Pok’s Football Week in Review: FAU Flashes on Friday Night

Welcome back to another edition of the newest (and hopefully best) college football column around! I was in Boca Raton for the last Florida Atlantic spring football practice and had a chance to watch the Owls’ “Friday Night Lights” spring showcase this week. It was my first opportunity to see Zach Kittley’s squad in action this spring, and I was very interested for a few reasons.

On offense, I was excited to see how the Caden Veltkamp-led offense looked. Between Kittley’s scheme and a group of young players with high upside, the unit was in a position to showcase the fireworks they could bring to the AAC this season.

On defense, I was interested to see how the puzzle pieces would fit during the spring game. The Owls are very young defensively with multiple positions up for grabs. I wanted to see who would step up, setting the foundation for them to hit the ground running in the summer training camp period.

And with the week in the books, I can say I definitely got what I was looking for. Friday night provided a glimpse into what 2025 could hold for FAU and an early preview into who some of the team’s top contributors could be. It was a back-and-forth battle between both units that provided some excitement in a typically mellow period of the season.

Additionally, we have the first edition of the “Recruiting Roundup” in this week’s column! This will be where we dive into the moves that FIU, USF, and FAU have made. Occasionally, we will also cover the biggest news from the overall landscape of college football!

The football was fun again this week, folks. So, without further ado, it is time to dive into another edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review

The Owls Battle on Friday Night

As we discussed last week, spring games are not a definitive verdict on whether a team is good or not. However, they are a great barometer to measure where different players and position units are at heading into training camp. When it comes to FAU, both sides of the ball showed they have progressed over the spring sessions and what foundation they will be building upon when the summer arrives.

The most hyped and talked about part of the new-look Owls is their offense. Kittley’s offense has been potent and record-breaking in the past, so it is no surprise people have keyed in on FAU’s unit this spring. The Owls also landed C-USA Player of the Year Caden Veltkamp, added multiple exciting weapons, and retained some high-upside players from last season.

But enough of the backstory: how did the offense actually look? To put it simply, FAU is in a very good spot heading into the summer and training camp.

Kittley did not show all of his concepts Friday night, but it was clear what the team’s core tenets would be. Like many teams, FAU ran all of their plays out of the shotgun. They used a no-huddle offense as well, pushing the pace of the defense and dictating the flow of the game to them. Additionally, the Owls relied on some RPO concepts throughout the course of the game. To keep the defense on its toes, there was usually a route, or multiple of them, attached to the offense’s run plays.

Where Kittley differs, though, is where he chooses to attack defenses.

Many college offenses that utilize RPOs and tempo are very lateral. They want to attack from east to west, capitalizing on hesitancy from linebackers and secondary players to rip off explosive plays. And while FAU has those aspects, they showed that they want to have a very vertical offense.

Whether it was Veltkamp, Kasen Weisman, Jordan Magwood, or Micheal Valentino, the Owls were letting the ball rip down the field. Kittley had his quarterbacks consistently challenge the secondary down the boundaries and over the middle. By building upon the outside zone runs, RPO-based inside zone runs, and sprint outs, the scheme allowed the quarterbacks and receivers to connect on multiple chunk plays.

Furthermore, Kittley’s offense showed interesting formation wrinkles that will likely be shown more as the regular season approaches. Whether it was using receivers in the backfield, playing with condensed splits and bunch formations, or unleashing 12 personnel, it is evident that the final form of the Owls’ offense has not been shown to the public eye yet. It also emphasizes that Kittley, just like FIU head coach Willie Simmons, will likely use the same concepts out of different formations.

On Wednesday, cornerback Cameron Goggins said that “the offense runs a lot of the same plays out of different formations” with their scheme.

“Sometimes, I will try to guess. Like I have seen this before and I know what is coming. And they will run something the exact opposite,” said Goggins.

The standout cornerback’s quote only reinforces that the FAU offense is only starting to rev up its engines.

But for as fun as the offense was on Friday, the defense’s play and scheme were just as exciting.

For starters, the Owls defense is seemingly comfortable letting their cornerbacks play on an island. Whether it was Goggins, Lawrence Johnson, or one of the other defensive backs, FAU allowed its secondary to show off their abilities in a solo capacity.

