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Florida Atlantic Owls: CFN College Football Preview 2021

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Florida Atlantic season with what you need to know.


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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Florida Atlantic Schedule Analysis
– Florida Atlantic Owls Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2020 Record: 5-4 overall, 4-2 in C-USA
Head Coach: Willie Taggart, 2nd year, 5-4 (61-66 overall)
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 101
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 87
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 13

Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Offense

The offense sputtered. It finished 112th in the nation averaging 325 yards and 19 points per game, but the ground game wasn’t bad. The offensive line struggled a bit in pass protection and gave up too many tackles for loss, but it paved the way for 180 rushing yards per game.

Now all five starters are expected back up front – ten offensive starters are expected to return overall – with two good ones to work around in junior tackle BJ Etienne and senior guard Desmond Noel.

The Owls have a whole lot of options at running back, helped by the addition of 1,175-yard, 13 touchdown back Johnny Ford from USF. James Charles led the team with 429 yards and a score, and 220-pound Malcolm Davidson – the 2019 leading rusher – ran for over seven yards per carry with two scores. There should be running production from the quarterback, too, who’ll be …

The quarterback situation got very, very interesting. It was already a decent situation with former Indiana transfer Nick Tronti coming off an okay first run and Javion Posey finishing second on the team in rushing, but they’re going to have a hard time holding off N’Kosi Perry, the Miami transfer who was part of the Cane offense for the last three years. However, Perry isn’t all that accurate, and that’s a problem – FAU quarterbacks combined to hit just 53% of their passes.

Getting WR John Dunmore should help – the former star Penn State recruit needs to stretch the field for a passing attack that averaged fewer than 11 yards per catch. 6-4, 200-pound Brandon Robinson led the team with three touchdowns on his 12 grabs, but leading receiver TJ Chase is the team’s lone missing starter.

– What You Need To Know: Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Florida Atlantic Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Defense

4. Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Defense

13 of the top 14 tacklers are back to a defense that allowed just 342 yards and 17 points per game. It was great against the pass, solid against the run, and the best in Conference USA at getting to the quarterback. Depending on the alignment and time from last year, 11 starters are back. This should be among the best statistical defenses among the Group of Five programs.

The one key lost part is top pass rusher Leighton McCarthy, but all-star end Jaylen Joyner came up with six sacks in a big sophomore season on the front three, and it all works around 6-3, 355-pound Evan Anderson at the anchor on the nose.

The linebacking corps isn’t that big, but everyone can move. 225-pound junior Chase Lasater led the team with 72 tackles and 210-pound Caliph Brice earned All-C-USA honors with 54 tackles on the outside. Working at the Owl is hybrid playmaker Ahman Ross, a 5-11, 200-pound missile who finished second on the team with 58 stops with 5.5 tackles for loss.

There weren’t a ton of picks, but the secondary was solid. Three returning Owls earned All-C-USA honors starting with safety Teja Young, who came up with 35 tackles with a team-high two picks. Corner Zyon Gilbert has been a solid performer for four years with 197 tackles, three picks and 16 broken up passes.

– What You Need To Know: Offense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Florida Atlantic Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Top Players

Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Top Players

Best Florida Atlantic Owls Offensive Player

RB James Charles, Sr.
The combination of the smooth Charles and the all-around style of Malcolm Davidson gives FAU one of the best 1-2 punches in Conference USA.

Davidson wasn’t used as much last year, but he was a force in 2019 as the leading rusher. Charles led the team with 429 yards and four scores in 2020 with a steady year. He’s not a workhorse, and he didn’t run for 100 yards, but he and Davidson – USF RB Johnny Ford – will make the O go.

2. RB Malcolm Davidson, Jr.
3. QB N’Kosi Perry, Sr.
4. OG Desmond Noel, Sr.
5. OT BJ Etienne, Jr.

Related

Florida Atlantic Football Schedule 2021, Analysis

Best Florida Atlantic Owls Defensive Player

DE Jaylen Joyner, Soph.
Take your pick of about seven different Owls to be the best this year, but the man up front ned to big NT Evan Anderson appears to be on the verge of blowing up.

Joyner’s a very big, very active defender as a 3-4 end, the 6-3, 270-pounder held up well with 40 tackles to go along with six sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. The light went on after his first two seasons, and now he might be just getting started.

2. LB Chase Lasater, Jr.
3. LB Ahman Ross, Jr.
4. CB Zyon Gilbert, Sr.
5. LB Caliph Brice, Sr.

Top Incoming Florida Atlantic Owls Transfer

RB Johnny Ford, Soph.
It’ll probably be Miami transfer N’Kosi Perry at quarterback, but more on him in a moment.

The 5-5, 172-pound Ford – a former USF Bull – is speedy enough to have averaged over six yards per carry in hit three years in Tampa, running for 1,175 yards and 13 touchdowns and catching 31 passes for 352 yards and four scores. FAU already has a good group of running backs, but Ford adds more flash, more pass catching ability, and another great option.

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Florida Atlantic Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season

Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season

Florida Atlantic Owls Biggest Key: Offense

The passing game needs to be better. That might be what new transfer N’Kosi Perry is for, but the offense has enough receivers in place to do more, there are plenty of quarterbacks to choose from, and the offensive line is experienced enough to give everyone more time to work.

The O can’t complete just 53% of its passes with 5.6 yards per throw again.

The Owls were among the worst in the nation in yards per completion and passing efficiency, and there’s no excuse for a repeat. The running game will be the star, so as long as the passing attack can be anything other than miserable, this should be a far different season.

Florida Atlantic Owls Biggest Key: Defense

Don’t get run over. The Owl run defense was terrific throughout most of last year, and then it dealt with the Georgia Southern option attack and things changed over the finishing kick.

The Eagles ran for 269 yards to control the game in the win over FAU, but that was acceptable. Allowing Southern Miss to rumble for over 300 yards five days later wasn’t okay.

The team was 0-3 when giving up more than 160 yards and was 1-4 when allowing more than four yards per carry. Since beating Air Force early in 2018, FAU is 0-9 when giving up over 200 rushing yards.

Who’s up early? Florida, Georgia Southern, and Air Force in September.

Florida Atlantic Owls Key Player To A Successful Season

QB N’Kosi Perry, Sr.
The Owls already have a decent veteran quarterback in Nick Tronti, and Javion Posey has enough upside to keep developing, but the team needs more of a spark from the position.

Perry will have to push through and earn the gig, but the former star Miami recruit has played through some big moments in his 24 games, throwing for close to 2,500 yards and 24 touchdowns with ten picks.

He’s not a big-time runner, but he can take off when needed, and he’s got the tools to at least upgrade the options.

Florida Atlantic Owls Key Game To The 2021 Season

at WKU, Nov. 20
The Conference USA opener against FIU is a big deal – the Golden Panthers are a whole lot better this year – and going to UAB will be a showdown, but if the goal is to play for and win the conference title, that might not be happening without a victory late in the season in Bowling Green.

WKU has an offense to go along with its nasty D this year. Last season FAU won 10-6 four its fourth victory in a row in the series, and this time around it might just be the Conference USA East title game.

Florida Atlantic Schedule Analysis

2020 Florida Atlantic Owls Fun Stats

– 4th Down Conversions: FAU 11-of-23 (48%) – Opponents 6-of-17 (35%)
– 3rd Quarter Scoring: FAU 68 – Opponents 36
– Rush TDs allowed to Southern Miss: 3 – Rush TDs allowed in the other 8 games: 3

NEXT: Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction

Florida Atlantic Owls College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction

Willie Taggart quietly had a very, very good first season.

Lane Kiffin set the bar at Conference USA-title-or-bust, but 2020 was going to be a bit of a rebuild no matter what. Taggart stepped in, started to bring in a few nice talents, was able to get some more, and now he gets to enjoy the super-senior year with 23 starters back – that’s including both kickers.

The defense was fantastic right away. It held down everyone Southern Miss and Memphis in the final two games, and now this year it should be among the best in the conference. Even better, the offense should provide more help this time around.

Set The Florida Atlantic Owls Regular Season Win Total At … 7.5

But everyone gets back veterans. FAU has to keep the defense playing at the same high level, find a passing attack, and then pull off a few key wins in sneaky-tough games.

Forget the opener at Florida, and going to Air Force is tough – winnable, but tough.

The Marshall showdown is in Boca Raton, but having to go to UAB and WKU will be the tests to see just how far things have come in Year Two under Taggart.

For all that good things the head man has done, he has never won a bowl game. He’ll get the team to a bowl for four the fourth time in five seasons, and he’ll come up with a winning campaign.

He might just have the team in place to build off the Kiffin era and win a third Conference USA title in four years, too.

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
Florida Atlantic Schedule Analysis