Carter won't be cutting any corners at FAU
By Marcus Nelson
Florida Atlantic may have had its first day in pads on Sunday, but all the attention was on a player who wasn't taking part in the full contact portion of practice.
After Owl Access broke the news on Saturday that wide receiver Duron Carter had joined the team, Sunday was the first time I was able to watch to see him go through drills.
And since reporters were allowed to watch a few more periods than usual on Sunday, I can report that Carter looks good and the coaching staff is definitely working hard to get him in shape.
But one thing that is clear, Carter is not going to be getting any breaks because he was a big-time recruit.
In one exchange, FAU receivers coach Jeff Sims dressed him down and had him doing push-ups for giving less than 100 percent effort. And that was less than five feet away from Carter's father, former NFL receiver Cris Carter. Ouch!
Sims said Carter has work to do after joining the team late.
“Right now he's brand new and I'm coaching him like he's just one of the guys, but being that he started a couple of late, we try to get a few extra things in to get him in shape,” Sims said. “We're just trying to get him so he can fit in with our group and fit in with the Owls.”
After Sims dressed down Carter, the two went through some pretty intense, but good-natured, individual bump-and-run drills, with Carter winning at least one (pictured) much to the delight of the other players, who were pulling for Carter.
Now that he is on the field, the real drama will begin. On Monday morning, FAU will begin the official process of applying for a waiver to get him on the field. It seems like a situation where it's more likely he will be practicing this season and allowed to play in 2013, but everyone is hoping it will be worked out so that Carter will be playing this season.
Hard Knocks At The Ox: Sunday's Training Camp Report
- Making Plays: The tryouts could be continuing at the important slot receiver position. Sunday it was WR Marcus Cunningham who saw his first action of the spring in the slot.
- Stepping Up: With the contact underway, the depth chart will really begin to take shape. On Sunday, DT Matt Chaney was getting plenty of praise from the coaching staff possibly grabbing on to one of the starting spots.
- Newcomer Watch: RB Martese Jackson has looked good in practices lately.
- Instant Message: “There is fatigue out there and the guys have just to push through...We didn't do any live scrimmaging today. I think they have to get used to moving around in their pads before you do, but we had some pretty live drills early on.”
- FAU coach Carl Pelini on the first day in full pads.
- Up Next: The Owls are off on Monday. The practice on Tuesday has officially been changed from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.