After a narrow loss to the Big Ten’s Michigan State Spartans, the FAU Owls are looking to bounce back in Week 2.
Their defense, led by Kahzir “Buggs” Brown and Jackson Ambush, are looking to build upon an impressive start to the season. The offense, helmed by transfer quarterback Cameron Fancher, is looking to build on their positive second half performance and string together a complete game.
Can they accomplish this against the Army Black Knights? What are the keys to victory? Follow along below to learn all you need to know about the Owls’ 2024 home opener.
FAU vs Army History & Excerpts
Between the sport’s storied history and the vast changes in the modern era of college football, it is exceedingly rare for two teams to have never played each other. However, this is the case for the FAU Owls and Army.
Both schools have never played each other before Saturday’s upcoming matchup. The historical event has the potential to lay the groundwork for a new conference rivalry; FAU’s first season in the American Athletic Conference was in 2023, and Army joined for this current season.
Ahead of the matchup, head coach Tom Herman spoke to me about the offensive game plan for this week against the Black Knights, specifically if they were focused on execution or a specific weak spot in the Army’s defense.
“It’s about execution. I think they’re really good on defense. Their free safety, number six, is a hell of a player. Their outside linebacker and edge rusher, number 95, is a heck of a player. They are going to have some talented dudes. We will match up a little bit better up front and on the perimeter, though,” said Herman.
“To be honest with you, Army is a bit more multiple than expected. In playing the service academies, they’re usually more of, we are going to line up and do this better than you. They blitz a little bit more and throw some unique coverages at you. They get a little exotic on third down. I think we will know, for the most part, where they will be. I don’t think our guys will be confused a whole lot on offense. But we are certainly going to have to execute because they know what they’re doing, and they do it really well.”
Additionally, Herman said he wants to push the ball down the field more but noted that “it will be important to keep drives alive” due to Army’s unique offense.
On defense, Herman spoke about what goes into preparing for the unique offense Army runs.
“Hopefully, you hear the word ‘eyes’ this week more than you have ever heard. Option football, on that side, they want you to be chasing the ball. But if you read the keys and read the people you’re supposed to read, it will tell you what the play is. The ball won’t matter; you will be in the right gap at the right time.
As a head coach, these are some of the most nerve-wracking weeks. I’ve seen us play lights out against these types of teams, and I’ve seen us struggle. And sometimes, when you struggle, it’s hard to [stop] struggling and adjust mid-game. I think we’ve got a great plan; we believe in the plan, and we have to stick to it. We are going to be very simple and use our technique, athleticism, and fundamentals. And if our eyes are in the right place on every play, we will have a chance to succeed.”
To this point, cornerback Kahzir Brown spoke about what goes into preparing for Army, specifically noting reading keys and everyone doing their job.
“Army has a lot of moving pieces to their triple option scheme. If your eyes are in the wrong spot or you are trying to look for the ball, that thing is going to crease and go for 60 yards on the ground. It is emphasizing everybody playing strong, everybody doing their job, everybody being mentally tough. No matter how bored you are, just doing your job over and over again.”
Army’s head coach, Jeff Monken, called the Owls a “really well-coached football team” and lauded their performance against the Michigan State Spartans last week during a media availability.
Jeff Monken Weekly Press Conference – September 3rd, 2024
https://t.co/xvg4PBtE16— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) September 3, 2024
Key Players for the FAU Owls
Considering the opponent, FAU’s key players are pretty straightforward if they want to win.
On defense, the FAU Owls are facing a run-heavy, triple-option Army offensive scheme. They use a variety of plays to mess with the eyes of the defense, opening lanes for them to exploit. This was highly successful against Lehigh University; the Black Knights ran for 375 yards, six touchdowns, and averaged 6.7 yards per carry.
As a result, the entire defense needs to be focused and locked in. Linebackers Desmond Tisdol and Ambush, two of the more talented players on the defense, will be counted on heavily.
Ambush was a key part of shutting down the majority of the Michigan State rushing attack in Week 1; he had nine total tackles and four defensive stops. Tisdol did not have the best week against the Spartans, but his speed and athleticism will be key to shutting down the running game.
The Owls’ secondary is arguably more important than the linebackers in this game. Whether it’s Brown, Daedae Hill, Wendol Philord, or CJ Heard, the back end will be the crucial last line of defense against the run. They will have to be stringent in reading their keys and not falling for the “window dressing” Army will utilize.
On offense, it is all about Cameron Fancher and the passing attack. While not overly successful early on, the running game found its footing in the second half. Between Fancher, C.J. Campbell Jr., and Zuberi Mobley, the Owls have the ability to consistently gain yards on the ground.
But for the FAU Owls to truly win the game, the passing game has to be on point. Army had a below-average team coverage grade (from PFF) of 62.3, even against a team like Lehigh. Fancher must look to push the ball down the field and hit a big play or two. Whether it’s Dominique Henry, Jayshon Platt, Omari Hayes, or another receiver, the Owls’ quarterback has to find a way to make things happen.
Key Players for Army
Against the Owls, Army’s gameplan should revolve around them playing to their strengths.
On offense, they need to use trickery to their advantage. The triple option scheme must roll on all cylinders to counteract a stringent FAU run defense. Kanye Udoh and Noah Short should get the bulk of the carries, while quarterback Bryson Daily can provide a great dual-threat option at quarterback. The Black Knights need to throw all of their different runners at the Owls to have a chance to confuse them.
Furthermore, they must strategically pick the plays in which they attempt to take a shot down the field. The army should look to target the linebackers in the passing game, specifically off-play action. Tight-end Cam Scurr looks to be the main option in that capacity.
Defensively, the Black Knights’ game plan must be to make Cameron Fancher beat them. Army’s cornerbacks were in lockdown against Lehigh; to beat the Owls on their home turf, they will need a similar performance from the likes of Donovan Platt and Damon Washington.
FAU’s Blueprint for Victory
For the FAU Owls to win against Army, they must accomplish a few key things.
- Play safe and smart against the run. An overaggressive and undisciplined strategy would be a killer against the Black Knights. FAU must have a safe gameplan, execute correctly, and utilize the athleticism of the defense consistently. If they do that, they should keep the Army rushing attack in check.
- Build upon last week’s offensive performance. FAU needs to take the best aspects of their Week 1 matchup and build upon them. This is most evident on the offense. Fancher needs to be safer as a runner and more relaxed in the pocket. The offensive line needs to generate more of a push in the run game and keep their quarterback upright. The receivers need to create separation and make at least one big play down the field. A weak offensive performance will not suffice against Army; the Owls need to come out fast and make a statement early.
- Be. DISCIPLINED. The Owls did a good job against Michigan State with penalties, and they must continue in Week 2. Army thrives off-ball control and capitalizes off the undicipline of their opponents. If the Owls avoid mistakes, they will be in a great spot to emerge victorious.
