March 29, 2005

Boca Raton - Under the direction of legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger, the Florida Atlantic Owls continued to soar to new heights in 2004. It was another banner year for FAU, as Schnellenberger's young football program put together its second consecutive winning campaign, finishing with a record of 9-3. That record, combined with its 2003 breakthrough record of 11-3, gave the fledgling program a 20-6 two-year record, good for tops in the state. Only the University of Miami (20-5) can boast of the same number of wins in that timeframe.

The 2004 team benefited from a wealth of experience, with ten starters back on each side of the ball whom had seen playoff action the previous season. It will be an entirely different story in 2005 as many of those stalwarts have exhausted their eligibility and will not return. The Owls return just four starters on offense and three on defense.

Central among the departures are Team MVP Jared Allen at quarterback, Offensive MVP Kevin Fischer at offensive line, and Defensive MVP Chris Laskowski at linebacker.

But left in their wake is a group of promising young athletes who have tasted success and are hungry to keep the FAU winning tradition intact. In addition to being experienced in certain key areas (offensive line, defensive backfield), the 2005 team boasts more athleticism across the board than it did a year ago. Job number one this off-season will be to get those raw athletes prepped for larger roles on gameday.

"We will be forever indebted to the belief, strength and loyalty [the senior class] brought to our program," coach Schnellenberger says. "They have left the program in the good hands of the players who will follow their lead and who will carry this program to national prominence."

The foundation for that national prominence was laid with a season-opening road victory against Division I-A Middle Tennessee State in 2003, a victory that gave FAU the distinction of becoming the quickest startup team to defeat an NCAA Division I-A opponent.

The Owls built off of that breakthrough win by continuing to excel against I-A competition in 2004. FAU notched victories over three more 1-A opponents last year, including wins over regular bowl participants Hawaii and North Texas. That bodes well for its future move to the Sun Belt Conference and a 2005 schedule that includes such bowl participants as Louisville, Oklahoma State, and Troy.

But with so many new starters getting their feet wet in an offseason which may go down as one of the more important offseasons in team history, focus needs to first be placed on spring drills, which will kick off March 30 and culminate three weeks later at the Spring Game on April 23. This spring will be critical for a team in such transition.

Offense
A quick glance at the roster will make it plain to even the most casual of observers that the offensive line should be a real position of strength going into 2005. And the Owls will need it to be with such a large number of newcomers expected to contribute elsewhere in the offense. Of the four returning starters on offense, three of them play along the line, and stability there should prove to be a tremendous help to the rest of the offense.

Of course the line isn't the only reason for optimism. With a solid mix of talent, experience, and knowledge of the system at the skill positions, FAU will see more than its fair share of positive surprises and improvements over the next several months. Injured players will return, experienced backups will lead by example, and younger players will bring athleticism to the fold.

Quarterbacks
Jared Allen departs with the team's MVP honors after a four-year career that saw the Oklahoma native start all but three games and tally a career record of 25-19. His leadership and character were as integral to the team's success as his national ranking for passing efficiency. He led FAU's charge to a No. 4 national ranking in 2003 and again captured the nation's attention by orchestrating come-from-behind victories over Hawaii and North Texas. Obviously, he will be missed.

Still, the coaching staff feels the spot is in confident hands. Senior Danny Embick played in every game last season off the bench, so he definitely has an advantage in game experience. On the year he threw for 641 yards with four touchdowns. He has also performed in pressure situations before, leading the team on the winning drive in a tight contest with nationally-ranked Northern Colorado in 2003. He will be the likely favorite to win the job.

Sophomore Sean Clayton, a transfer from Michigan State, ran the scout team last year to rave reviews, and freshman McKinson Souverain is a talented athlete with a big arm. The coaches call Souverain a "special-type" of athlete and really want to get him onto the field somehow.

Running backs
Senior Aaron Sanchez is a returning starter at fullback, where he alternated last year. In addition to being the team's leading returning rusher (38-173-3), he is also the team's leading returning receiver (24-200-2). He will be counted on to lead the more inexperienced players in the backfield, as the team lost its top three tailbacks from 2003.

The largest loss from that group will be that of leading rusher Doug Parker (227-896-8), but the Owls have three talented sophomores back who have had to wait in the wings for their opportunity. B.J. Manley, Charles Pierre, and D'Ivory Edgecomb are all guys that the coaches are very excited about. Manley is the most experienced of the bunch, seeing action in nine games in 2004 with 83 yards rushing on 13 carries.

Backing up Sanchez at fullback will be Dominick Walker, another sophomore running back the coaches are high on. Walker ran for ten yards, appearing in six games last season. Sophomore Anthony Heard will also be in the mix.

Wide Receivers
Like at tailback, the Owls lose their top three statistical leaders in the receiving corps. Pittsburgh transfer Roosevelt Bynes led all wide receivers with 27 catches, 627 yards, and four touchdowns. Larry Taylor (25-405-2) and Brittney Tellis (23-371-2) will also be missed.

The Owls will not lack for quality replacements however. Tito Pollice, a talented player who has been in the program and understands the system. Pollice will go into the spring as a favorite to win one of the starting jobs.

Junior Casey McGahee is another older player who will compete for a starting spot. He is making a jump back to wide receiver, his first position, after playing on defense and special teams last year. Freshmen Frantz Simeon and Darren Coney are both exceptional talents who redshirted last year and will push for time this year.

