Spring stakes are high for Emmons
Former Alabama RB knows he must step up in final scrimmage
BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic running back BJ Emmons, a prized pickup who started his college career at Alabama, was brutally honest with himself this week when asked how he would grade his spring.
“Not good,” said Emmons, who was only on the field sparingly in last Saturday’s spring game, going for 19 yards on five carries. “Because I’m still learning. I can’t sit in here, be like, ‘I’m doing everything right.’ I’m still competing with my teammates. Every day is just a chance to get better.”
Emmons and other Owls have one final chance to leave a lasting impression for their body of work on Saturday as FAU hosts a scrimmage that will conclude its spring session. The scrimmage, at FAU Stadium, is closed to the public.
Emmons, who transferred from Alabama after his freshman season due lack of playing time, played a season at FAU running back BJ Emmons catches a breath during practice.
Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College and took last season off, is not approaching Saturday with any added importance or pressure on himself.
“Every scrimmage is the most important. It’s not about it being the last one,” said Emmons, who played for FAU coach Lane Kiffin when he was offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide. “Of course you want to wrap things up strong, but you want to approach every scrimmage the same and show coaches that you’re that guy.”
For Emmons, this spring has been a transition not only in scenery, but also in his role in the offense. At FAU, a running back is expected to be aware of much more than at his previous stops.
“In this conference and in the offense we run, we’re basically like a No. 2 quarterback,” said Emmons. “We’ve got to know a lot of stuff that at Alabama we wouldn’t have to know. That’s why [running backs coach Kevin] Smith is so hard on details, discipline. It’s really the little stuff that can make the play go, and you got to understand the little stuff. So you can make those big runs, so you can break for 80, so you can get in the end zone.”
Kiffin said after the spring game the running game didn’t provide much, and Emmons this week said coaches let the running backs know their performance was “poor.”
Harrison working on mental aspects: Sidelined for much of the spring with an undisclosed injury, wide receiver Tavaris Harrison hasn’t had the ideal month of drills, but he has found other ways to improve.
“I wouldn’t say I accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish,” said Harrison, a redshirt senior out of North Miami High, “but from a mental aspect, I accomplished a little bit more in the film room, I studied some of the defenses, things like that.
“Physical-wise, I’ve been out, obviously, and that’s one of the downfalls.”
It was important to Harrison that, although he would miss time, to still take an approach that can help him going into his final season of college football.
“A lot of times people, if they’re out, they may totally be out of it,” said Harrison, who last year was fourth on the team with 21 receptions for 368 yards. “I didn’t want to totally be out of it. I’m still in tune. I still come to every meeting. Engaging, helping the younger guys, it helps myself in the long run.”
He says he’s been able to pick things up in reading defenses as he has kept a watchful eye from the sideline.
“It’ll slow the game down for me,” Harrison said. “I see a lot of things now, and I see the defense a lot much slower just from the sideline. Once I’m out there, I’ll be able to make plays at a higher speed and just dominate. Just reading the defense before the snap and just getting it going.”
While not able to participate in drills, Harrison has also been seen working out on the side at practices.