The FAU Owls fell short once again. In their matchup against the Charlotte 49ers, the Owls lost by a score of 37-29. It dropped FAU to a 2-9 record on the season, officially meaning that they will end their 2024 season with a worse record than their 2023 campaign. There were some positives for the Owls in this game. The rushing attack was highly productive for the offense, while the run defense was miles better than in previous weeks. The team also limited the penalties and mental mistakes when compared to prior weeks.
However, it was not enough. Between questionable play-calling and poor execution from both units at different times, the Owls found a way to lose.
You can change the players, coaches, and everything in between. But sometimes, it is not your season. In 2024, it was not FAU’s season.
Campbell, RBs lead the way on offense
The brightest part of the night for the Owls was, by far, the rushing attack.
Per usual, C.J. Campbell led the charge for the Owls on the ground. On 21 carries, the star running back rattled off 150 rushing yards and a touchdown. That touchdown displayed all of the best parts of Campbell’s game; the running back showed his vision to get through the hole, the speed to out-run defenders, and the strength to finish runs.
NOTHING BUT DAYLIGHT @cjcampbelljr_ 😤
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/fTGOYQHVRW
— Florida Atlantic Football (@FAUFootball) November 23, 2024
It is obvious how talented Campbell is and how important he is to the Owls’ offense. However, the auxiliary options showed some great flashes as well.
Returning from injury, Zuberi Mobley looked strong and effective as a runner. He racked up 46 yards on nine carries, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Gemari Sands also looked powerful as a runner, racking up 48 yards on nine carries as well.
The most interesting running back outside of Campbell, though, was Xavier Terrell. He not only showed the strong running mentality that Sands and Mobley showed, but also some blazing speed. This materialized on his touchdown run, as Terrell found daylight and was in the endzone before most players could even try to reach him.
First career TD for Xavier Terrell 👀
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— Florida Atlantic Football (@FAUFootball) November 23, 2024
#FAU has a very fun backfield. Terrell runs through a tackler for a first down for the Owls. One of the better runs of the game so far. And a few plays later, he bursts through a wide open hole for a TD! It’s his first of his career! The Owls trail 13-10.
— Brandyn Pokrass (@brandyn-pokrass.bsky.social) 2024-11-23T21:12:56.927Z
Regarding the running back room, interim head coach Chad Lunsford spoke very highly about the players within it.
“I think that is our go-to room. You can put any of them in. You even got Kaden Shields-Dutton, who only played on special teams. But you could put him in, and he would get it done. It’s a very talented room, and Coach Perkins does a great job with them. He gets them ready to play each and every week, and they play hard.”
Lunsford also praised the offensive line, saying that they did “a good job” opening lanes for the backs this week.
It may seem simple, but the formula for the Owls to win this season on offense is to run the ball effectively. If they run the ball like they did against Charlotte, they should have a great chance to beat Tulsa.
A different-looking passing attack
Unlike past weeks, the Owls had a much different offensive scheme against the 49ers.
Under Tom Herman, the Owls were a spread-based offense. Whether using three wideouts, four wideouts, or empty formations, FAU tried to create as much space as possible.
But against Charlotte, the Owls went with heavy formations more often. They utilized 12 and 13 personnel, putting their tight ends on the field way more often. It was clear that FAU wanted to focus on running the ball; by the end of the game, the Owls had attempted 50 rushes.
In addition to this player usage, FAU had plenty of motion. Whether they were used as window dressing, a blocker, or a receiver, the Owls had motion on almost very play. They also used plenty of play action out of the heavy personnel, something they had not done at all this season.
The strategy worked when FAU wanted it to. Running the ball was not an issue for the Owls, as evidenced by the success multiple players had. Quarterback Tyriq Starks looked at his best when on the move and challenging the defense down the filed. And the various tight ends, such as Elijah Brown and Wyatt Sullivan, looked natural as pass catchers.
During his post-game media availability, Lunsford spoke about the game plan adjustment and involving the tight ends more.
“I give credit to Coach Frye. It was something that he wanted to do. He told me that he wanted to get four tight ends on the field, and as a tight end coach, I was pretty excited about that… I think that room is a very talented room. They all have different skills and attributes. They can all fit in different spots,” said Lunsford.
“You would have to ask the coaches at Charlotte, but I think it was something they had to adjust to. It was something they had not seen from us. And yes, I think it is something that I think we can build off of. ”
It will be very interesting to see how the Owls can further evolve their offense against Tulsa. It may be unlikely, but the last game could give a glimpse inot how the future offense of the Owls could operate.
Coming up short on defense and play-calling
As many positive signs and developments there were, there were also as many negatives.
On defense, the Owls shut down the Charlotte rushing attack. The 49ers only averaged 1.9 yards per carry, racking up 46 yards on 24 carries. That should be a win for the Owls, right? Well… not exactly.
Charlotte freshman quarterback Deshawn Purdie carved up the Owls’ secondary to the tune of 396 passing yards and three touchdowns. He repeatedly took shots down the field, resulting in the team having nine plays of 15 yards or more. The main recipient of this was HOF name candidate O’Mega Blake; the wideout racked up 205 yards and three touchdowns against the Owls’ secondary.
All of the secondary struggled, but to varying extents. Kahzir “Buggs” Brown was solid for most of the game. However, he let up what ended up being the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Similarly, safety CJ Heard provided some nice coverage throughout the game. However, he seemingly had a few communication issues that led to some modest passing gains.
Most of the damage was done against Daedae Hill and the non-Heard safeties on the team. Hill, evidently not fully recovered from his ankle injury, could not always keep up with wideouts on the outside. As a result, Charlotte picked up some big-time games when targeting him down the field.
The safeties have been significant issues the entire year, and that did not change on Saturday. Purdie found the non-Heard safety on almost every play and exploited them in coverage. This then extended to the slot; utilizing slot fades and deep crosses, Purdie started to exploit the space in the FAU Owls’ defense.
Just like Waffle House
@omegablakee is always open!#GoldStandard⛏️ pic.twitter.com/YktXVnHTxX— Charlotte Football (@CharlotteFTBL) November 23, 2024
The coverage did not occur in a vacuum, though. While the run defense was effective, the passing defense was very inconsistent. The Owls could rarely knock the 49ers’ quarterback off his spot, which allowed him to blowtorch their secondary.
Additionally, the offensive play-calling also hurt the defense.
On multiple trips to the red zone, FAU Owls had to settle for field goals and no touchdowns. They rarely challenged the edges of the defense and did not use the downs to their fullest advantage.
Furthermore, they did not challenge Charlotte’s secondary enough in this game. Starks has the arm talent to make almost any throw on the field, and he displayed it on multiple throws to Tucker, Sullivan, and Hayes. However, too many drives featured a conservative game plan and not enough aggression on FAU’s part.
This all culminated in a turnover that sealed the game for Charlotte. Starks, trying to make a play to overcome some shaky play-calling and defensive struggles, made a rough error and fumbled. The play resulted in a lineman scooping the ball and taking it for a touchdown.
6 BIG BOOMS
💥💥💥💥💥💥@ColtBoyKayy #GoldStandard⛏️ pic.twitter.com/3sq7qBZAFG— Charlotte Football (@CharlotteFTBL) November 23, 2024
Ultimately, FAU Owls had too many blunders to win this game. It is the same story in a season filled with positives but also some overwhelming negatives. Complementary football has not been achieved, and until it does, the Owls will struggle to find wins.
What’s next?
The FAU Owls will travel to Oklahoma to take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane to close out their 2024 season. They will look to improve to 3-9 or fall to a dreaded 2-10 record.
