From the other side: FAU

By Drew Champlin

Published: November 18, 2009

A big thanks to Ted Hutton for his help. Ted’s blog is HERE, which has a Q and A with me.

1. What’s different, if a anything, about the offense now that Jeff Van Camp is running the show?
Like Larry Blakeney said, if you didn’t know that 12 had replaced 11, it would be hard to tell any difference. FAU runs the same plays and the results have been similar, as Van Camp has had two solid starts. The biggest difference is that Van Camp can run. Rusty Smith was very run-averse, and would rather throw it away than pull the ball down and take.off. Van Camp will do that, and he is not a bad runner. Van Camp throws harder than Smith, though he might not be as accurate.

2. People thought FAU would challenge for a league title, but what’s kept them from doing that?
This is an easy one, and there is a two-word answer: The Defense. FAU’s defense has been abysmal. Athletically they are solid, position by position, but collectively as a unit they have been awful. They haven’t been able to stop the run, and good running QBs have eaten them alive. They played pretty well last week, but Arkansas State’s offense is a mess right now.

3. What must the FAU defense do to slow Troy’s offense down?
Well, not sure if they can. Like I said, they can’t stop the run and they also have not been able to put much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. And they give up big plays. The gameplan against the Owls is pretty simple—run until they can stop you, and most times they have not been able to stop teams.

4. Give us an update on the stadium
The opening date was pushed back a year to 2011 after they couldn’t get enough money together soon enough to get it done by 2010. They are still working out the financing, but they should hit that target since they have a guaranteed revenue stream by the sale of development rights to dorms that will be next to the stadium.  Right now it is supposed to be a 30,000 seat stadium that could be expanded later on. Nothing fancy, and very much like the erector set stadium that UCF built. But it will be on campus and that should help attendance and recruiting.
5. How do you see the game going?
I just don’t see FAU’s defense being able to stop Troy consistently enough to give the Owls a chance. I think FAU will score some points, but Troy will break off a half dozen big plays get by the Owls and clinch the Belt title. Troy 38, FAU 28.