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SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 | VOL. 16 # 2

Special Football Issue

Success Equipped with a team as good as any in recent years, quarterback Jaquez Johnson and the FAU Owls hope to secure their first winning season in six years.

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Special Football Issue

September 2, 2014

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Brandin Bryant couldn’t walk on his own eight months ago. Now he’s a key cog in the FAU defense.

Special Issue Editor - Wesley Wright Special Issue Designer - Michelle Friswell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Lulu Ramadan MANAGING EDITOR - Kiki Baxter ASSOCIATE EDITOR - Emily Bloch CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Michelle Friswell

NEWS EDITOR - Jillian Melero SPORTS EDITOR - Wesley Wright SCIENCE EDITOR - Andrew Fraieli

We picked FAU football to win eight games in their debut season under Charlie Partridge.

PHOTO EDITOR - Max Jackson WEB EDITOR - Mohammed F. Emran COPY DESK CHIEF - Carissa Giard ASSISTANT COPY DESK CHIEF - Cristina Solorzano COPY EDITORS - Lynnette Perez

Jaquez Johnson is heading into this season in full control of the Owl offense, but his path to get where he is now was an interesting one.

ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Sabrina Martinez BUSINESS MANAGER - Ryan Murphy

The FAU seniors have seen a lot happen within the program in a few short years. They have a lot to say about their stint here.

MARKETING DIRECTOR - Lauren Culp

CONTRIBUTORS - Rodolphe Ganthier, Ashley Nicole Moss DISTRIBUTION MANAGER - Jake Stuert ADVISERS Michael Koretzky Neil Santaniello COVER BY MICHELLE FRISWELL

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The newest FAU football coach mowed grass, taught classes and even slept in his office at one point. Now he’s the face of an entire football team.

irst year coach Charlie Partridge has inherited a solid football team, but I’m not sure you care about that. Your attendance record from last year says so. If the actual game of football doesn’t interest you, maybe the off-field personas of players will. Always remember that the gladiators you see running around on Saturday afternoon are mere men. Some struggle with homesickness, adjusting to college life and with classes. At other schools, the football team is completely separated from the general student population. By contrast, the men playing for our football program

Head Coach Chaile Partridge

are accessible. You’ve seen them in oncampus housing, at our exercise facility, on the breezeway, in the cafeteria and countless other places around campus. This issue won’t throw a bevy of terms and foreign concepts at you. Instead, it will focus on humanizing some of the men you’ll see at one of five home games this year. Put that $17.27 athletics fee (per credit hour, and yes, everyone pays it) to use and come see the team play this fall. As far as the program has come in three short years, I can assure you it won’t be time wasted. -Wesley Wright, Special Issue Editor Photo by Michelle Friswell Sept. 2, 2014

University Press

The

Bryant

Turf Monster Fully recovered from a torn ACL, defensive tackle Brandin Bryant and his self-appointed nickname are back to lead the FAU defense into the 2014-2015 season. Story by Rodolphe Ganthier Photos by Michelle Friswell

en months ago, Brandin Bryant was on his way to having the game of his life — that is, until the defensive end felt something in his knee pop. “I felt like I was honestly having the best game of my life. I had like three tackles already through the first quarter, and I never had that many tackles in the first quarter of a game before. And I had just tied the previous sack record, so I was looking to break it and separate myself from that.” The FAU season sack record was previously set in 2008 by Michael Hancock, who tallied six and a half sacks. Cory Henry, a teammate of Bryant’s ended up breaking the record in the game Bryant became injured. It happened during a play in the first quarter of the Owls’ Nov. 29 game versus in-state rival Florida International University. “I was just coming on [a] pass rush move and my leg was straight and I like twisted it and turned it while I stepped on a guy’s shoe, and I just felt a pop.” The diagnosis was an ACL tear. Immediately, several questions popped into his head: Was he going to return as the same player? Would he get a chance to go the NFL? How hard would rehab be?

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

Brandin Bryant’s knee still holds the scar from his surgery to repair his torn ACL from the Nov. 29 match-up versus Florida International that abruptly ended his season. Continued on page 6

Continued from page 4

Turns out rehab was very hard. He grew tired of the early mornings and the helplessness. Simple tasks were much harder than he remembered.

“Walking for the first time without my crutches was hard. It was like learning to walk all over again,” he said. “It was pretty hard to get dressed and shower, but as far as exercises, squatting and leg raisers were very difficult.” The medicines he took gave him nausea and stripped him of his hearty appetite. Eating Ramen noodles once a day, Bryant lost 25 pounds. Worse, he ran into people who seemed either indifferent or insincere regarding his injury. “You hear people telling you ‘Oh that sucks, I’m glad that didn’t happen to me.’ Then you get other people helping you, telling you it’s not a big deal, just keep working hard.” After just five and a half months of rehab — an awfully quick recovery time for a full ACL tear — Bryant told the world in a May 27 tweet that he had been officially cleared for all football activities. Football is a part of the Bryant bloodline. Brandin’s grandfather, Charles, was the first player ever to enroll at the University of Nebraska and is widely considered one of the best athletes to ever come through UN. Bryant had a very brief relationship with his grandfather who passed in 2004. Despite that, he still managed to get some wisdom that still applies to his life today. “I knew my grandfather at a very young age, but never had [a] real relationship with him,” Bryant said. “He always told me to work hard and lead by example in everything that I do.” Brandin’s father, Robert, was an All-American at the University of Southern Colorado before signing with the New York Giants. It was Robert, a 58-year-old active bodybuilder, who introduced his reluctant son to the game of football. “I started [playing football] at seven years old,” said Bryant. “I didn’t want to play, but my dad made me.”

