The FAU Owls are back for another media availability this week!
After a crushing defeat to North Texas, head coach Tom Herman, wide receiver Milan Tucker, and linebacker Eddie Williams spoke to the media. They provided their thoughts on the loss to North Texas and offered answers on looking ahead toward a matchup with the UTSA Roadrunners.
Follow along as we go over the key answers from FAU’s Tuesday media availability.
FAU Owls Media Availability Quotes from Tuesday
Tom Herman Quotes
The head coach provided an injury update to start off his media availability on Tuesday. Herman revealed that starting quarterback Cam Fancher, who had his best game of the season against North Texas, suffered a significant injury to his toe.
“Cam Fancher, as we found out after the game, has a pretty significant turf toe injury. His status for this weekend is in question. He tried to do a few things today and was out and in a boot yesterday. He looked OK today, but I will get some further reports. I would call him day-to-day, but the MRI showed some damage down there.”
If Fancher cannot go, Herman said that Casen Weisman would be the starting quarterback. He also revealed that Tryriq Starks has been cleared to play and would backup Weisman if Fancher cannot go.
Additionally, Herman said that wide receiver Milan Tucker has a precursor to a stress factor.
“It was a pain that kind of jumped up and bit him. He had a sore foot for a couple of weeks, but it had not really bothered him. He felt a pretty good twinge on the one long catch he had, and the MRI showed what it showed.”
Daughtry Richardson got his cast off, according to Herman, and should be available to play offensive line for the Owls.
The head coach then spoke about being “excited for another go-around” this weekend.
“Everyone in our program wanted the outcome from this past Saturday night to be different. But, every day I preach to our players about attacking every rep and every second of every day to go 1-0. Worrying about the steps to success and not the result. For us to show the improvement that we did against a 5-1 North Texas team, that deserves mention. They have put themselves on the doorstep of success.”
Herman did mention that, after reaching the doorstep, the next step is to “kick the door in” and find consistent success by “learning how to finish” and “always be at our best.”
Regarding the wide receiver room, Herman said that Omari Hayes has “stood out” and that Jabari Smith is a player who “continues to earn the trust” of the coaching staff through his work ethic.
Herman also praised the development of tight end Wyatt Sullivan and compared him to someone who can “walk and chew gum” at the same time.
“To see him transform into the player he is now and seeing the ceiling he still has left has been fun to watch and be a part of…the biggest part of the development has been Wyatt. If he continues this trajectory of improvement, we are going to have something really, really good.”
In terms of UTSA prep, Herman said that they “present a different challenge,” mentioning that they have two all-conference defensive tackles and eight returning starters. The head coach also said that he sees UTSA as a “very similar program” and spoke about the challenge that the Roadrunners present.
“I told our guys on Monday that UTSA’s physicality stands out. We are not scared of them, but they are a different animal compared to North Texas.”
Milan Tucker Quotes
During his media availability, Milan Tucker spoke about the Owls’ offensive explosion against North Texas.
“It was one of those games, coming off the bye week, that we needed. Having that bye week allows you to hone in on what the details are, what you are looking for, and how many options you are going to get. Knowing that we prepared for every option and the looks that they were giving us, everything was clicking. We were all on the same page with Cam, and he was thinking what we were thinking. Everything kind of just meshed together.
It was one of those games where you did not have to think out there. We were just playing fast and aggressive. I feel like the best thing was that we had the week off to mesh as a team and really hone in on what FAU football was.”
When asked about building on last week’s game, Tucker said that he is looking to improve on the negatives.
“For me, I try not to hone in on the positives. We gotta look for what we did badly and know how to improve. We have to look for the next thing so we can be great at all aspects of the game. But knowing that you did a lot of positives helps keep your spirits up and let you know that you are doing good.”
Eddie Williams Quotes
Asked about his recovery from injury, the FAU Owls linebacker detailed his return in 2024.
“Last year, I was hurt. I wasn’t really 100 percent or feeling like me, so I decided to redshirt. I prayed about it and talked to my parents about it. I was grateful enough to play another season here.”
Regarding how they can bounce back from their last-second loss, Williams mentioned a short-term mentality.
“Next week mentality. Stuff happens. Everybody wants to win, and it hurts to lose. We just have to find a way to finish.”
The FAU Owls will now have a road game, traveling to San Antonio to take on the UTSA Roadrunners this Saturday. Herman will need his players and his own words to ring true, as another loss may ultimately doom FAU’s chances at a bowl game this season.
