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FAU Center Junior Diaz Named to Rimington Watch List

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Florida Atlantic University’s Junior Diaz, a graduate student who plays center on the Owls’ football team, has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Rimington committee on Friday.

Diaz transferred to FAU after graduating from Tulane University in 2018. He was the anchor for a 2018 offensive line that provided protection for running backs Devin Singletary and Kerrith Whyte, Jr., both selections in the 2019 NFL draft. The Miami native started in each of the Owls’ 12 games a year ago and is projected to be a key offensive line staple in 2019. The man with a calm, observant presence has seen his named listed by two national magazines as a Conference USA preseason honoree (Phil Steele and Athlon).
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That makes Diaz one of 80 centers chosen and 11 from CUSA. It seems like anyone gets picked except the worst teams. I always get upset when things like this mislead people. There’s people that don’t watch as much as we do. I’ll always be irked when qb’s especially get bad raps when there was nothing they could do. This guy’s not a gamer
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I think I’ll go with Phil Steele and Athlon.

Congrats Junior!

GO OWLS!
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The center position ,with Diaz over the ball,  is not one of my concerns this year. If healthy, he will do a solid jod.
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Was it not just two short years ago when our center snapped the ball over the QB's head like four times in one game?

As long as he can snap adequately, block a bit, and call out blitzes a little, then Diaz is an adequate center in my book.


                                         ROLL OWLS
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Local Owl said

The center position ,with Diaz over the ball,  is not one of my concerns this year. If healthy, he will do a solid jod.
Posted On: Jul 20th 2019, 11:29 AM #387270

Yea, oline comes down this year to how much of a jump our two young guards grow.

jgf2017 said

That makes Diaz one of 80 centers chosen and 11 from CUSA. It seems like anyone gets picked except the worst teams. I always get upset when things like this mislead people. There’s people that don’t watch as much as we do. I’ll always be irked when qb’s especially get bad raps when there was nothing they could do. This guy’s not a gamer
Posted On: Jul 19th 2019, 10:27 PM #387268

You are not going to trash Diaz like you did Riles last year.

Diaz is a great kid and his family is very supportive of the program.
He is also seen as a leader on that online and is popular in the locker room.

Diaz does a great job getting the oline lined up and is a good pass protector. He has some limitations in the run blocking, but he also came from a triple-option coach when he was at Tulane and had to learn a whole scheme and techniques. This coaching staff was really happy they got him back.  It is unfair to compare him to Antonie Woods who is an all-time FAU great.

No one saying he is the best to center in the country or conference, but saying he is not ''a gamer'' is not true.
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I’ll stop after this. But I think you’re trying to distort reality. Things are not fine with this position. It’s going to cost us games. These are grown men that signed up for this knowing they will be in the Public eye. No ones forcing these men, and they are men, to be in the public eye. They’re pursuing it. If you want to distort reality and pretend this guy isn’t bringing the team down with him fine. I’m done for good. Let’s pretend there are more pressing concerns on this team when there aren’t 
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jgf2017 said

I’ll stop after this. But I think you’re trying to distort reality. Things are not fine with this position. It’s going to cost us games. These are grown men that signed up for this knowing they will be in the Public eye. No ones forcing these men, and they are men, to be in the public eye. They’re pursuing it. If you want to distort reality and pretend this guy isn’t bringing the team down with him fine. I’m done for good. Let’s pretend there are more pressing concerns on this team when there aren’t 
Posted On: Jul 20th 2019, 1:02 PM #387273

Maybe I'm missing something, JGF, and tell me if I am. I'm a little confused by you saying he's bringing the team down with him because when I hear/read that, I think of two things: awful on-field play and awful off-field conduct. Play-wise, no, he's not Antonyo Woods. That's OK. And I think we can all agree the watch lists with 80+ kids don't have as much value as the guys who make the semi-finalist cut in October. But Diaz wasn't a disaster last year, he was fine, and my non-existent money is on him improving this year.

Not saying you accused Diaz of being a jerk off the field, but I do want to say I don't know of any time he's been a troublemaker or a distraction at FAU. (There was an alleged incident at Tulane from a few years ago that was settled, and he was never arrested, charged or suspended.) He's been great with all of his other obligations. He speaks to the media, he doesn't miss practice, he was one of the football players who had over a 3.0 GPA and teammates not only love him, but they RESPECT him. Those guys usually don't drag down the team.

It just seems harsh to say he's bringing the team down with him. If he has an all-conference year, great! If he's fine again or doesn't play up to standards, alright. But does he bring the team down with him? No.

Twitter: @JakeElman97
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jgf2017 said

I’ll stop after this. But I think you’re trying to distort reality. Things are not fine with this position. It’s going to cost us games. These are grown men that signed up for this knowing they will be in the Public eye. No ones forcing these men, and they are men, to be in the public eye. They’re pursuing it. If you want to distort reality and pretend this guy isn’t bringing the team down with him fine. I’m done for good. Let’s pretend there are more pressing concerns on this team when there aren’t 
Posted On: Jul 20th 2019, 1:02 PM #387273
There is big difference between “distorting” reality and just trashing a player when in reality you have shown you don’t really have a good idea to what you’re talking about. 
Coaches and players wanted him back. You think they would if he was “going to cost games” if he was that bad Lane would have went and found another. Plenty of guys in the portal. 
You just trash players like a drive home AM radio gas bag. 


A week ago you thought Eyon Cole had brother and didn’t understand why he wasn’t climbing the depth chart when we are not even practicing.
You think you have an understanding of the details of the football team yet you don’t provide facts or nuance.  
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For me it’s on the field and I’ll try not to be so harsh. I’m still a little unsure about what’s in appropriate. I know from browsing other forums people generally don’t pull punches. To answer the question it’s generally accepted hes not as good as Woods. Also I think we agree that he’s not a good run blocker. But run blocking is of utmost importance since we are a running team. And he’s not tough enough. 
Why are we even arguing I saw every game last year and can tell who’s good and who’s not. The guy has a really tough time being an effective run blocker which IMO is crippling. I’d like to think these are accepted as fact and not up to debate that if a running team has a below average run blocking center it’s not a great situation. You know what, I’m done arguing about this 
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