Lane Kiffin changes up captaincy

BOCA RATON — This year, Florida Atlantic will name its team captains a little differently.

FAU coach Lane Kiffin said the Owls would have week-by-week captains selected by the coaching staff instead of the typical year-long captains chosen by the team. At the end of the season, before a potential bowl game, the team would vote on captains.

“Then it goes on record that that was their team,” Kiffin said.

Kiffin said he learned the approach from Alabama coach Nick Saban when Kiffin was the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator for three seasons. Kiffin said the week-to-week captains would be determined both by performance on the field and leadership off it.

“A lot of times, the old fashioned way is that you vote early,” Kiffin said. “Well, you vote right now and then all of a sudden, a guy doesn’t really perform, doesn’t lead the way that you think and he’s your captain of your team.”

For the last three years under coach Charlie Partridge, the Owls used season-long captains voted on by players.

Last year, FAU had five captains: OL Dillon DeBoer, TETyler Cameron ,WR Kalib Woods ,DE Trey Hendrickson and LB Azeez Al-Shaair. DeBoer, Cameron and Hendrickson all graduated.

Al-Shaair is back with the Owls and is expected to be one of its starting linebackers. Woods is suspended indefinitely after he was charged with two counts of felony battery in June.

Next game: Navy at FAU, Sept. 1, 8 p.m., ESPNU