Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
Posted
#203832
(In Topic #33499)
Wise Owl
Member since 2005
Posted on Sun, Apr. 20, 2008
FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
A close win with poor plays raises questions about the Owls' upcoming season.
BY ANDY KENT
Usually the spring football game is supposed to supply more answers for a college football program than questions, but the opposite was the case Saturday afternoon at Florida Atlantic University in front of 1,091 sun-drenched fans.
The final score – 38-37 in favor of the defense – was more telling than any of the statistics or individual analysis that came out of the two-hour scrimmage because there were just enough mistakes, broken plays and poor executions on both sides of the ball to frustrate head coach Howard Schnellenberger.
If there was one thing about the play of the Owls that pleased Schnellenberger and his staff, it was the intensity that was on display.
''More questions were asked out here today than were answered,'' said Schnellenberger, who coached the Owls to the Sun Belt Conference title and a victory over Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl last year. ``Obviously, we had a very contentious scrimmage, both sides of the ball practicing hard, working hard and making some big plays. But it was checker-boarded with so many bad plays, so many mistakes, so many pre-snapped balls, illegally snapped balls, and the defense was more consistent, but not as consistent as it could be.''
There was reason for concern on the very first play as senior tight end Jason Harmon caught a 35-yard pass from redshirt junior quarterback Rusty Smith. Although the play was executed to perfection, the awkward hit Harmon took as he ran down the right sideline caused his right knee to buckle and he had to be carted off the field, unable to put any weight on the leg. Schnellenberger said after the game that Harmon twisted his knee and they don't believe it's serious, but he will be kept out of practice through next week.
Smith guided the offense into the end zone four plays later, aided by a 15-yard face-mask penalty. Senior running back Charles Pierre finished off the drive with a 9-yard run down to the goal line, and then a 1-yard strut for a 7-0 lead, the first of two rushing touchdowns for him. Smith added a 12-yard scoring pass to sophomore receiver Lester Jean, and redshirt freshman running back Alfred Morris had a 12-yard scoring run to allow the offense to take a 22-14 lead into the half.
''The first offense, I was very pleased with how we came out in the first half against the No. 1 defense. We put a few touchdowns in the end zone, especially when we were going from the 20-yard line,'' said Smith, who finished 18 of 29 for 233 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. ``We put together two really good drives and scored both times, so that was very good for the offense as far as momentum.
``And then we came out after halftime and we couldn't really put anything together, so kudos to the defense. They came out and they came to play.''
Schnellenberger has two more practices and one more scrimmage scheduled next week for the Owls, who open the season at Texas.
GO OWLS!
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2007
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
FAU - THE REAL SLEEPING GIANT
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2007
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
And quite honestly, I'd be more concerned if Howard said everything looked perfect.
Like things, love people.
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
They don't even have an FAU page anymore…and NOBODY reads it hardly anyway…
Parting thought:
What kind of statements did HS make last year after the spring…uh huh, thats right.
Enough said.
He's a master motivator - period.
Posted
Bird of Prey
Member since 2007
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
Fledgling said
I think this is a case of the editor not reading the story well enough before creating a headline.
Fledgling hit it. If you just read the headline it's yep, 1-11, here we come!
Posted
Member since 2008
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
all i can say is that we run pro style football schemes on both sides of the ball;
way more complicated than most college teams anywhere!
nord scripts what he wants to practice for this game; he does not prepare a game plan to defeat our defense;
hoza runs what feels right for the situation, because there is no game planning against our offense.
if any of you remember how sloppy lasts years spring scrimmage turned out, you are still picking up your guts and are exasperated by the fact that we won the belt.
the herald is still dealing with the demise of um.
i'm still troubled over the fact that they held their spring game at the lock.
i rarely get a good read from the herald. and maybe someone should make andy kent eat his words.
look for the OL to make the whole difference in how next year turns out…
-juggernaut
-juggernaut
Posted
VIP DONOR
Member since 2007
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
The said
Fledgling said
I think this is a case of the editor not reading the story well enough before creating a headline.
Fledgling hit it. If you just read the headline it's yep, 1-11, here we come!
haha who would be the 1? FIU?
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2005
Re: Miami Herald...FAU spring game casts doubt on football season
owlcountry said
The said
Fledgling said
I think this is a case of the editor not reading the story well enough before creating a headline.
Fledgling hit it. If you just read the headline it's yep, 1-11, here we come!
haha who would be the 1? FIU?
Of course ;D
GO OWLS!
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