Leavitt hoping to replicate takeaway success
FAU accomplished a feat last year that new defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt hasn’t during his 40-year coaching career — leading the country in takeaways.
The Owls’ turnover success has had the former South Florida coach asking more questions than providing answers as to how they can replicate the success from last season.
“First of all, I ask them what they did last year,” Leavitt said while laughing during a conference call with reporters Thursday. “I never had a defense that was no. 1 in the country in takeaways. And I’ve been at it for a long time.
“The big thing is it’s not luck,” Leavitt said. “It’s a conscious effort. It has to become a habit. Every time you’re on that field, you have to look at opportunities to get takeaways. I’m learning from these guys.”
FAU’s defensive success last season — with nation highs of 33 takeaways and 22 interceptions — helped lead the team to a bounceback 2019 season after a disappointing 2018.
For the Owls to replicate similar success in recording takeaways in the 2020 season, they’ll need to replace the production of significant playmakers from last year’s team.
Cornerback Meiko Dotson, who recorded a program-record and nation-high nine interceptions with FAU last season, transferred to Florida State.
Linebacker Akileis Leroy, who had a team-best four forced fumbles and the second-most interceptions on FAU last year with three, isn’t on the team’s roster. Cornerback James Pierre and linebacker Rashad Smith are no longer with the Owls after joining the NFL as undrafted free agents.
But Leavitt emphasized that how strong FAU’s defense will perform this season will start with the production it gets from its defensive line, which lost key contributors from last year.
Only one of the Owls’ defensive tackles from last year — Marcel Southall — is on the team this year.
FAU has several new defensive linemen, opening up playing opportunities for underclassmen.
Leavitt mentioned the Owls will need to be two-deep at each defensive line position.
“I don’t think about that, to be honest with you,” Leavitt said when asked about the loss of experience on the defensive end. “I love the guys we got. We got some young guys, but we got some older guys too.”
Although Leavitt didn’t name specific defensive linemen he’s been impressed with so far, FAU coach Willie Taggart namedropped a few players who’ve stood out to him since the team started fall practices nearly a month ago.
“I think all of training camp Alvin
Dempsey has been showing up for us,” said Taggart, who also mentioned Jaylen Joyner and Southall as defensive linemen he’s been impressed with. “Evan Anderson is gonna be a big-time player for us. He’s a big body and it’s hard to move him. He’s athletic too. We don’t call him a big guy — he’s a big athlete.”
When asked how the defensive line can help the team experience similar success with recording takeaways, sophomore defensive lineman Latrell Jean responded: “[By] knocking the offensive line off the line of scrimmage and really just putting pressure on the quarterback to force him to throw interceptions, and making it hard for the running back to find a lane to run through.”