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UPDATED: 3:30 p.m. BOCA RATON – FAU coach Lane Kiffin suspended quarterback Chris Robison for the Owls first spring practice. There is no timetable for his return, but Kiffin indicated it could be before the Owls’ Spring Game on April 21.
Robison is expected to challenge for the starting role this season.
“Chris has been suspended from all football activities for not doing things right off-the-field,” Kiffin said. “Not only did he hurt himself but he hurt his team because, like I said, we’re trying to run basically two practices with two fields, going with three quarterbacks.”
The redshirt freshman began his college career at Oklahoma, but was kicked out of school before ever playing a down after his arrest for public intoxication.
“Very disappointing,” Kiffin said of the most recent incident. “Like I just told our players, you’ve got choices. We can’t make the choices for you. If you don’t make the right choices there’s punishment for it. I think our punishment is probably more severe than most people would be. We want to teach our guys you’ve got to do everything right.”
Robison ran the scout team for FAU last season, drawing raves for his performance. Kiffin compared him favorably to former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
De’Andre Johnson piloted the first-team offense on Tuesday. Johnson missed all but the first game last season after undergoing surgery to remove blood clots in his arm.
He returned to the practice field late in the season but did not participate in team-oriented practice drills.
Doctors told Johnson he could stop taking prescription blood thinning medication at the beginning of March. He is now on an aspirin regimen.
“When you’ve been away for a long time and haven’t really been able to play to your potential, you definitely want to go out there and show what you can do,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s rust showed.
Several of his throws fluttered, and both timing and accuracy were inconsistent. That didn’t surprise Johnson.
“I haven’t been in action for six months,” Johnson said. “I haven’t thrown for six months. I’m not going to have the prettiest balls for the first week.”
He doesn’t figure it will take him long to return to form.
“Just like riding a bike, once you get the feel for it, it will come back to you,” Johnson said.
Johnson also operated on Tuesday without what figures to be one of his major targets. Willie Wright led FAU in receptions and receiving yards last season as a freshman but was absent on Tuesday.
“Willie is a medical issue,” Kiffin said, adding that Wright should be available shortly.
Walk-ons Conor Miller and Trent Wessel backed up Johnson on Tuesday.
For much of the day, however, Johnson worked double duty, taking snaps with both the first and second teams.
“Tell me about it,” Johnson said. “I took like 75 percent of the reps today. It was like 97 degrees today.”
Jason Driskel, who lead FAU to 10 consecutive wins to close the season, including the Conference USA championship game and the Boca Raton Bowl title, elected forego his final year of eligibility to pursue further academic degrees. Daniel Parr, who started the first three games of last season for the Owls, transferred to Duquesne during the offseason.
FAU returns to the practice field on Thursday. The Owls’ spring game is scheduled for April 21.
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