From an overall unit perspective, FAU played downhill and aggressive. Adhering to a true “attack the ball” mindset, the defense forced multiple turnovers and was stout against the run. They did let up some big plays, but that was more so due to a bust in coverage or a missed tackle. As a whole, the unit showed that they have the talent to compete and produce against high-octane offenses.

What stood out the most, though, were the wrinkles in the scheme. The Owls experimented with rotating out of coverage shells and sending sim pressures. While they consistently sent four or five pass rushers, they were not always down linemen. Sometimes a cornerback came on a late pressure, while other plays saw a lineman occasionally drop into coverage. The defensive line also was shifting late in the snap, attempting to throw off the offensive line and gain an advantage on the play.

Between both sides of the ball, there seems to be a consistent throughline. Under Kittley, FAU is seeking to be at the cutting edge with its schemes and play designs. They will have all of the wrinkles that make up successful offenses and defenses at the college football level.

But for the Owls to have true success in 2025, the execution and play-calling of those schemes will need to be there from the players and coaches. After a foundation-setting spring, the summer will be the next opportunity to see how the Owls are pushing toward being their best possible version this year.

Who Stood Out: FAU Football Spring Edition

In a very fun spring game, there were standouts on both sides of the football.

On offense, Veltkamp showed why he was a priority target for the Owls. He showed off his great arm and ability to make plays on the move. Whether fitting the ball into tight windows, ripping the ball down the field, or displaying touch, Veltkamp showed the capacity to make all of the plays necessary to be a high-level quarterback. On top of his passing ability,  Veltkamp showed his athletic ability to extend plays and pick up some yards in the running game.

Most importantly, Veltkamp showed a high command of the offense. The quarterback consistently made adjustments, checks, and changes at the line of scrimmage. He had a high level of feel at the line of scrimmage, allowing him to be decisive and consistently drive the football down the field.

A primary reason, of the offense’s success was wide receiver Easton Messer. A fellow transfer from Western Kentucky, Messer was dynamite in space for the Owls.

On an RPO from Veltkamp, Messer showed off the speed to outrace the secondary and the contact balance to shake off tackles. In the red-zone period, Messer took a simple slant route to the end zone by out-racing his defender, juking him out of his shoes in the process. This does not even consider the other quick receptions the wideout made. Heading into the summer, Messer is someone fans should be excited to watch and develop.

 

Freshman Jordan Magwood was extremely impressive in live-game action, showing a high level of feel for a player his age. His accuracy and touch were on point, and he also showcased some impressive speed to keep drives going.

Quarterback Micheal Valentino was a smooth operator during his time on the field. He had some of the best accuracy and overall throws on the day, with his biggest play coming on a perfectly placed 70-yard completion to Devarius Mitchell. He also had a great touchdown to Leon Washington Jr., which was called back due to a penalty.

Wideout Caleb Coombs was also impressive during the spring game in a variety of ways. The Marshall transfer displayed great route-running and YAC ability. He also made one of the plays of the day, rising up for an impressive contested catch on a pass from Magwood.

Jabari Smith, Dom Henry, and Asaad Wassem also flashed at wideout. Both Smith and Henry displayed the shiftiness, route running, and YAC ability that they had last season. Henry had one of the best moves in the space of the day, ducking under a defender to get the offense into the red zone. Waseem showed smooth running of the route and good explosiveness after the catch.

At running back, both Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrell showed the versatility and skill they bring to the Owls’ offense. Sands showed smoothness within his downhill running style. He kept his legs moving, easily found rushing lanes when open, and got the dirty yards when necessary. Sands even showed off his ability in the passing game earlier in the week, catching multiple targets utilizing soft hands. He also had good pass protection on Friday night. While he did have a critical fumble, Sands is looking to be a key contributor in 2025.

The same can easily be said for Terrell. As a pass catcher, the running back showed the ability to change into a runner quickly and get upfield with his speed. As a runner, he showed shiftiness and good vision to attack open lanes on Wednesday and Friday. Terrell’s speed did not result in any chunk plays, but it tied in nicely with his downhill running style. On the touchdown run, the redshirt sophomore stuck his foot in the ground and flew through the hold before any defender could make a play on him.

