Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Skip navigation

No secrets about our TE

Post

No secrets about our TE

Crissinger-Hill no longer a secret
By Marcus Nelson

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Saturday, September 11, 2004

BOCA RATON ? After twisting his body to catch a 31-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against Hawaii, Florida Atlantic tight end Anthony Crissinger-Hill delivered a message to the Warriors fans behind the Owls' bench.

"Shhhhh," Crissinger-Hill said, putting his finger to his lips.

Even though the touchdown, scored with 23 seconds left, enabled the Owls to tie the Warriors ? FAU won 35-28 in overtime ? the fans didn't take Crissinger-Hill's direction. In fact, they got louder.

But Crissinger-Hill is making more noise for the Owls these days.

After a breakout season in 2003, the junior from Tampa seems poised to be the main offensive weapon for FAU (1-0), which faces North Texas (0-1) at 7:05 p.m. today at Fouts Stadium in Denton, Texas.

"They are going to be ready for me," Crissinger-Hill said. "Any coach would try to stop that part of the offense. But at the same time they can't double me all the time."

Last season Crissinger-Hill led the Owls with 74 catches for 1,134 yards, both school records. But if his two-touchdown performance against Hawaii is any indication, more may be expected this season.

"It's his personal talent that gets him open," FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger said. "We call plays that 98 percent of the tight ends in the country couldn't get open."

Crissinger-Hill is listed as 6-foot-3, 205 pounds and is faster than the typical college tight end. He sometimes lines up in a slot, and often is covered by a linebacker. Even if his matchup doesn't give him a speed advantage, he has a knack for getting open.

"It's good to have a tight end that's really more of a receiver," quarterback Jared Allen said.

Defensive coordinator Kirk Hoza recruited Crissinger-Hill out of Tampa-Jefferson High School.

"If you focus too much on him, he may be a blocker and we're making yards in the run game," Hoza said. "If you are looking past him, he can beat you in a hurry."

Against Hawaii, Crissinger-Hill had 15 catches for 183 yards, both school records.

"We just were throwing the ball so good that I said 'Why not keep throwing it?' " offensive coordinator Larry Seiple said. "And he happened to be the guy we were throwing to."

But it won't be easy vs. the Mean Green, Crissinger-Hill said.

"We feel this is going to be a tougher game than Hawaii was. They are more physical and are faster on defense than Hawaii was. But I don't care because there is a weakness in every defense."


Back to the top
Control functions: