-0 in bowl games. Schnellenberger was an integral part of four national championships in college football and two Super Bowl victories. He coached the University of Miami to the 1983 national championship and was offensive coordinator under Bryant at Alabama for national titles in 1961-64-65. He was the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under Don Shula, including the 17-0 season in 1972, and assistant for the Los Angeles Rams under George Allen. 
 
 
Tuesday’s Daily Briefing: FAU’s training camp was long enough

It wasn’t too long ago when there were questions raised about the length of FAU’s training camp.

Why was it starting so late? Would there be enough time? Does going through 50 training camps in your career really make you qualified to determine the length of training camp?

Well, the answer is this year’s training camp, if anything, may have been too long. At least that’s what FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger appears to have decided. The last two days’ practices have been light – including the strange sight of the Owls going through a walk-through three days before the game. Today’s final practice before Thursday's opener at UAB will also be light.
“It’’s been a long training camp,” Schnellenberger said. “The legs are weary and we aren’t going to go up there with weary legs."
This training camp was tough and once players started getting injured, it made it tougher on the ones that stayed healthy.
 “I think something we need is to rest our bodies especially after Schnelly’s camp,” said quarterback Jeff Van Camp. “It’s always a little bit rough.”
Quite simply, the players couldn’t have taken much more pounding so it’s a good thing they didn’t start earlier.
> Owl Links: Articles of interest to FAU fans
At FAUOwlAccess.com, we talked to quarterback Jeff Van Camp about improvement in the offensive line.
Other linkage...
Some UAB notes from The Birmingham News
 
Monday’s Daily Briefing: A look at the FAU depth chart

With regular-season practices underway, the FAU depth chart is beginning to solidify and take on extra importance.

There are a few areas that are still changing daily, such as the offensive line, but here’s my best guess at what the depth chart could look like.
> FLORIDA ATLANTIC OFFENSE

WR 3 Lester Jean / 83 Marcus Cunningham

WR 1 Avery Holley / 2 DeAndre Richardson

LT 64 Max Karrick / 63 DeAndre Williams

LG 56 Andy Czuprynski / 62 Chris White

C 50 Jimmie Colley / 52 Chris Newbold

RG 51 Erik Hansen / 72 Ricaldo Henry

RT 55 Joseph Bailey / 71 Chris Chappell

TE 81 Rob Housler / 85 Darian Williams

QB 12 Jeff Van Camp / 14 Graham Wilbert

FB 36 David Muniz /  8 Xavier Stinson

RB 32 Alfred Morris / 4 Jeff Blanchard

> FLORIDA ATLANTIC DEFENSE

DE 99 Daniel Joseph / 98 Jamere Johnson

DT 58 Dino Cox / 91 Andrew Styrffler

DT 93 Jarvis Givens / 96 Jimmy Jean

DE 92 Kevin Cyrille / 31 Cory Henry

WLB 42 Alex Pattee / 42 Yourhigness Morgan

MLB 45 Michael Lockley / 11 David Hinds

SLB 21 Malik Eugene / 44 Toney Moore

CB 9 Tarvoris Hill / 34 Keith Reaser

SS 27 Marcus Bartels / 18 Tony Rodriguez

FS 38 Ed Alexander / 24 Brentley Harstad

CB 5 Tavious Polo / 26 Curtis Cross

I can’t stress enough that this chart is unofficial and are just observations from watching practice. The chart could change by tonight’s practice.
There are still some interesting things however, as of Sunday’s workout. So here’s a few things that make you go hmmm…
  • Senior Fullback David Muniz is still ahead of Xavier Stinson. This probably has more to do with Stinson missing time than anything else, but if the UAB game was today, it looks like Muniz would get the start.
  • Center Jimmie Colley took most of the snaps with the starters Sunday, but Mike Nweze also had significant work with the 1s. Colley returned last week, but that may not have been enough time to get ready for the Blazers.
  • True freshman wide receiver Marcus Cunningham, pictured,  is battling with Byron Hankerson for the No. 4 receiver, but even if Cunningham is at No. 5 that’s high enough on the depth chart to see playing time. He’s my pick, besides grey-shirt Cory Henry, for the first true freshman to see action this season.
> Owl Links: Articles of interest to FAU fans
  • The Sun-Sentinel concludes the Owls are lacking experience at tight-end
  • UAB's goal for this season is to make it to a bowl game, according to The Birmingham News
Sunday’s Daily Briefing: Muniz among those put on scholarship

The good news just keeps coming for senior fullback David Muniz.

A few weeks ago he found out he had made his grades and was cleared to play after being ruled academically ineligible last season.
The most recent good news for Muniz is that he was put on scholarship for this season, one of several players who were walk-ons, but worked their way up to be put on scholarship.
I hear that list also includes SS Marcus Bartels, TE Alex Fick, DE Martin Wright, OT Joseph Bailey and DB Brentley Harstad.
For walk-ons, almost as important as the financial reward is receiving the recognition from the coaching staff.
So, congratulations to these player who have distinguished themselves in the eyes of their coaches.
> Owl Links: Articles of interest to FAU fans
At FAUOwlAccess.com we spent the least Saturday before college football season kicks off, watching football practice. Here’s some news and notes and our practice report.
Other linkage…
  • The Palm Beach Post’s college football special section is out today. Check out some of their stories here
 
 
Saturday’s Daily Briefing: Calendars adjusted at Oxley

It’s the weekend, but it’s Monday. Tomorrow, of course, is Tuesday and so on and so on at least as far as the FAU football team in concerned.

With Thursday’s opener at UAB just a few days away, the Owls are trying to make this week seem like a normal week so are moving their practice schedule up two days. Yes there’s an extra practice thrown in since FAU usually takes Monday off, but won’t this week.
It feels like game week now because after Friday’s scripted scrimmage it’s just regular-season practices from here on out.
Also, a word about Friday’s scrimmage. There were reports that it was “unscheduled” and “impromptu” and that it was even kept “secret from the players” until just before they took the field.
That’s pure fiction and couldn’t be any further from the truth.
The  game-prep scrimmage has been scheduled from the beginning of training camp. When players checked in on Aug. 5 they – and the media - were given a detailed intinerary of each day’s practice schedule. There on Friday, Aug. 27 at 3:30 p.m. it listed a “Game Prep Scrimmage.”  Pictured is what that schedule given to every coach, player and media member in attendance looked like.
If FAU was trying to keep the scrimmage a secret from anyone, that probably isn’t a good way to do it.
Heck, until yesterday we listed “Game Prep Scrimmage” on FAUOwlAccess.com in our practice schedule. Maybe those who are spreading the unsubstantiated bunk that the scrimmage was thrown together out of thin air should read our site more often.
So any Owl fans who think that Howard Schnellenberger called an audible because the team is way behind or so far from where he wants them to be that a “surprise” scrimmage was necessary, don’t worry – the team is sticking to its previously scheduled practice regimen.
Hopefully the team will be ready for its “surprise” game at UAB on Thursday.
> OwlLinks: Articles of interest to FAU fans
FAUOwlAccess.com reported on the progress of center Jimmie Colley, who was back with the starters on Friday.
We also had an update on pitcher Mike Gipson in our Former Owl Friday segment.
Other linkage…

 

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