As the team prepares for their first full scrimmage this upcoming weekend, co-offensive coordinator and QBs Coach Clint Trickett met with the media this afternoon. Joining the rising coach for availability were fellow quarterbacks Nick Tronti, Justin Agner, and Willie Taggart Jr.

With 18 days to go until the season opener, Trickett made it clear the starting quarterback position remains open. “There is no one clear cut guy just yet, so they just gotta keep battling everyday", he said. Furthermore, Trickett praised the quarterback room with how they are handling the competition. “They are all great kids, I love working with them every day", Trickett said.

Not only is it a busy time for coaches to prepare for the season, but also for the future. The window to contact class of 2022 recruits began last night at midnight. Momentum can still be felt around the program as the team announced a very exciting change in scheduling to begin the Willie Taggart era at FAU.

OwlBytes

• Season Opener Now On ESPN2 The reigning Conference USA champions will begin their season in front of a national audience come September 19th as the match up at Georgia Southern will now be televised on ESPN2. The game was originally slated to be televised on ESPN+. Due to this change, kickoff will now be at 4:00pm in Statesboro, Georgia.

• Justin Agner`s Ride In reflecting upon his journey at FAU, the quarterback feels he found the perfect fit. “My best experience by far, this is my fifth school. I was trying to find the greener grass, and it took me five tries to finally get here. I found the greener grass", Agner said. Agner also made note of the positive impact of playing with his band of brothers. “When you guys hear band of brothers, it really is, and that is something I didn't have at any other school." Head Coach Willie Taggart announced following Saturday`s scrimmage he and cornerback Ashton McNeal had earned scholarships.

• Leading By Example Senior running back BJ Emmons (photo above) appears to be playing in different gear as the season quickly approaches. “Obviously, BJ has done a really good job running for us, I think he`ll be a really good player for us,” said Nick Tronti. Emmons is a candidate for a 1,000 yard season along with redshirt sophomore Malcolm Davidson. “BJ had a really good scrimmage, I have been really impressed with how BJ Emmons is practicing. He has been practicing like he`s supposed to practice. I told the entire football team the other day, they all need to take that mindset," said Taggart on Saturday.

• Quarterback Buzz In assessing the performances of the quarterbacks in the first situational scrimmage Clint Trickett said, “Javion did put drives together pretty well." The dual threat quarterback has become a serious threat to win the starting quarterback following a freshman season split at quarterback and wide receiver. It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff leans on experience when selecting the starting quarterback. "Nick (Tronti), in being a guy who played a little bit last year, Justin (Agner) as well. Those guys you can tell they have leadership abilities," said Trickett.

• A Fresh Start In recent years, FAU has become a prime landing spot for receivers looking to end their collegiate careers on a high note. Today, Nick Tronti praised Duke grad transfer Aaron Young for his performance in the preseason. “Aaron has been making big plays for us.” In addition, Clemson grad transfer TJ Chase is expected to be a key contributor on the offense, following his career at Clemson where the Plant City native won two national championships. In August, the team announced that Cincinnati transfer Yanez Rogers was immediately eligible. The Owls have a strong track record of success among transfer receivers in recent years. Last year, USF transfer DeAngelo Antione had 86 catches for over 1000 yards. Other notable wide receivers who had success in their final season at FAU were John Franklin III (Auburn) and Jovon Durante (West Virginia).

Nice work Ryan! Happy for Agner getting the scholarship. My money is still on Posey or Tronti winning the QB job. 


 Glad to know Aaron Young is performing well. You’re right that FAU has had a nice trend of receivers in their final year (either grad transfers, seniors, or Durante) stepping up big time. Let’s hope he continues the trend. 



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