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BOCA RATON – It could be Raekwon Williams. It could be Shelton Lewis. It could be Chris Tooley. It could be Korel Smith.
On any given play, an opposing quarterback can look across the line of scrimmage to check who’s covering his go-to receiver and see one of four FAU cornerbacks.
Any one of them stands a strong chance of thwarting the play.
Williams, a senior, and Lewis, a junior, started the first three games, but Tooley and Smith have played liberally.
“At the beginning of the game if we start to get a lot of reps as corners we start to get tired – our legs start to get dead at the end of the game,” Lewis said. “I really like how he does the rotation because it keeps us fresh throughout the whole game.”
It’s hard to argue with the results. Through three games this season the Owls have allowed only 373 passing yards, which ranks No. 11 nationally. Part of that low total can be attributed to FAU opening the season against two extreme run-heavy teams in Navy and Wisconsin – teams that didn’t put the ball in the air much.
But against Bethune-Cookman, a spread offense that loves to throw the ball, FAU only surrendered 56 yards through the air.
“I like the rotation,” said Tooley, who started three games last season. “We’re all getting a chance to make stats, make good film.”
Tooley did exactly that against the Wildcats, intercepting one pass – his second of the season – and returning a fumble for a touchdown. Watch those plays in the video below.
Which of the four is the best cover corner? The players wouldn’t choose one, and FAU coach Lane Kiffin declined to break the stalemate.
“That’s a tough question,” Kiffin said. “I can’t answer that because then you’ll write it and the other three won’t like me.”
Through three games, Tooley’s two interceptions are the only ones by FAU corners. Surprisingly, defensive end Leighton McCarthy has more interceptions than Williams and Lewis – a stat that makes Williams smile and shake his head.
“I’m just waiting for them to keep throwing,” he said.
More opportunities should come this weekend at Buffalo. The Bulls run a version of the spread and quarterback Tyree Jackson has completed only 40 of his 74 pass attempts this season.
Ideally Kiffin would like to give all four cornerbacks an equal amount of plays on Saturday, with each one taking the field in 10-12 play spurts.
Giving the quartet more playing time becomes easier against spread team because more corners can be deployed during nickel and dime packages.
The rotation should benefit the Owls’ pass coverage in the game and as the season progresses.
“I feel like it’s a great rotation,” Williams said. “It keeps us fresh. Last year, just playing like 80-90 snaps a game, it was taking a toll on my body throughout the whole season I actually feel like it’s a good rotation because everyone’s stepping up and doing their job.”
That freshness will be even more important as the season grinds along.
FAU has four good cornerbacks, but at this point they are the only four scholarship corners available. Freshman Ahman Ross underwent season-ending knee surgery during fall camp and fellow freshman Diashun Moss is expected to redshirt.
If something happens to one of the fabulous four? Nickel Herb Miller played corner until this season and the play of true freshman Quran Hafiz at nickel could allow him to move back, if needed. And Ocie Rose, buried on the depth chart at nickel and safety, could also slide to corner, too.
“We have some walk-ons that do well for us,” Kiffin said. “We’ve talked about some guys going back out there. We haven’t done that yet because we feel pretty good about those guys and then if something happens we’ll figure it out.”
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