Tight Ends
The team's leading receiver, Anthony Crissinger-Hill, also departs. He put up big numbers in 2004, leading the team in receptions (46), yards (746), and touchdowns (five).

Fortunately, the position appears to be in good hands with the return of senior Dantson Dareus. Dareus (23-306-0) has good athletic ability, great size, and excellent hands. He's missed lots of time in his career due to injuries, but he came back extremely strong last year, playing in all 12 games, and the coaches have very high expectations for him this year. They go so far as to consider him a returning starter.

Senior Darrion Porter-Isom is a converted wide receiver who played at tight end towards the end of last year and should push Dareus for playing time. Mike Wilds is a good-looking transfer from Rhode Island, with the athletic ability and physical dimensions (6-3, 225) to play the spot.

Offensive Line
Departing lineman Kevin Fischer earned the team's Offensive MVP honor in 2004 after playing in every game during his four-year career. His loss will be cushioned by the return of three starters upfront: sophomores Jarrid Smith and Brandon Jackson and junior Nello Faulk.

Faulk started and appeared in every game, making him the most experienced among the returnees. Still, Smith and Jackson combined to play extensively in 13 games, with all three performing at a high level by the end of the season.

With such a good deal of experience returning along the offensive line, it's easy to forget that it is still a relatively young group. All three returning starters were underclassmen a year ago, and all three should benefit from another year in the weight room this year. Likewise, the other projected starters are a sophomore and junior, respectively.

The former, Antes Perkins, will be a strong contender to start after seeing action in eight games a year ago. Perkins actually started four contests as well and should be a major contributor in 2005.

The other projected starter is Stetson Wilson, who played in seven games himself in 2004. Wilson, Perkins, Smith, and Jackson are all superb talents who were forced to rotate last year because of a lack of starting openings.

Three athletic freshmen, Jarret McDonald, Zachary Wichner, and Nick Paris, were each redshirted last year and should all contribute this year. Junior Adam Pantelakos will also push for time.

The group may be further bolstered by the possible return of senior George Guffey, who was slated to start at center last year, before being injured. The offensive line could be a special group this year and should be dominating in 2006, when everyone returns.

Defense
The Defense will be largely inexperienced in 2005, but on a pure talent basis, will be more talented than a year ago. Certainly, the defensive backfield should be a strength, with several very experienced returnees there. The front seven is the question mark, though it will be manned by some impressive athletes.

The coaching staff believes it has enough experience upfront to build around. Developing leadership among the older players will be a priority, as they will need to guide the large number of younger athletes as they grow into their spots. The equation is simple: older guys will have to lead and younger players will need to develop. If that happens, the transition will definitely be a success.

Defensive Line
Sophomore Josh Pinnick was in the rotation at DE last year and played quite a bit (12 games played and four starts). He's active and has a good motor. Senior Jason Pugh started the season at defensive tackle but a knee injury limited him early. The coaching staff is excited to have him back. Sophomore Jason Flemming also has solid game experience at DT and is likely to earn a great deal of playing time this season.

The redshirt freshmen, Vinnie Henderson, E.J. Jones, and Jervonte Jackson, are all described by the coaches as being further along at this point in their development than the departed seniors were at the same stage. They will push for time, as will veteran junior Josh Jenkins, who played in three games last year, starting one.

Linebackers
Senior Shomari Earls returns after starting 10 games in 2004 and leading the team in tackles (81). He is a difference-maker in the middle with great size and speed and will need to shoulder even more responsibility this year with the departure of fellow linebackers Chris Laskowski, Tyronne Higgins, and Chris McKinley. The coaches believe Earls could be the key to the linebacking core, as well as the entire defense.

Senior Kinyumba Mutakabbir has played a lot throughout his career and returns. He should compete for a starting position. Senior Erik Benson rotated in last year, so he has game experience as well and will push. The coaches like where the other players are athletically, including sophomore Cergile Sincere as well as redshirt freshmen Andre Clark, Brad Gagne, and Ted Czepiga. They just need to gain experience.

Defensive Backs
The secondary looks strong with the return of the team's top-three cornerbacks. Seniors Lawrence Gordon and Willie Hughley both started in 2004 and have a ton of experience. Hughley led the team with six interceptions. Quincy Skinner also picked off a pass as the team's nickelback a year ago, and Gordon added one as well.

Senior Rickey Bethel joined the program last season and the coaches expect a lot out of him in his senior campaign. He will push for time.

At safety, senior Christian Amaya played was hurt the third game of 2003, but returned four games into his junior campaign. He will be in a fierce competition with two other players who have starting experience, sophomore Taheem Acevedo and junior Troy Pindell. David McDowell has had a good off-season and will contribute as well.

Special Teams
For the first time in their history the Owls will have a placekicker other than Mark Myers, who kicked for the team since they began competition. He departs, as does top kick returner Anthony Jackson, who would have ranked 20th in the nation (24.8 average) with more attempts. Fortunately, senior punter Mike Brown returns this year, as well as junior longsnapper Dewain Akerblom.

The Owls have a wide open competition at PK. Daniel and Keegan Peterson will compete to replace Myers. And Receiver, turned-defensive back, turned-receiver McGahee naturally also has experience at kick returner and will be an early candidate for those duties.