Pecoraro to join FAU coaching staff
Owls hire defensive coordinator from Southern Miss.
Tony Pecoraro has been named Florida Atlantic University’s defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.
Pecoraro will work with a defense that returns all but one starter, including three 2017 Conference USA first-team players in Azeez Al-Shaair, Jalen Young (Seminole Ridge High School) and Shelton Lewis. In total, eight All-Conference honorees return. Pecoraro comes to FAU after spending two seasons at fellow C-USA member Southern Miss.
While in Hattiesburg, he guided a USM defense that ranked No. 20 in total defense in 2017, and No. 45 in scoring defense. His two year’s work showed a 30-spot increase in total defense and a nine-spot increase in scoring defense.
Prior to Southern Miss, Pecoraro served as Alcorn State’s defensive coordinator for four seasons, helping the Braves win two Southwestern Athletic Conference championships. He also was defensive coordinator for two seasons at Division II North Alabama and served three seasons as the defensive quality control coach at Florida State.
Stadium may affect spring game: Despite ongoing construction at FAU Stadium, team officials said they are confident the annual spring football game on April 21 will be played on location.
The locker rooms and recruiting area are currently being renovated with an expectation that any and all additions to the stadium will be done by this summer.
If the locker rooms are not completed by April 21, there is a chance the Owls could get dressed at the Oxley Center and be bused over to the stadium. Though such a move would not necessarily be ideal, it would allow FAU to still hold its spring game at home and not hit the road for a third straight weekend. FAU has road practices scheduled for Liberty City on April 7 and Fort Lauderdale’s Carter Park the following Saturday.
The main tunnel which leads to the media room and home locker room is currently closed off.
FAU, which did not hold any practices at the stadium in last year’s spring camp aside from the spring game, will start camp on Tuesday.
White in today: FAU President John Kelly will introduce newly hired vice president and athletic director Brian White at 10 a.m. today in the Founders’ Lounge of the Tom Oxley Athletic Center. The school announced March 3 that White, the former Missouri deputy athletics director, had signed a five-year contract to become FAU’s sixth full-time AD. White replaces Pat Chun, who left FAU for Washington State on Jan. 16. Interim athletic director Brian Battle will return to his role as senior associate director of athletics for internal operations.