Offense needs to step it up
Robison focused on better execution after 2 slow starts
BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic’s offense knows it needs to step up for the Owls to have a chance to compete. And not many players are deferring blame on that end of the field.
Not starting quarterback Chris Robison.
Not the injury-riddled running back group.
And certainly not an offensive line that FAU coach Lane Kiffin admitted he was concerned about since camp started.
Most of FAU’s offensive players are accepting their share of the blame after back-to-back lackluster offensive performances to open the season — even though they were against Top 25 programs.
“We got to get better,” said Robison, a redshirt sophomore. “The defense helped us out, but we haven’t helped them out at all.”
Robison said he’s maintained his confidence in the offense.
He understands the team needs start stronger after only scoring nine combined points in the
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FAU at Ball State first halves against Ohio State and UCF and failing to score in the first quarter in either game.
Robison owned up to leaving the pocket early a couple of times against UCF on Saturday. He admitted that it might’ve cost the Owls a touchdown on the first drive against the Knights, who eventually won 48-14.
Robison said his main takeaway after watching film was that the offense simply needs to execute their plays better when the Owls take on Ball State in Muncie, Ind., on Saturday at 2 p.m.
“Whether that’s the offensive line, quarterback, running back or receivers, we all just have to play as a unit and play together,” Robison said. “That’ll really help us out.”
Injuries haven’t matters.
FAU lost redshirt junior running back BJ Emmons to a probable season-ending ankle injury in the season-opener against Ohio State, which the Buckeyes won 45-21. Then, redshirt tailback sophomore Daniel Leconte suffered a concussion and sophomore running helped back Malcolm Davidson left Saturday’s game against UCF with an undisclosed injury.
But the offensive line hasn’t made things easier for its playmakers. The Owls’ front five allowed five sacks against UCF and has struggled to open up gaps for running backs.
FAU has rushed for 159 yards on 80 attempts combined.
“We take a lot of the blame for that because we haven’t really established our running game yet,” offensive lineman Junior Diaz said. “In order to be a successful offense, you gotta establish a running game, and we haven’t done [that].”
Redshirt sophomore running back Tyrek Tisdale, who only played in two games last season due to a knee injury, said the running backs can help jump-start the offense early in the game the most by being meticulous on the field.
“As long as we stayed detailed in the backfield, we’ll start the running game pretty early,” Tisdale said. “We’ll be able to help Chris out and help the receivers out.
“We have the talent and athletes on the team to have a good offense.”
Diaz said FAU’s slow offensive start to the season has caught him by surprise because they’re not doing as well as he thinks they should. But he’s confident the unit will turn things around.
“Thankfully it’s early in the season and these things are going to get corrected,” Diaz said.