When Florida Atlantic recruits a player outside the state of Florida, there is usually a story behind it. For redshirt-freshman defensive lineman Andrew Stryffler that was just the case. Signing with the Owls out of Lee County High School in Sanford, North Carolina, Stryffler wouldn’t have been at FAU if it wasn’t for former Owl graduate assistant Art Link.

Link, who now is the defensive coordinator at Campbell University, where Stryffler’s brother Michael Stryffler plays tight end, saw the younger Stryffler highlight tape and sent it to FAU’s coaching staff. Owl coaches liked what they saw in the defensive lineman product and recruited Stryffler to come play football in Boca Raton.

Stryffler redshirted his first year while on campus and practiced with the scout team. Slated to be part of the defensive line rotation for the 2010 season, Stryffler has put on some size since joining the program and is now up to 6’5” 245 pounds.

Stryffler recently sat down with us for “Up Close”.

Quick Hits

What is your favorite food?

“Pizza. I could eat pizza any day of the week.”

What is your pet peeve?

“Complaining. If it’s on the field or back at the apartment, I can’t stand it.”

Who is your current off the field role model?

“My brother Michael. He plays football at a division 1-AA school back in North Carolina. He’s been a big role model for me.”

What are you most proud of?

“My Eagle Scout award.”

What is your major?

“Political Science and Spanish.”

What is your Faith?

“Christian.”

Line of scrimmage

What aspect of your game do you feel is your strength?

“Playing on the d-line, I think my biggest strength is being able to stick my face in that o-lineman.”

What aspect of your game do you feel is your weakness?

“I’m really good at moving to might right side, I’m not so big moving to my left yet. My strong side has always been my right side. I really
need to work on my left hand and being able to work to my left.”

Down the field

Besides football, what brought you to FAU?

“The chance to get away. I’ve always been kind of the adventure type, so going to college in South Florida was always appealing to me.
One of my brother’s coaches that he plays for back at Campbell, Art Link use to be a graduate assistant here and he got me in contact with FAU.”

What are your goals for the upcoming season?

“I’m at second string right now, so I’m aspiring to start. I want to get better as a football player and be a student of the game.”

What game are you looking forward to the most next season?

“I’m really looking forward to going to Texas. I’ve never seen that many people crowded into a stadium, so that’s big for me.

What do you want FAU fans to know about you personally?

“I’m an outdoorsy guy because I’m a scout. I love snowboarding up in the mountains, and pretty much anything you would do outside like rock climbing and hiking.”

Touchdown

Coming up, our next player has to take a bath or a shower before each game because he likes to feel clean prior to a contest.