The first hand Florida Atlantic athletic director Pat Chun shook during his coaching search turned out to be the last. Tuesday morning Chun introduced Charlie Partridge as FAU’s fourth head football coach.

Partridge – the former assistant at both Arkansas and Wisconsin – stood at the podium and addressed the media and supporters with a showing of confidence. Having grown up less than 20 miles for FAU’s campus in Plantation, Fla., Partridge made one thing clear – an introduction wasn’t really necessary.

With local high school coaches and family members scattered throughout the crowd, Partridge addressed the individuals that gave him the opportunity to be named head coach at FAU.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Partridge said. “I have always had interest in this program… To the high school coaches, thank you for your trust. I wouldn’t be here without it. Thank you for your support. I’d have no chance if it weren’t for you guys that are in this room.”

Partridge who is noted as a seasoned recruiter throughout his career in South Florida, touched on his vision for FAU.

“We’re going to build a program based on Florida and Florida first,” Partridge said. “If we can recruit and get some of the best world-class athletes out of south Florida and Florida at large to join our program, then we can put together something special here.”

Chun  – who hinted in his opening comments that Partridge was the first candidate outside the program that he had spoken to following the departure of Carl Pelini – explained that one of the characteristics that defined Partridge was his genuine character.

The man who had once drove the team bus as a graduate assistant at Drake University, put it best.

“I try to be the same guy everyday and stay steady all the time,” Partridge said. “I’m not going to  split the atom, but I know how to work and be efficient with my time.”

“He is what he is, he’s exactly what you see,” Chun added. "There are a lot of people in this business who wants to be head coaches, Charlie Partridge wants to be the head coach at Florida Atlantic."

Partridge went on to reveal that he hopes to hire someone to install a run-based spread offense that will incorporate his philosophies on coaching. He plans to interview the former FAU coaches in the coming days and then move forward with the process of hiring a staff.

“We’re coming, and we’re going to be visible,” Partridge said.