The most unique offensive player of the entire game, though, was Leon Washington Jr. FAU lined up the dynamic offensive weapon in the backfield on multiple occasions, giving him handoffs and letting him run routes. The sophomore looked comfortable taking handoffs, displaying shiftiness and explosiveness. On a out route out of the backfield, he created good space with a head fake and quick movements.

Washington was also dynamic when lined up at wideout. With twitchy and smooth route running, he created plenty of space and outraced the entire defense for a touchdown that was called back for a penalty. Even in a very talented wideout room, I can easily see the dynamic Washington making a big impact in 2025.

As fun as the offense was this week, the defense won the day on Friday, thanks to some impressive individual performance. I cannot start anywhere besides the secondary, specifically with three players: Lawrence Johnson, Cameron Goggins, and Kyle Boylston.

Johnson was asked to play a large amount of man coverage on Friday night, and he delivered. The sophomore cornerback had no issues running with receivers down the field, displaying great technique and hands in the process. He was arguably more impressive in the red zone, as Johnson caused multiple bass breakups with tight coverage and impressive pathetic ability.

Cameron Goggins was just as lockdown. While he had some great plays over the course of the game, he was one of the stars for the defense in their victory over the offense. He provided tight coverage throughout every drive, and had one of the best coverage reps on the night when he slammed the door shut on a fourth down fade route.

Boylston, a dual-sport athlete who also has shined on the baseball diamond for FAU, was everywhere for the Owls’ defense. The defensive back had multiple pass breakups, was flying all over the field, and sealed the game for the defense with a leaping interception. For a player who is not even playing football full-time at the moment, Boylston looked right at home making plays for the defense. I am truly excited to see how he further develops over the summer, as I think he can be one of the more fun stories in college football this season.

At linebacker, Tyler Stolsky looked like one of the best players at his entire position. He looked fluid and decisive, representing comfortability in the defensive scheme. The Minnesota transfer also showed some big-play ability, forcing the red-zone fumble on Sands to get a major win for his unit.

Fellow linebacker Zyere Horton also played very well during the game, flying from sideline to sideline and making plays. Leon Hart Jr. provided nice coverage, notching a pass breakup during the game.

On the defensive line, Wilky Denaud and Tyclean Luman were impressive. Denaud had one of the best trench plays of the day, flying into the backfield and stuffing what would have been a touchdown. He looks very strong at the point of attack and is shaping up to be a main contributor for the Owls on the inside.

Luman had some impressive speed and moves as a pass rusher, notching two different would-be sacks during the game. For a unit with a lot of talent and an unclear pecking order, Luman is in a position to make some noise.

To wrap up this section, here are my other notes from watching FAU on Wednesday and Friday:

• Freshman wideouts Mykel Calixte and Jade Card flashed during the week in a big way. Card was borderline uncoverable on Wednesday, while Calixte showed great hands and route running on his touchdown catch. With Branden Hoch also set to arrive on campus soon, the Owls have some very exciting young players waiting in the wings on offense.
• Tight ends Mex Tamez Young and Martavious Collins looked smooth as route runners and as ball carriers in space. Along with South Carolina transfer Reid Mikeska, I am very intrigued to see how the Owls utilize this position.
• Freshman cornerback Zion Paret had a nice PBU on Friday and showed good coverage throughout the week. He could easily be called upon for work on the outside during this upcoming season.
• Curtis Janvier and Antonio Smith had interceptions during the game. Janiver’s was especially impressive, reading the quarterback and jumping the passing lane with ease. He is another young player to keep an eye on in the summer.

Quotes of the Week

DB Coach Antonio Fenelus on the mentality he has implemented into his unit over the spring: “We want them to be a bunch of guys who are team guys, want to work hard, bring great effort, and compete. We want them to play fast. We also want them to be smart football players with high football IQ. You can just go out there and play like it is high-school football; we have to understand down and distance and situational football. Those are some of the things we are talking to them about right now. Maximum effort and playing fast.”

