Line Drive

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BOCA RATON –

FAU coach Lane Kiffin filled out his staff by hiring John Garrison as offensive coordinator and Jaron Fairman as special teams coach.

Kiffin confirmed both hirings.

Garrison comes to FAU after spending three seasons at UNLV, where he also coordinated the running game.

Prior to that, Garrison served as the offensive line coach at Nebraska.

Garrison replaces Garin Justice, who left FAU to become the offensive line coach for Rich Rodriguez. Justice never coached a practice for the Wildcats. Arizona fired head coach Rich Rodriguez a few weeks after Garrison’s arrival. New Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin elected not to retain Justice.



Under Justice, FAU mounted one of the top rushing attacks in the nation, with Devin Singletary running behind three All-Conference USA selections.

Two of those choices, center Antonyo Woods and left guard Roman Fernandez, graduated and will need to be replaced in 2018. Starting right guard Jakobi Smith also graduated.

Fairman spent the 2017 season as a director of player development for FAU. Prior to that he served as a graduate assistant at Southern Cal. That run did not coincide with Kiffin’s head coaching stint for the Trojans. Fairman played college football at Fresno St., Kiffin’s alma mater.

A new NCAA rule allowing schools to hire 10 on-field assistants made room for the hiring of Fairman. In the past, FAU’s special teams coordinator also oversaw a position group. Last season Corey Batoon coached the safeties as well as special teams.

Kiffin has now filled all the assistant coaching spots vacated by the coaches who accepted new jobs following the Owls’ historic 2017 season.

Charlie Weis Jr. is now the Owls’ offensive coordinator, replacing Kendal Briles, who accepted the same position at Houston. Wes Neighbors became the FAU safeties coach, replacing Batoon, now Hawaii’s defensive coordinator.



In 2017, Kiffin’s first season, FAU completed an undefeated run through C-USA by defeating North Texas in the conference championship game. The Owls then pummeled Akron 50-3 in the Boca Raton Bowl.

The Owls ended the season by winning 10 consecutive games.

FootballScoop.com first reported the hiring of Garrison.