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BOCA RATON – FAU is targeting April 21 for Lane Kiffin’s second Spring Game as the Owls head coach, OwlAccess.com has learned.
NCAA rules allow for 15 practices during the spring, with the spring game counting as a practice.
The Owls will practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays beginning on March 20.
The spring game is traditionally held at Howard Schnellenberger Field, but with FAU having started construction on the new Schmidt athletic center this week, it’s possible that the Owls could elect to move the game.
As part of the first phase of construction the Owls are renovating their home locker room and rooms close to it within the stadium. The Owls don’t necessarily need the locker room for the event and could potentially use the visitor’s locker room, which is smaller.
FAU also intends to hold its annual Pro Day, where NFL scouts come to campus to put seniors through a series of football-related tests such as the 40-yard dash and the broad jump, on March 27.
The non-graduating Owls will hold their fourth spring practice that same day.
Four new FAU assistant coaches will be on the field for their first FAU spring practice. New offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. served as FAU’s tight ends coach for about a month last year before accepting a position with the Atlanta Falcons.
At 24, Weis is the youngest offensive coordinator at the FBS level. Also the Owls’ quarterback coach, Weis will be charged with overseeing a quarterback battle that will feature Oklahoma transfer Chris Robison, a redshirt freshman, and De’Andre Johnson, a redshirt junior. Johnson is expected to return to the field after missing nearly all of 2017 following surgery to remove blood clots in his arm.
New offensive line coach John Garrison will be looking to replace three starting linemen who graduated. Two of them, center Antonyo Woods and guard Roman Fernandez, were All-Conference USA performers.
Battles for those spots should continue into the fall. FAU currently holds four commitments from offensive linemen as part of its 2018 recruiting class, including junior college transfer Zack Bennett and Tulane transfer Junior Diaz, who should factor into the battle. Both players are centers. The Owls are also on the short list for JUCO transfer Carlton Lorenz. None of those players will arrive in Boca Raton until the summer.
New defensive backs Wes Neighbors inherits a more settled position. Jalen Young, a three-year starter, returns at one safety. Andrew Soroh and Zyon Gilbert both return after starting games at the other safety last season.
Special teams coordinator Jaron Fairman served as a player development assistant last year for FAU before being elevated to his new position. The Owls need to replace kicker Greg Joseph and punter Ryan Rickel, both of whom exhausted eligibility.
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