DE/EDGE Coach Brandon Lacy on players stepping up as leaders in his unit: “It’s been a mixture of guys. There has not been one set guy. That has been my challenge to the group: who is going to be the alpha? The easy one to point out would be Chisom (Ifeayni), because he is a senior. I challenged him. Another guy would be Wilky (Denaud), because he has played a lot of ball. Outside of those two guys, there are a lot of guys that have not played football, played as true freshmen, or as redshift freshmen.

Eric Brantley is a great one. He played as a true freshman, but he is still learning how to play football. August (Salvati) is a guy who did not play at all last year but has a really good ability to rush the quarterback. Then there are the unknowns…to answer the question, we do not have an alpha right now, and we are looking for that guy. That is my challenge to my group; who is going to be the guy that when it gets tough, they are going to step up?”

DE Wilky Denaud on how he has grown from the beginning of the spring until now: “Coming into the winter, my whole objective was to not let what happened last year, how my performance was last year, dictate how I move on from it. So I left everything from last season in the past and came into the doors opened up. I got to meet with Coach Kittley and Coach Lacy [and] I let them know what my goals were and where I was trying to be at, and asked what needed to get done in order for that to happen … that is something that was really a big stepping stone for me.

I was not the biggest open talker. That was something that Coach Kittley wanted; he said he needed leaders and guys who would step up to the plate when it came time to lead the team. When it comes to Coach Lacy, I am in there every day of the week and on Saturdays and Sundays. Just trying to get my body right, trying to get better, trying to get stronger. I hit PRs in every aspect of my game in the weight room…I feel like there are still more things that need to be cleaned up on the field. That comes with time, preparation, and working with Coach Lacy more. He has produced players, so just sticking to the process and falling back on the coach is what I need to do.”

CB Cameron Goggins on his growth as a player: “Learning the scheme, whether it is receiver splits, what to get out of this formation, or what they could run out certain formations. Sometimes, just knowing when to play off, when to press, tempo, and more. I have worked on just really understanding the game more.”

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Goggins on being trusted to play man-coverage so extensively: “Press-man is just about locking in. To me, it is a mentality. Stay locked in, and you will succeed. Play with good technique, and you will win. I like playing press man a lot because it is what a lot of the NFL scouts look for. It is good for us DBs, and you have to be a dog to win your one-on-ones.”

DB Kyle Boylston on how his mentality translates from the football field to the baseball field, and vice versa: “So I feel like to play football, you have to flip a switch, especially playing defense. You have to tell yourself that you are ready to go hit somebody and do whatever it takes to get the guy on the ground. For baseball, it is just me waking up calm, cool, and collected. i take that into the game; I try to be as calm as I can and keep my heart rate as low as I can, because the game can speed you up. But I feel like being able to flip the switch has helped me a lot.”

WR Easton Messer on how his favorite part of seeing the offense grow over the spring: ” My favorite part has been the camaraderie, to be honest. We have grown and just meshed together. It has really started to feel like a family.”

Messer on his favorite part about facing the FAU defense: “How different it is compared to my last school. They both do really good things, but specifically one thing that I have been working on is that we run a lot of outside-leverage man coverage. I ma not used to that, so the first few practices it was kind of weird to me. I think that showed. But I am working on that and getting better there.”

Veltkamp on his connection with Messer: “We have just been together, so it’s easy. We have had this connection now for three years. It’s like second nature. That’s where I am trying to get with the rest of the guys. There were other receivers that did a lot of good things throughout the day as well.”

Kittley on the growth of the defense over the spring: “As crazy as it is, a lot of those guys have a little more experience than what we have on the other side of the ball. We have some guys that have played some football, but not together. And that is the biggest thing. The biggest thing is the chemistry of all of those guys coming together as one. And us as a staff are trying to figure out what will be our best defense. Are we going to be more of a four-down or a three-down team? What type of coverages are we going to be able to play to attack the opposing offense on a weekly basis? We have been able to get those guys a ton of reps; we had two files of football going on at the same time. We have a ton of film to coach off of and a ton of reps to find out what we are really good at.”

