Loss of Bain to injury shakes up FAU offensive line

BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic left tackle Reggie Bain had an admission fee to get into his hospital room this weekend. To gain entrance, you had to come without pity, according to coach Charlie Partridge.

“One of the things Reggie made very clear as people came into see him was ‘Don’t come in this room if you’re coming in to feel sorry for my injury,’” Partridge said. “‘Don’t come in. That’s not what I want. You guys figure out a way to stay on the mission.’ ”

Bain will be out for the upcoming season after he was involved in a traffic accident Friday afternoon. Citing privacy laws and Bain’s family wishes, Partridge did not disclose more details on Bain’s injury.

Bain was entrenched as FAU’s starting left tackle, a position he owned since he arrived on campus two years ago, starting all 24 games. He earned secondteam all-conference honors a year ago and was named preseason All-Conference USA entering this season.

Partridge said he was “very optimistic” about Bain rejoining the football programin the future.

Without Bain, the Owls will jumble their offensive line, moving Dillon DeBoer from center to left tackle, Romas Fernandez from left guard to center and inserting Tarrick Thomas at left guard. From left to right, FAU’s offensive line will be DeBoer, Thomas, Fernandez, Antonyo Woods and Kelly Parfitt for the season opener Saturday at 6 p.m. against Southern Illinois.

Partridge said Bain’s absence would not affect the playcalling.

DeBoer previously played both guard and tackle before settling at center last season. His past experience on the outside factored into the staff’s decision to push him to left tackle.

“We know he has the athleticism to do it,” Partridge said. “It’s fun because we put him there on Saturday and he was like a fish thrown in the water. His experience at center and running the calls and a lot of those things helped him translate to a good first day out at left tackle.”

Fernandez had been taking snaps at center throughout camp, Partridge said, because a handful of contingency plans placed him at center. Fernandez, a redshirt junior, entered last year as the starting center before a preseason injury ended his season.

Thomas, a redshirt freshman, has not played a collegiate snap.

Partridge also mentioned redshirt sophomore Byers Hickmon as a potential solution at tackle. Hickmon, who did not join the team until the fall for undisclosed reasons, is still adjusting to the Owls offense but should be in the mix once he becomes game-ready.

Many of Bain’s teammates visited him Friday, allowing Partridge to address those in the hospital lobby before sending out a message to the entire team that Bain would be OK.

“There is a time to put football aside and express how much you love this kid,” Partridge said.