Kiffin has back of O.C Weis Jr.
Though a tal
BOCA RATON — ented Florida Atlantic offense has underwhelmed so far, Lane Kiffin is standing by young offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.
Speaking to reporters on a conference call Sunday, Kiffin defended Weis, who at 25 is the youngest offensive coordinator in modern FBS history. Kiffin said Weis, who had only held off-field jobs before being hired in January, is doing a “good job” so far.
“Everybody continues to get better as you continue to coach,” Kiffin said.
Weis previously held offfield assignments at Flor- ida, Kansas, New England, and Alabama. Though he was initially hired as FAU’s tight end coach in Jan. 2017, he left after a month to join the Atlanta Falcons as an offensive analyst, the same role he held at Alabama for two seasons.
I nh e riting an off e nse that averaged more than 40 points per game last year, Weis – who primarily calls plays for the Owls – has watched FAU (2-3, 0-1
in Conference USA) average 31.2 points this season. AP All-American running back Devin Singletary (American Heritage) leads the nation with 12 rushing touchdowns, but is only averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Robison won the starting job and threw for a program-re
cord 471 yards in a Sept. 8 win over Air Force, but has thrown six interceptions in his past three games.
Team rules prohibit Weis
and assistant coaches from talking to the media during the season. Weis only met with reporters during an August media day.
Weis is one of several assistant coaches on Kiffin’s staff who are in their first on-field job. Like Weis, safeties coach Wes Neighbors and special teams coordinator Jaron Fairman had never held an
on-field job before.
“We’re a very young staff, “Kiffin said. “With that, there’s good and bad. They’re hun- gry. They’re eager, but we don’t have a lot of game experience or just situational experience with kids.” Fairman has been a light-
ning rod for criticism early.
Kiffin recently called the special teams unit a “freak show” as punter Sebastian Reilla has had two kicks blocked and is only averaging 34 yards per punt. Kicker Vladimir Rivas has made four of his five field goals and 14 of 15 extra points, though he’s been bothered by a linger- ing hamstring injury.
Kiffin said Sunday he’s seen improvements from Fairman and the special teams group.
“Kickoff coverage, for the most part, has been really good,” Kiffin said. “I think (it’s been) one of the better units around the country. (Rivas) being hurt’s been an issue obviously, even though he did come back and make a big field goal (on Saturday).”
The youth movement came when Kiffin lost four key coaches after last year’s 11-3 season. Previous offen- sive coordinator Kendal Briles took the same position with the Houston Cougars in January. Defensive coor- dinator Chris Kiffin, Lane’s younger brother, joined the San Francisco 49ers as a passrush specialist in February, just over a month before the Owls began their spring
camp. Safeties coach and special teams coordinator Corey Batoon, a Hawaii native, was named the Rainbow Warriors’ defensive coordinator shortly after Christmas.
Offensive line coach Garin Justice, the only coach Kiffin retained from Charlie
Partridge’s final staff, originally took the same role with Arizona in December. When Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez was dismissed following allegations of misconduct, Justice was not retained by Kevin Sumlin and instead became UNLV’s offensive line coach.
“It’s the situation that you’re in,” Kiffin said. “... A lot of the guys, it’s their first job . ... We all get bet- ter with experience.”
Defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro and offen- sive line coach John Garrison each held those posi- tions at FBS programs before arriving in Boca Raton. Pecoraro was hired from Southern Miss in March and Gar- rison joined the Owls in January from UNLV.