The sun shined down on the Schmidt Complex practice field throughout Tuesday morning, as the Florida Atlantic football team finished another game week session making a lot of preparation with four days remaining until their road contest against Clemson. Offensive coordinator Charlie Frye made himself available to media following the session. He wants the offense to be more unified and ready for the challenges Clemson’s defense could present to them on Saturday night. “It was a tough outing for us. It felt like we couldn’t get any sort of rhythm and we were off beat. That’s what made it hard,” Frye said reflecting on the loss to Ohio last Saturday. “It’s gonna be about how we respond this week because that’s adversity. That was a good defense we played, and now it’s on to the next one.” Here are some notes from today’s media observation period. OwlBytes for September 12th Playing Collectively The offensive line struggled to hold off Ohio’s defense, conceding three sacks which prevented FAU from creating any rhythm throughout Saturday’s loss. Despite this, Frye maintained his stance that it takes a collective effort for the team to hold off an opposing defense, not just on one position shouldering all the responsibility. “It’s the offensive line, it’s the tailbacks, it’s our quarterback communicating IDs and protections, it’s our receivers and tight ends getting to the right depth and getting open with the timing of progression. So it’s not just one group; it takes all 11 to protect the quarterback. That’s a unit mindset,” Frye said. Stepping Up With wide receiver Je’Quan Burton going through concussion protocol, Frye said that players in the receiving room are responding with the “next man up mentality” to help the team get ready for Clemson. “There’s a great sense of pride in that room and they want to do right by Burton and we want to do right by Burton. The sidelines showed that when he went down in the [Ohio] game. There’s a lot of respect for him and he’s earned it in practices and by the way he talks and treats people,” Frye said. BJ Alexander and Devin Price are among the players he listed who could be involved in more receiving reps against the Tigers if Burton is unable to play on Saturday. Debut Reflection Missing out on Monmouth due to a rib injury, running back Kobe Lewis (pictured) made his first appearance in an FAU jersey against Ohio. He finished with three carries during his snaps in the Owls’ run game, while notably getting 64 yards on three kick returns with the special teams. “Special teams matter just as much as the offense. It matters just as much as the defense. In my eyes, it matters more because you only get one opportunity,” Lewis said. “There’s no next play, there’s no next down, there’s no second down on special teams. If you’re out there on that one play, you have to do what you have to do. My coaches are counting on me to help return on things like that. I appreciate the trust they put in me because like I said, there’s only one shot at it.” Final Word As the Owls gear up for their road contest against Clemson, offensive coordinator Charlie Frye emphasizes the need for a more collective approach on that side of the ball. Reflecting on the recent loss to Ohio, Frye acknowledges the challenges Clemson’s defense poses to them and stressed the importance of how the team responds to adversity. The team’s unified effort and adaptability in the potential absence of wide receiver Je’Quan Burton are key focuses, while the contributions of running back Kobe Lewis on special teams are recognized as pivotal to the team’s success. Coach’s Corner Offensive coordinator Charlie Frye, quarterback Casey Thompson, and running back Kobe Lewis headline today’s Coach’s Corner. The Owls will return to the Schmidt Complex practice field on Wednesday morning to keep getting ready against Clemson. Defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni and requested players will be available for interviews.