Kittley on what he wants to see his roster build on heading into the summer: “I want to build on the family that we have created so far in these four months that we have been here. I’m a huge believer in that. The X’s and O’s are going to take care of themselves when we get to the fall. We have to stay as a tight-knit team from now until the 26th of April. We are going to add some pieces, and hopefully, we do not lose a ton of pieces. That is the biggest thing that we have to get ready to roll with over the next few weeks.

We already have a great plan for summer, a great plan to get our guys back into summer access to get them ready to play in the heat in the fall. I am looking forward to getting back around these guys; that is the one thing that is always tough as a coach. You get in these recruiting windows, and you are not around your current guys as much. That’s always a hard part; you love your players and being around them. That’s why we do what we do. But we have great kids here, and I know we are going to have a great six weeks ahead.”

Recruiting Roundup

The FIU Panthers had four players to the transfer portal: long-snapper Kinnick Manley, offensive lineman Bo Blanchard, offensive lineman Daniel Ogundipe, and defensive tackle Clinton Mahoni. Manley, Blanchard, and Ogundipe sporadically played for FIU last season, serving mainly in backup roles.

Mahoni played 92 snaps on defense for the Panthers in 2024, notching three tackles, a sack, and two overall pressures.

https://twitter .com/polomahoni_/status/1910437363064656366

On the other hand, FIU landed a handful of players. The Panthers saw wide receiver Tar’Varish Dawson Jr., offensive lineman Viliami Makahununiu, quarterback Joe Pesansky, and tight end Justin Cayenne commit to the school in the past week.

Dawson has bounced around schools in his career, staring out at Auburn before spending time at Colorado and Jacksonville State. However, Dawson’s talent is undeniable; he was a four-star recruit out of high school and was a top-40 player in the state of Florida as a recruit. If he can get settled and find a home in Miami, he could be a very fun weapon for Willie Simmons and the Panthers’ offense.

Makahununiu spent some time at Oklahoma State before landing at Oklahoma Baptist. The guard could challenge for reps along the offensive line and is a nice developmental piece for the Panthers. Joe Pesansky spent four years at Holy Cross, throwing for 2,405 yards and 19 touchdowns as a starter in 2024. Justin Cayenne was practically used as a receiver at Penn, recording 67 yards and a touchdown in 2024. At his frame, he could provide some nice blocking and occasional catches at the position.

For USF, wideout Naiem Simmons and defensive back Marseille Taylor entered their names in the transfer portal. Simmons did not play in 2024 but had 1,721 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career for the Bulls. He also had a school-record 272 receiving yards against Rice in 2023. Taylor has sparingly played over the past two seasons for USF and Stephen F. Austin.

On the commitment side, the Bulls landed running back Jordan Thompson and wide receiver Josiah Dozier for the 2026 recruiting class. Dozier is a very talented wideout who had offers from Ole Miss, FIU, Georgia Tech, and Memphis, among others. It is a big time land for the Bulls, who are looking to put together another high-level recruiting class.

Thompson, a very talented running back in his own right, turned down offers from Illinois and Toldeo to commit to the Bulls.

The Week Ahead

FIU and FAU are finished with practices, but this week is likely to be another big one for the newsletter. Here is what is on the ledger for the week ahead:

• USF Spring Football Practice: On Tuesday, I will be in attendance for the latest spring practice for the University of South Florida. It’ll be interesting to see how the position groups are looking and how the roster is ultimately coming together for the Bulls. I will also be watching for any significant changes to the roster, which leads me to my next thing to watch….
• Spring Transfer Portal: On Wednesday, the spring transfer portal opens up for college football. There will likely be a lot of movement, and potentially more than usual with revenue sharing coming into play in July. Teams could be more willing to pursue additions and try to improve their rosters. And while the issue is currently being litigated, the threat of roster limits looms over the sport, which could also influence how some teams operate. It is a period that promises chaos, and I will be locked in to follow all of it.
• The NFL Draft Homestretch: With the NFL draft right around the corner, it’ll be interesting to follow the visits and rumors for any players from FAU, USF, and FIU. Additionally, seeing how rumors about possible selections are conveyed and produced over the coming weeks.

That wraps up another edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review! Next week promises to bring more football, and likely true chaos, to the table. Enjoy your week, and I will catch you all next time!