Taggart: ‘Iwant our defense to be great’
FAU coach Willie Taggart needed time — and games played — to learn about the team he has.
And after the Owls (2-1, 2-1 Conference USA) finally played games on consecutive weekends capped by their 24-3 win against UTSA, Taggart’s gained an idea of what Florida Atlantic can be.
“I learned,” Taggart said, “we can have a really good defense.”
The backbone of FAU’s defense has been the aggressive approach the entire unit has of getting to the ball under defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt— especially the defensive linemen and linebackers.
“Coach Leavitt lets you get loose out there,” redshirt sophomore defensive end Jaylen Joyner said.
The Ow lsare averaging4.3 sacks pergame, whichis the best mark in the conference.
Nine different players have recorded at least one tackle for a loss, with redshirt senior outside linebacker Leighton McCarthy (five) leading the charge alongwith fresh man outside linebacker Chris Jones (4.5) and Joyner (4.5).
The Owls have allowed opponents to rush for only three yards per attempt, which is tied for the eighth-best mark in the nation, even after facing two of the best running backs in the conference in Marshall’s Brenden Knox and UTSA’s Sincere McCormick.
They held Knox and McCormick to below their season averages in rushing yards and yards per attempt.
“One way I’d describe our defense is we’re a faceless defense,” starting safety Jordan Helm said. “It doesn’t matter who makes the play as long as the play gets made.”
For Taggart, who’s known as being an offensive coach, it isn’t weird for his defense to be the part of the team that’s standing out more.
“Ever since I’ve been a coach, that’s something I’ve taken pride in— having a really good defense,” Taggart said. “There were times where we always said we’re going to put our best players on defense, with some exceptions. That’s what you want. You feel like you can recruit and get the players in here to score some points, and if you can stop people from scoring, then chances are you’re going to win. Iwant our defense to be great and for our offense to catch up to our defense.”
While FAU had a better offensive showing against UTSA than it did in its first two games against Charlotte and Marshall, the Owls know improvements need to be made.
“We can’t play behind the sticks,” starting quarterback Nick Tronti said. “That seems to be a reoccurring theme in the last two weeks. And being on the same page communication-wise.”
Taggart, who highlighted that the Owls have only turned the ball over once in their first threegames, expressed confidence the offense will continue to grow as FAU plays more games.
“There’s still from learning from our team,” he said.
“When we get a couple more games under our belt, we’re knowing evenmore about our team. We have a team playing complementary football, but a team that’s still finding itself.”
FAU-Southern Miss rescheduled
FAU’s football game against Southern Miss has been rescheduled for Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m., Conference USA announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The Owls (2-1, 2-1C-USA) were originally scheduled to face the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Oct. 10, but the matchup was postponed when FAU determined it didn’t have enough available players due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
The rescheduled game, on a Thursday, will air on CBS Sports Network.
The FAU-Southern Miss matchup is the Owls’ second game to be rescheduled after they had five of their first six games canceled or postponed because of novel coronavirus-related reasons.
The Owls’ Sept. 19 matchup against Georgia Southern was postponed and rescheduled for Dec. 5 after FAU had a COVID-19 outbreak in the week preceding the matchup.
FAU’s Sept. 26 game against USF, whichwas postponed after it was announced the Bulls’ previous opponent — Notre Dame — had a COVID-19 outbreak, hasn’t been rescheduled.