Bulldozers

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BOCA RATON – In a season of firsts and program records, one’s been overlooked.

Heading into the 2017 season, only once – Nello Faulk in 2006 -had FAU offensive lineman had ever been selected first-team all conference.

The Owls smashed through that barrier this season by having three players, tackle Reggie Bain, guard Roman Fernandez and center Antonyo Woods, named All-Conference USA this season.

Not one of the three made Conference USA’s preseason All-Conference squad.



“It just shows that when we have a healthy line that’s played all 13 games with no one going down, good things can happen,” Woods said.

That’s a far cry from what happened last season, when the Owls started eight different offensive line combinations in their first eight games.

As healthy as the Owls were they did have to overcome different kinds of adversity to get to this point.

A preseason All-Conference USA selection prior to the 2016, Bain never saw the field last year after breaking his hip in a motor scooter accident during fall camp.

The Owls weren’t sure Bain would be able to play this year, let alone do so effectively.

“It just shows how much work I put in,” said Bain, a redshirt junior.

Woods, a redshirt senior, had never played center prior to this year. His inexperience showed early in the season when the Owls struggled with wayward snaps.

Once Woods changed the way he gripped the ball on snaps, grabbing the point while holding the ball at a near 90-degree angle rather than laying it flat and gripping the laces, everything came together.

“Looking back on it, it was a struggle at the beginning but I told everybody I was going to get it right,” Woods said, “I got it right.”

Fernandez simply became a model of consistency, often bulldozing defensive lineman despite having a size deficit.

“Coming from last year, wasn’t even honorable mention, now I’m first team,” said Fernandez, a redshirt senior. “It’s great.”

Behind those three, along with guard Jakobi Smith and tackle Brandon Walton, FAU led Conference USA in rushing yards with 3,682 – nearly 1,400 yards more than any other C-USA team and almost the same amount more that the Owls rushed for last season with the same set of ball carriers.



Running back Devin Singletary, the C-USA MVP, benefited most from the improved offensive play, rushing for 1,796 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ new scheme undoubtedly aided Singletary, Buddy Howell and the rest of the Owl ball carriers, but such lofty rushing totals wouldn’t have been possible without the continuity from an offensive line that featured three players enjoying their finest seasons.

“Being able to start all 13 games, like Antonyo said, it really helps building continuity, helping all of us execute,” Fernandez said. “Our all-conference accolades didn’t come just by us. We all executed and everyone noticed.”