This is the halfway point. I'll give my view on the podcast this week…just wanted to hear from you guys…what do you think the state of our FAUnion is regarding the team, coaches, fans, etc.? 

I think it comes down to one word…FINISH.

This team has played with great heart so far and too many close games have been lost late in the 4th. The Owls are a few plays away from a 5-2 or at least a 4-3 record. These close games must become wins in the second half of the season.

GO OWLS!!!

I feel the same way as D'Joun Smith:

“It’s very frustrating because everyone sees the potential that this team has… we just have to get over the hill”

The team and the coaches are just as hungry as we are to finish strong with a winning season. The outcome of any game is dependent on luck and talent, right; when we lose to an SEC team, it's a talent discrepancy. When we lose to CUSA teams like Marshall, it's a luck issue. We're right there with them. Since solidifying Quez at quarterback, I think we've proven that we can beat any team in this conference if we maintain control throughout the fourth quarter. To do that, the coaches have to maintain control over "all three phases" of the team.

Regarding the fans, I think things are going relatively well there. The Rat's Mouth is upbeat, the Cove is starting to come together, we obviously had a good turnout on Saturday and there's still a lot of positive energy on Twitter from young FAU fans after the loss. The best thing (I think) is paving the way for future attendance by providing a memorable gameday experience. Those kids who are used to partying in the Rat's Mouth are going to be back for games once they graduate - you're starting to see these "first game as an alumnus" posts. And that's really how it's done. When I went to the FAU-UF game years ago, I sat near an elderly couple who said they've been coming to Gator games for over 40 years. They were students and then just carried on after they graduated, now attending games with their kids who were alums as well. That's ultimately how FAU will fill the stadium too.

The Owls have some fine athletes. So where is this team after the Marshall game? With a bye week coming up, FAU focuses on (a) eliminating its own mistakes, (b) executing well and ( c)  Auburn, the next opponent. Auburn will be coming off a visit to College Station to play the tough Texas A&M Aggies. For Auburn, FAU is the first of three games against very beatable opponents (for them), leading to a Nov. 16 home date vs. tough Georgia.Will Auburn heave a sigh of relief when playing the Owls and give this improving FAU squad a chance to compete strongly? I would prefer wins, of course, but it is good to see the Owls competing. I thought that even in the Miami game, the contest was closer than the score indicated. You know about the rest. So what are we to do? First of all, we need to recognize that we do have some fine athletes. So far, as best I can tell, this group plays as a team; one person does not cause a loss, nor does one person bring home a win. Though I'm a long way off, I'm not seeing reports of whining or finger-pointing. They lose as a team; they win as a team (just not as often as we, or they, would like). While I agree with the right of anyone to call for the heads of the coach, or coaches, I am not of that sentiment. However, I do think the stunning quarterback rotation of early season was a mistake. It has been corrected. one of the great (and many) strengths of some of the fine athletes of South Florida is the ability to improvise a bit. That gift is muted, of course, by strong team discipline that insists that players stay strictly within what was drawn up in a laboratory setting (rather than what develops during real time on the playing field). Many of these guys knew how to be playmakers in high school. I doubt that they have forgotten how. I confess to being a Monday morning quarterback. Further, I confess to not being the coach, or even a coach. And, I confess to being 1,800 miles away. But I was a manager of people for many years. I found it useful to state as clearly as possible what was expected (and, when necessary, at least one way to get there), put the top people I could find into the right jobs then stand back a bit and let them do their best. I view this as managing to win, not managing to avoid losing. I do not intend this as a criticism of the coaches. And I do have a good enough memory to remember that getting creative young men on the same page can be like herding cats. But, great coaches can do just that, year after year: Herd cats.

grayowl said

The Owls have some fine athletes….

Posted On: Oct 14th 2013, 7:01 PM #319780

Ladies and gentlemen, the ALWAYS grounded, respectful, and rational Grayowl.