BOCA RATON – On fourth and goal at the 1-yard line during one of the two-minute drills near the end of practice, amid all the woofing from both the offensive and defensive sidelines, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair popped ball carrier Devin Singletary at the goal line.
The defense through they had a stop. The call, however, was touchdown.
That sparked the expected amount of argumentative trash talking, prompting coach Lane Kiffin to set up a one-one-one battle.
“They were fighting and they were talking about how great each of them were,” Kiffin said. “Anybody can talk. Take it to the grass,” Kiffin said.
With the defense lined up on one side and the offense on the other, forming a tunnel to the end zone, running back Devin “Motor” Singletary squared off against safety Jalen Young.
Singletary started at the 5, Young at the goal line. Two steps and a spin move later, Singletary sauntered into the end zone.
“Motor won,” Kiffin deadpanned.
The photo gallery above shows the sequence.
Offensive players erupted in celebration, as they had done multiple times throughout the team scrimmage portion of practice. It was a level of emotion on both side that had been absent the prior few days of practice.
“It’s fun to compete like that,” Young said. “I play football to compete. You don’t play football for it to be easy. You love that, love to compete. That’s what you really look for is moments like that.”
HARD KNOCKS at the OX: Friday’s Practice Report.
Photo Gallery: FAU Football on our Facebook. (Don’t forget to “Like” us.)
Making Plays: New addition Jeremiah Taleni recorded a sack of De’Andre Johnson in the team drills and batted down a Driskel pass later in practice. …Steven Leggett bottled up Johnson for a sack. …CB Shelton Lewis higher than WR D’Anfernee McGriff to break up a Johnson pass during seven-on-seven drills. …LB Hosea Barnell broke up a pass intended for McGriff at the goal line during those same drills. …CB Raekwon Williams picked off a underthrown Johnson pass intended for Ladante Harris in the back of the end zone. …WR Pico Harrison made a leaping, juggling catch in the end zone on a pass from Driskel for a 30-yard score. … Harrison also threw a downfield block that took out two defenders, clearing room for a Driskel first-down run. …Daniel Parr hit Bobby Mitchell in stride for a 40-yard touchdown pass on a fly pattern. …James Brunson made a nice catch of a perfectly thrown Johnson ball in traffic for a TD. …Haiden Nagel, Hunter Snyder, Tim Bonner and Ernest Bagner all recorded sacks. …A Herb Miller sack ended the two-minute drill portion of practice.
Tracking the Depth Chart: Guard Tarrick Thomas was a full go on Friday and did some snapping with the second team, sliding Richard Williams to guard. …William Tuihalamaka and Brandon Walton continue flip back and forth between right guard and right tackle. On Friday Walton primarily played tackle, and it sounds like he might be there for a while. “His length is more of a tackle so we put him out there and he’s played better at tackle than he has at guard,” Kiffin said of Walton.
QB Battle: Friday was Driskel’s turn with the first team. Daniel Parr and De’Andre Johnson split repetitions with the second team. If the rotation holds true, De’Andre Johnson should work primarily with the first team during Saturday’s scrimmage, but Daniel Parr has yet to work primarily with the first team this fall.
Saturday Scrimmage: At least some of Saturday’s scrimmage is expected to include live tackling. The scrimmage is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and will be held in the stadium. It is open to the public.
Newcomer Watch: As FAU installs more down-and-distance specific defensive packages, JUCO transfers Ernest Bagner and Tim Bonner get more snaps with the first and second teams at defensive end. “Ernest has played really well,” Kiffin said. “He’s moving up the depth chart, playing run and pass. He’s made a lot of significant plays. I challenged him to have three sacks today. He told me on the way off the field he had four. It’s good to see.”
Instant Message: “Probably defensive line because you’ve got some newer guys and a lot of depth there at defensive end – to see who plays really well in that situation.” – Kiffin on which position, other than quarterback, he’ll be paying specific attention to during Saturday’s scrimmage.
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