The second official practice of the 2024 FAU summer training camp commenced on Tuesday, and the Owls got back to work in front of the entire Bellantoni family who was in attendance (pictured below), as a family affair was in order for Roc Bellantoni. The seasoned defensive mind began his 30th training camp as a coach, saying this season is a bit more peaceful than the others have been. There’s just a little bit of peace over me and maybe that’s because of the players that we’ve acquired and their buying level and knowing that they’ll do everything we coach them to do, and hoping for a great season so but I feel a lot better than I have in any of the other camps Ive been a part of, Bellantoni said. In our first position primer, we take a look at the edge position, one that will likely employ a platoon approach given the deep status of the unit. Edge Rushers Returners: Chris Jones – 64 255 SR, 4TFL 1.5 Sacks, Marlon Bradley – 64 240 LB 4TFL 3 Sacks. Additions: Wilky Denaud – 63 276 Redshirt-Freshman, Transfer from Auburn, August Salvati – 63 245 JR, Transfer from Kilgore JUCO, Chisom Ifeanyi – 64 250 GR, Transfer from Shippensburg State. Eric Brantley JR – 60 235, Redshirt Freshman , transfer from Colorado, Gavench Marcelin – 63 247 LB FR, Belen Jesuit Prep. Losses: Courtney McBride – Senior, transfer to South Alabama, Decarius Hawthorne – Senior, Transfer to USF, Morven Joseph – Junior, transfer to Jacksonville State. Veteran Leaders: Marlon Bradley and Chris Jones come into this season as the 2 returning veterans on this edge unit, and both have the potential to be in a starting role come the first game this season against Michigan State, however the Owls have the depth to employ a deep rotation of edge rushers. Bradley is returning to full strength following a season ending ACL injury last season and is looking ahead of schedule according to Bellantoni here in the early portion of camp. Jones was the leading healthy pass rusher remaining after the departures of Joseph, Hawthorne and McBride, and brings a veteran presence along with a solid pass rushing ability. Quoteable: Marlon is a little bit ahead of where I thought he would be. You know, when you come off the ACL I’ve seen guys it takes about a year to really be full speed like at last year at this time was was a little more than was a little bit ahead. of where we thought he’d be you know Marlon, but when he got hurt last year was our best edge was our best pass rusher really, I thought had a chance to play at the next level and then took that fall and now he is back, Bellantoni said. Newcomers: Increasing pass rush following an injury plagued and lackluster season in terms of production was a focal point for Tom Herman and Roc Bellantoni, and they were able to do that adding an array of talent from a variety of different levels of football. Wilky Denaud came to FAU after a redshirt season at Auburn and was a recruit of Coach Roc during his time there. Denaud brings P5 size and a jolt of athleticism off the edge and has a chance to be a premier pass rusher in the AAC this season, showing a dedication to improving his technique in the early portion of camp. Quoteable: The relationship Me and Coach Roc had was before he was even here. It started back when he was recruiting me back at Auburn and I just felt like that trust built with him somewhere that can take me really far and my game and just him understanding where I need to be as far as my position and where I can be played and most used, Denaud said. August Salvati joins the Owls as a junior, following 2 years at Kilgore Junior College where this past season he put up 7 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. After joining the squad over the summer, Salvati has caught the attention of the coaching staff showing a fast ability to get off the ball and strong work ethic. Although Salvati lacks a bit of the size, he makes up for it with speed off the edge to blaze by a tackle who is a step slow, and that speed has the chance to help him crack the rotation early on in the season for FAU. Quotable: I always say it was the best year of my life. I needed that experience. It made me a better man. And it prepared me for this and everything else, it really was a grind, but I wouldn’t want any other way, Salvati said of the JUCO grind. Chisom Ifeanyi joins the Owls as a Grad Transfer from Shippensburg after a season in which he came back from Injury to produce a career high 5.5 sacks along with an interception and forced fumble. Ifeanyi, alongside with Salvati have been small school standouts for the Owls in the early part of camp, showing an incredible amount of speed off of the edge, showing no signs of any kind of lingering injury. Ifeanyi has a chance to earn a rotational role in the edge room and be a wildcard for the Owls defense, as he has been a fast riser in the early part of training camp and could be a potential issue for opponents as their will be a lack of scoutable film on him. Eric Brantley Jr joins the Owls following a redshirt season at Colorado in which he did not see playing time. A highly regarded recruit out of Valdosta, Georgia, Brantley is a former 3 star who brings a developable skill set to the Owls. Brantley will have work to do to crack the rotation in the early part of the year, but as the Owls coaches begin to fine tune his technique and skill set it could be expected to see Brantleys role increase throughout the season. Gavench Marcelin is the youngest member of the Owls edge rushing unit, being the only freshman. A highly touted recruit out of Belen Jesuit Prep in Miami, Marcelin had an array of offers out of HS, eventually choosing the Owls over multiple P5 programs. As a junior, he recorded 99 tackles, 32 for loss, 48 QBH and 18 sacks, showing an ability to attack the QB at one of the highest levels of HS football. It will be an uphill battle for Marcelin to crack the depth chart in year one with FAU, the talent is certainly there, but with an array of older talent already in front of him it will take a dynamic performance during camp to overtake the others ahead of him. Owl Bytes NFL Owl Presence Former standout FAU defensive lineman Braynt is now a member of the staff and is expecting a title to be announced in the near future. Bryant was working with the interior defensive lineman today, and FAU DC Roc Bellantoni says that having former players around is huge not only for the current players, but for them as well as FAU gets to help further their off the field careers. You guys have no idea how much that means to me to see those guys, we’ve invested a lot into them and to see them go on and be successful means the world to me, that’s why I coach and I get to see guys like Brandin and Trayvon come around and they may want to get into coaching. They got their toe in the water. They still have time to figure it out, because they had nice NFL careers, but to try to get them in a foot in the door where they might be able to start that type of career or find out they don’t want to do it means a lot to me too, because you can continue to influence them and they’ve got a lot of knowledge that they can give to our players and Brandin, you know, even away from football, kind of like Chris Carter does. He’s got a lot of connections off the field and teaching these guys about life, Bellantoni said. Thriving in Paradise Now in his second year, of his second tenure at FAU, Bellantoni believes that being around his family, who stayed after he departed for Buffalo and Auburn is part of the reason he feels peace heading into his 30th training camp: We love this place. FAU and Palm Beach County, you know we were here, and when I left they stayed. So just I don’t take for granted being around them and having them have the opportunity to come watch practice, because two years at Buffalo, two years at Auburn they weren’t there. And you know we walk off the field that’s maybe another reason why I had peace is coming off the field and seeing them it means the world to me, Bellantoni said. Learning Opportunity In today’s session of drills, DL Wilky Denaud was very inquisitive, asking his position coaches a variety of questions related to the drills and his technique, something he says has always been a trait of his. I feel like I’ve always been the person that asked the question. I never felt like asking the question made me separate from any of the other players, but I definitely like to ask questions to really understand the emphasis behind the move, or just in a way to help me better my game and understand how I can take that stuff better or just outside working a move, just how can I perfect it to the best of my ability, Denaud said. Coaches Corner Coach Roc Bellantoni had a lot to offer during his interview, reflecting on the tenure he has enjoyed, the state of the program, amongst other topics. FAU will be back in session tomorrow morning for Day 3 of Fall Camp. We will be covering the wide receiver unit, and also get the first chance to speak with Offensive Coordinator Charlie Frye.
