Flashy record draws players
Three Owls players are ranked in the top five at their positions
FAU’s big season should boost recruiting.
BOCA RATON — Prospective football recruits no longer have to wonder if they can be successful at Florida Atlantic.
All they have to do is open a web browser, and click on any NCAA statistics site. Once there, they will see a few Owls players ranked among the nation’s best. Coach Lane Kiffin is hoping a season full of eye-popping numbers can make FAU a more popular destination for recruits, especially those from South Florida.
“I’m assuming it’s getting everybody to Google us up now and be like, ‘What is FAU,’ ” center Antonyo Woods said. “That’s nice … That’s going to attract more people to the school. It’s always good for the university overall.”
The Owls aren’t only making their mark with wins this season, but also doing it with stats. Three players are ranked in the top five for their positions, and one unit leads the nation.
“It’s not that, ‘OK, I’m this huge stat guy,’ ” Kiffin said. “I think college football … when they’re part of something special, you see something that says, ‘Here’s the top five most explosive players in the country. FAU is in there with Florida, big name schools.’ ”
The numbers barrage starts with running back Devin “Motor’ Singletary. He leads the country with 25 touchdowns and is fourth in rushing with 1,524 yards.
Safety Jalen Young and linebacker Azeez
Al-Shaair are also making their mark nationally. Young is tied for fourth with five interceptions. The team’s 18 picks is tied with South Florida for No. 2. A junior, Al-Shaair is the nation’s fifth-leading tackler (115).
“Honestly, I think it’s cool but at the same time we take it game by game and try to just improve in every way you can,” Al-Shaair said. “Sometimes, those stats can be misleading … But it’s really neat to see. It is something special because you see the guys with the turnovers and that’s something that we emphasize in practice.”
Singletary, just a sophomore, has three games left to break the Conference USA single-season rushing touchdowns mark. The record is held by Owls running back coach Kevin Smith, who set it with 29 in 2007 at Central Florida.
“We joke around about it,” Singletary said, laughing. “He tells me that I won’t get it.”
He could tie the record in Saturday’s regular season finale at Charlotte. Singletary already has two games with four touchdowns.
“It’s just crazy,” said running back Gregory Howell Jr. “It’s hard to avoid it, having social media. You’re going to come across it. It’s just like we never thought we couldn’t be up there. I always had that mindset. … Now we’re finally seeing it pan out and showing to the world that we’re up there. It’s a great feeling. I’m proud of these guys.”
The stats take on different meaning for Kiffin. He has yet to receive a verbal commitment for the 2018 recruiting class, but already has plenty selling points because of the numbers. Chad Johnson Jr., son of the former NFL receiver once known as Chad Ochocinco, said Kiffin offered him a scholarship two weeks ago. A sophomore in California, Johnson is a rising prospect.
Oxbridge Academy coach Brenan Kent, who leads the top high school football team in Palm Beach County, said the Owls have always had a strong recruiting presence in the area, but now have victories to help their pitch to local players.
“There’s definitely a lot of buzz and hype about FAU football right now,” Kent said. “That’s obviously out there and they’re winning. The media has talked about them and putting it out there. Now, FAU has to just keep the kids here.”
It has made selling the program much easier. The Owls are often in competition with midmajor conferences who often raid South Florida. Now, the FAU program has success to counter.
“Until you have success, until you break records, you’ve got to paint a picture of, ‘OK, this is what it’s going to be like. You come here, you’re going to be a part of this offense, this defense and here’s what we plan on doing,’ ” Kiffin said. “They have to believe you or you have to sell what you’ve done at other places. Once you start doing it at the place you’re at, now it’s a lot easier because it’s a safe bet for the kids because they’re going on the Internet and they’re already showing it … I think it’s a big deal.”