Sack Time

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BOCA RATON – For all the improvements FAU made on defense this season, the Owls sack totals still lagged behind.

Until the Conference USA championship, that is. Now the Owls have almost caught up to where they thought they’d be.

Nearly 30 percent of FAU’s sacks on the season came in that 41-17 thrashing of North Texas in the C-USA title game.

The Owls dropped quarterback Mason Fine early and often.

“One of my favorite games I’ve ever played in,” said Hunter Snyder, who sacked Fine twice in the title game. “Sacks, conference title, we won at home – that’s always fun. Just a fun game.”



The Owls totaled nine sacks against North Texas in the title game. Eight different players earned at least half a sack. Seven of them were defensive linemen.

“When you see your brother getting some sacks like that it just fuels you – makes you want to keep going,” said Leighton McCarthy, who raised his season sack total to four with a sack of Fine.

FAU entered the championship game ranked near the middle nationally in team sacks, a surprising spot considering how many blowout victories the Owls posted where opponents had little choice but to throw in an effort to catch up.

Florida Atlantic actually did a pretty good job of pressuring quarterbacks this season. The Owls struggled, however, getting quarterbacks to the ground.

“We weren’t finishing in that aspect,” said defensive end Haiden Nagel, one sack in the title game. “We were emphasizing that over the past couple of weeks and then we finally put it all together in the last game – the biggest game of the year, the conference championship.”



Linebacker Rashad Smith and defensive tackle Jeremiah Taleni enter Tuesday’s Boca Raton Bowl tied for the team lead in sacks with five. Snyder is a half-sack behind. Nagel trails Snyder by a half sack.

To add to their totals they’ll have to corral Akron quarterback Kato Nelson, which is no easy task. Nelson’s mobile, demonstrating an ability to elude pass rushes while making plays.

FAU should have its opportunities, though. Only 18 teams nationally allowed more than the 33 sacks Akron surrendered this season.



The Owls believe the Conference USA championship game proves they’ve solved their pass rush issues. And now that they’re in gear, the rush will keep rolling.

“We’ve just got to prepare like we did for that game and we’ll probably do it again coming out for this bowl,” Snyder said.