Kiffin’s tough love has FAU in right direction
BOCA RATON Five weeks into the season, Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin has made one thing clear.
He will not sugarcoat anything when it comes to player criticisms. Kiffin has already created an NFLtype atmosphere on campus by refusing to shy from calling out players in the media. The stern approach has the Owls (2-3, 1-0 in Conference USA) one game from already reaching last year’s win total.
They go for their second consecutive victory this season Saturday at Old Dominion.
“That is how I am with everything,” Kiffin said. “I think players respect that when they come in, that you are not just going to tell them what they want to hear.”
After starting the season with two losses, Kiffin began showing his tough love by criticizing the offensive line. It responded the following week against Bethune-Cookman by helping produce the best rushing game in school history. The Owls ran for 439 yards, including a career-high 175 by running back Gregory Howell Jr., and four touchdowns.
“You think of it as a job mind state,” Howell said. “You’ve got a job. You’re either going to do the job well or you’re going to get replaced. When you get called out, it at least gives you a notice that something isn’t right or you got to fix something or you got to get better. That’s better than somebody just being quiet because then you really don’t know what’s wrong.”
Kiffin has even been critical of players following victories. After defeating Bethune-Cookman 45-0, which was the team’s first shutout since 2005, he replaced starting quarterback Daniel Parr with Jason Driskel. He publicly said Parr wasn’t doing the job well enough.
Kiffin feels there is no point in dancing around poor play. He wants to openly let players know when they disappoint.
“I think if you do that then you are going to have problems because you never tell them why they aren’t playing,” Kiffin said. “We are very open that way. I just think that is the best way to manage players.
Players have embraced the tactic. Many say it makes them want to work harder because they don’t want to experience Kiffin’s public wrath. After the loss at Buffalo, he called the defeat “embarrassing” in the postgame interview. He then criticized the players in the media because he felt they got too relaxed when the Bulls lost their starting quarterback to injury.
“We don’t take it as criticism,” receiver DeAndre McNeal said. “He preaches to us. If somebody calls you out, don’t take it as criticism. Take it as a challenge.”
McNeal was one of the players Kiffin challenged. He had a key dropped pass on third down that ended a drive against Buffalo. Kiffin made sure to express his disappointment the next week during a news conference.
McNeal, who is the Owls’ leading receiver, said the public scolding only made him work harder. He began staying late after practices so he could prevent a repeat.
“Basically, when he does that it’s basically somebody challenging you to rise up and prove that what they think that you can’t do,” McNeal said. “You should prove them wrong. I like it. I’m just going to accept it like a man.”
srichardson@ sun-sentinel.com; On Twitter @shandelrich