Quarterback’s McKinson Souverain and Sean Clayton have two things in common. They both want to be the starting QB for the Owls this season, and at the Spring Game they were both strong leaders. Although they were inconsistent, they both offered flashes of brilliance.

What we have this spring at FAU is what happens to many colleges this time of year – we have an “arms race.” McKinson is an amazing athlete with an aggressive playing style that leads to explosive plays and costly mistakes. His ability to run coupled with his leadership skills are what separates him from other quarterbacks.

Souverain shows strong leadership ability and a short memory, which is very important for a young QB. Sean Clayton has more experience than Souverain, which allows him to play smarter and under control. He is big (6’5), and possesses a strong arm that is capable of making any throw. At the start of practice he seemed a little tight and afraid of making mistakes, but after awhile he loosened up and made some big throws.

The rest of the offence looked sharp, with dropped balls and fumbles were kept to a minimum. A standout was newcomer Jamari Grant, a big target with soft hands. He also made some big plays during the game. A couple other young wide-receivers stood out this weekend including Frantz Simeon, a speedster who had multiple catches, and Conshario Johnson, who mad a big 34yrd catch.

The running game was sporadic, the backs struggled running up the middle but excelled on the perimeter. Aaron Sanchez, (who is returning to the Owls after a medical red shirt last season), is a back and he brings strength up the middle, as well as an ability to catch out of the backfield. Charles Pierre was outstanding, he scored a touchdown and had several runs of over 10 yards. He has a quick burst of speed that allows him to turn the corner on the outside and create space in the open field. Overall, the offense looked good. Mistakes were made as expected, but nothing practice and repetition won’t fix. All the quarterbacks moved the ball efficiently going through progressions and finding the open receivers. When the receivers got the ball, they made big plays often turning average gains into huge gains with their running ability. The running game made some phenomenal plays on the outside and will be key to helping our quarterbacks excel in this offence.

We are looking forward to a successful season for the Owls.