Young, Al-Shaair relishing final year

Defensive leaders focused on improving

BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair remembers the first day he showed up for training camp four years ago.

He weighed about “a buck 85,” and was a wide-eyed freshman. Now, he is a senior preparing for his final season in charge of the Owls’ defense. He and senior safety Jalen Young are cherishing every moment as they are set to begin their last year.

Even the days of training camp feel shorter.

“This year is the shortest fall camp that I’ve had,” Al-Shaair said.

Both players will play key roles in the Owls’ attempt to win a second straight Conference USA championship and improve on last year’s 11-3 finish.

Young has increased his workouts so he can make this the most memorable season of his FAU career. Through three days of fall practices, Young has been the last player to leave the field. Each time, his jersey was drenched in sweat.

“My time is running, my clock is ticking,” Young said. “I got until the end of this season and that’s all I got. I’m just trying to pour everything I got into it for my brothers.”

Al-Shaair and Young have been valuable components on the defense throughout their stay at FAU. Al-Shaair has led the team in tackles the last three

seasons and is the school’s all-time leader in the category.

He was a preseason firstteam All-Conference USA selection for a second straight year. Despite his accomplishments, Al-Shaair still feels he has room for growth. He quickly realized that while watching film with first-year defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro, who has helped him revert to working on the basics.

“I saw flaws in my game that I’d never seen before,” Al-Shaair said. “It’s like a million different things I can be working on.”

Last year, Young ranked No. 2 in the nation with seven interceptions. He leads a secondary that picked off a school-record 20 passes. The unit, which includes senior cornerback Shelton Lewis, junior cornerback Chris Tooley and sophomore safety Zyon Gilbert, is expected to once again be one of the best in the conference.

“It’s definitely nice but we don’t worry about that,” Young said of preseason expectations. “We’ve still got to show up. We’re never good enough. We’ve always got to improve. There’s a lot of room for improvement and we’re working on that right now.”

FAU coach Lane Kiffin said the players are excited not only because it’s their last chance but also the possibilities of this being a special season.

“I think it’s a combination of their last year and the excitement, the buildup of all this,” Kiffin said. “If they have a feeling the team has a chance to be good, it makes it even more exciting. On that side of the ball, I think they feel really confident.”

Both players refuse to think toward the future. Last year, Al-Shaair flirted with the idea of skipping his senior season and entering the NFL draft. After gauging interest and talking with Kiffin, he decided it was best he return for another year. He is rated the No. 20 inside linebacker by Draftscout.com

“He’s going to play at the next level for a long time,” Kiffin said.

According to Draftscout.com, Young is ranked eighth among free-safety prospects. Still, he won’t focus on playing at the next level until the season ends.

He’d rather put his energy into helping FAU complete another successful season.

“I’m not worried about none of that,” Young said. “I’m worried about this year as a team. That’s all I’m worried about.”