With rival FIU next, ‘intensity’ restored
BOCA RATON – When a season isn’t going as planned as far as the winloss record, but one of those wins comes against the bitter rival late in the year, that can go a long way toward changing perceptions.
That’s what Florida Atlantic (3-5, 1-3 Conference USA) is aiming at as it travels to Miami to take on FIU in the Shula Bowl at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Antonio Riles, a graduate transfer from Florida, recalled after practice on Tuesday what it meant as a Gator facing off against the likes of Georgia and Florida State.
“One team could be having a really bad season, but if you beat them… it didn’t matter how bad our season was,” Riles said. “If we beat those boys, it’s like the Super Bowl.”
Receiver John Mitchell offered a counterpoint but gave in to say it would be meaningful.
“Theoretically, it shouldn’t, but I think everybody knows in the back of their heads that this is a big game regardless of what our record is and people are going to be playing hard knowing that this is the ‘the team down south’ – we actually don’t even say the name during rivalry week,” Mitchell said. “But it does. It brings a little bit of an intensity factor to it. I don’t know, we just got to keep that trophy.”
Reggie Bain may not have received the memo about avoiding references to the Panthers by name this week, but as the senior left tackle has 45 career starts under his belt, and planning on a 46th, he could probably make his own rules.
“A win against FIU will definitely get the train rolling,” Bain said.
Running back Kerrith Whyte expressed a similar sentiment, viewing it as an opportunity to – not just put a silver lining on what has been a disappointing season – but catapult the team to a strong finish.
“Beating your rival, keeping the trophy here at home, is always a good feeling. I guess it’ll soften things up a little bit, but this one here will hopefully get the season rolling and we’ll end the season strong,” Whyte said. “Yeah, it’s rivalry week, but we don’t treat no opponent no different.”
FIU’s surprising success this season at 6-2 intensifies the value of what a win would mean for the Owls.
“They’re 4-0 in the conference, so if we get a win against them, that’s big for us,” center Junior Diaz said.
Douglas alum Weber getting playing time: At left guard, redshirt freshman Nick Weber has been seeing an increased role rotating in for fellow redshirt freshman and St. Thomas Aquinas grad BJ Etienne, who has started there all year. It was a plan offensive line coach John Garrison implemented ahead of the Louisiana Tech game.
“He said from the beginning of the year that he likes to rotate guys and he just told me that, [last] week, that’s what we’ll be doing,” Etienne said. “I don’t know if we’re doing it this week, but I’m just doing what I got to do.”
Bain noted about Weber, who is a Stoneman Douglas alum, that his ability to play both guard positions and lack of confusion when he switches sides is a testament to how mentally locked in he is.
Practice note: Quarterback Chris Robison was a full participant in practice on Tuesday after being limited last week.
The redshirt freshman started every game up until an ankle injury caused backup Rafe Peavey to step in last week.