Maturity will be one of the main focal points for this year’s Owls defensive squad. After sharing the Sun Belt title with Troy last year, FAU is bringing back eight starters on the defensive side of the ball and are hoping to show the college football world that they are as ready for the spotlight as the FAU offense.
“Having so many seniors just makes it that much better,” says senior cornerback Corey Small.
The Owls will open up their 2008 campaign with a game against Texas in Austin, and are looking forward to building on their most impressive season to date.
The undisputed leader of this Owls defense is Frantz Joseph.
“We have a lot of leaders on this defense,” says Joseph. “It’s my job to influence others on the team and to be there for them, through good or bad.”
The All-Sun Belt linebacker had 131 tackles a year ago and will have to step up even more with the loss of departed senior Cergile Sincere, who had 117 tackles. But Joseph believes the linebackers are up to the challenge: “This is probably the strongest core of linebackers to have come through FAU.”
Joseph definitely has the confidence of his teammates. “He is what you look for in a linebacker,” says cornerback Tavious Polo. “He’s the anchor, the guy who holds everything down in the middle.”
Joseph is on the Dick Butkus Award list for the nation’s top linebacker and the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list, which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football. Joseph is also up for the Rotary Lombardi Award. The Lombardi Award goes to the college football player who is a down lineman on either side of the ball or a linebacker who lines up no farther than five yards deep from the ball. The winner of this award epitomizes – in addition to outstanding performance and ability – the discipline of Vince Lombardi.
The Owls have other players that are also getting national acclaim. Cornerbacks Small and Polo, who combined for 12 interceptions a year ago, are leading candidates for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s best college defensive back.
Polo and Small push each other every day in practice, often telling each other jokingly: “You’re not ready for the Thorpe Award!”
Lineman Jervonte Jackson is also a preseason All-Sun Belt selection. “We have a lot of talent,” says Joseph.
Confidence is high this year, but FAU’s defense was not stellar last season. Despite the team’s overall success, the Owls defense ranked fifth in the Sun Belt Conference and 86th nationally allowing 415.6 yards per game.
They also allowed 27 points per game which was good enough for second in the Sun Belt and 93rd in the country. Schools from the BCS conferences gave the Owls’ defense fits last season: FAU allowed 40 or more points to Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Florida. Minnesota and South Florida also put up 39 and 35 points, respectively.
FAU struggled last year with injuries to key players and were not able to put much pressure on the opposing quarterbacks.
“They weren’t able to rush the passer the way they would have liked last year,” says Offensive Coordinator Gary Nord.
FAU only mustered 16 sacks a season ago and returns a four-year starter in Jackson, but Robert St. Clair is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
