FAU's defense looking strong
Unit thriving under new defensive coach Tony Pecoraro.
BOCA RATON — Fifteen practices may be a small sample size, but consider this your post-spring camp hot take: Florida Atlantic’s defense won’t struggle at all despite playing under its third defensive coordinator in three years.
All-Conference linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was limited the entire spring following Tommy John surgery, but FAU’s defense excelled under new defensive coach Tony Pecoraro — even though players had less than two weeks before camp to learn the material. Pecoraro was hired on March 7 from Southern Miss after Chris Kiffin — head coach Lane’s brother — took a job with the San Francisco 49ers in February. But the Owls performed under Pecoraro like he’d been in Boca Raton for years.
Linebacker Rashad Smith and defensive end Leighton McCarthy each flourished this spring after breakouts last year, with the defensive line as a whole dominating under Pecoraro and second-year defensive line coach Eric Mathies. If the Owls take the field on Sept. 1 against Oklahoma with questions still surrounding the quarterback battle, the remaining Kiffin can take pride in knowing his defense should remain in dominant form.
Here are five takeaways from FAU’s defense this spring.
1. Pecoraro’s defense is going to cause fits.
If the theme of last year’s defense was playmaking, the theme this year is being aggressive. Simply put, Pecoraro’s attacking scheme fits the players that
Bagner did at defensive end, made a strong impression at defensive tackle. Though Cameron will begin training each of the last two defen- camp on the second string, sive coordinators — Roc Belthe junior showed enough lantoni (2014-16) and Chris to quiet the concerns about Kiffin (2017) — looked for his adjustment from the while recruiting. FAU experjunior-college level. imented with some posi4. Andrew Soroh will tional changes this spring, find ways to play at lineincluding moving safety backer.
Quran Hafitz to nickelback FAU opted not to sign any and moving safety James linebackers this winter in Pierre to corner. Both moves part because they have such are designed to incentivize high hopes for Soroh, who the aggressive mentality Pecplayed both safety and lineoraro wants from his players. backer last season before
2. Ernest Bagner, Tim leaving the secondary for Bonner are stepping up. good. Soroh’s aggressive
Bagner (Riverside City Colness makes him a perfect fit lege, Calif.) and Bonner (East for Pecoraro’s scheme, and Mississippi CC) were two even when Al-Shaair makes of the most highly touted it back to the field, the rising recruits in Kiffin’s first sign- senior showed this spring he ing class — especially Bondeserves an opportunity to ner, who starred on Netflix’s earn reps.
“Last Chance U” during his 5. The least-talked about stint at the JUCO level. positional battle will be in
Both def e nsive ends the secondary. impressed this spring, finThere will be plenty of talk ishing among the top playabout the quarterback battle ers in FAU’s analytics-driven and what happens with the points system. Both are on offensive line, but the comthe second team because of petition between sophomore how deep the defensive line Zyon Gilbert and senior Ocie is, though each has made a Rose at free safety will be case for getting some first- one of the more fascinating team snaps. to watch. Gilbert impressed
Bagner had three sacks as a true freshman last seain Saturday’s spring game, son before hitting the “rookie continuing a dominant run wall” and Rose, who spent of practices inwhich he was last season at nickelback, is continuously in the back- back at safety for his final field, batting down passes collegiate season. or stopping runners behind The two split first-team the line of scrimmage. reps in the final weeks of
3. Charles Cameron spring camp, but it was looks strong in JUCO Gilbert who played on the adjustment. first-team during Saturday’s
Cameron was the only spring game. player who signed in December to enroll at FAU this spring and, like Bonner and