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

Bryant He went on to play at Omaha North High School, where he earned all-state honorable mentions for football and wrestling. Bryant’s talent came to fruition late. Stu Pospisil, sports editor of the Omaha WorldHerald, had to Google Brandin’s name in order to remember who he was. “Honestly, Brandin is a late bloomer. He was coaches all-district and honorable mention all-state but he was not in the forefront of players.” Bryant then went on to play for Curtis Horton at Fort Scott Community College where he played under former FAU coach Jeff Sims, a man whom Bryant admitted played a huge factor in convincing him that he could play Division 1 football coming out of high school. “I met a guy by the name of coach Sims, my high school [coach] and I met him at a coaching conference. He told me I definitely had the talent and the skill to play Division 1 football,” he said. “[He] was one of the first people that really sat me down, besides family, and he told me [if] I came there [to his community college] he’d probably get me a Division 1 scholarship.” Bryant ended up redshirting during his year at Fort Scott, and signed a scholarship offer to play football at Florida Atlantic University. Sims also took a job there. Bryant had the option of staying much closer to home. He had a scholarship offer from Toledo, but wanted to leave the midwest region. His mother Tina Bryant, an Omaha policewoman, supported Brandin’s decision to make the long trip from his native Omaha to South Florida to play football. She tried to instill in her son the real gift that football had brought him — a free education he

should make use of. “She was just real proud of me,” said Bryant about his mother’s emotions when he signed to play at FAU. “She was focused on the educational part more than the football part. She pushes me to do really good in school, and she’s always about school first.” Tina’s son showed up in Boca Raton — 1,600 miles from home — in 2011, having never seen the beach before. Not only was the sun and sand a deciding factor, but he saw a young FAU program that he could make a potential impact on. “It was mostly the weather and the newness of the program [that drew me],” Bryant said. He saw an opportunity to break records and “do something special.” Everything was different — the heat, the people, the diversity, the lively atmosphere that is South Florida. But mostly, the heat. “The first summer I got here, I thought I was going [to] die from heat exhaustion,” Bryant said. “The heat in camp was probably the biggest shock to me.” Evidently, Bryant’s struggle with the heat and humidity was noticeable among his peers, as his close friend and teammate Trevon Coley attested. “For Bryant, one thing that has improved is his conditioning. He used to always look tired during games, due to him not being used to the humidity here in Florida,” said Coley, who has known Bryant since they both arrived in June 2012. “That’s something that he really worked on and improved greatly. He’s always doing extra running, extra conditioning, so his body could be ready for plays and all the above.” When Bryant arrived, the football program was in a bad

Continued on page 8

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Continued from page 6

Bryant

Personal Stats Bryant had 51 tackles last year, good enough for fourth on the team. His 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks tied for first and second on the team, respectively. spot. They went just 1-11 the previous year during the final campaign for Howard Schnellenberger. Bryant didn’t feel like he was entering a dire situation, though, just one that teammates felt was due for some re-tooling. “When I first got here, there was a lot of talk about getting rid of things and people that were holding the program back, and moving forward and just changing the culture,” Bryant said. “I saw it happening once I got here, and it continued to happen every day, every year, season after season. Like the last season was much better than the previous one. I saw a lot of progression and a lot of people working hard.” Bryant wasn’t just seeing others give a lot of effort — he was doing the same. Jovan Dewitt was the linebackers coach at FAU last season, and he became interim defensive coordinator after the departure of Pete Rekstis. Now part of the Army football coaching staff as a defensive coordinator, DeWitt had high praises for his former player. “When I think of Brandin, I think of hard work. Someone who’s got a high motor, who’s always running and working hard,” he said. “He’s the kind of guy that is every coach’s dream because he wants to keep working hard and he wants what’s best for everybody. He is very fun to coach to be honest with you.” Off of the field, DeWitt referenced Bryant’s robust personality as a reason that he can become a leader for his team. 8

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

“I think he has a lot of confidence and a good personality. He can walk in a room and have a great conversation with just about anybody,” DeWitt said. “I think Brandin can have a conversation with a wall and it would be interesting. This is one other thing that endears people to him to a certain degree and also would allow him to become a leader later in the future.” Usually, when players are choosing one program over another, one of their main concerns is stability. The FAU football team has had three different head coaches (Carl Pelini, Brian Wright and Charlie Partridge) in a matter of months. Coach Jeff Sims presides over the Indiana University recruiting department and DeWitt is the defensive coordinator at Army. Former coach Pelini resigned last November. “Yes, I would still come to FAU,” said Bryant when asked if he would choose the same school if he had known about the coaching turnover. “I always look at the bright side of things. Since I’ve been in college, I’ve had four or five [defensive] line coaches. I’ve learned something from every one of them that the other one didn’t know. It’s made a me a better player, a better person.” With the accumulation of all this knowledge from different coaches, Bryant will be looking to put it to good use in leading the defensive line next year. In order to do so, Bryant needs to make

sure that he tests his knee and is comfortable depending on it by the time fall rolls around. When he came up against one of his teammates in a recent drill, he dared to try the same move which got him hurt previously.

“Two Wednesdays ago, I actually went out there on the field and I did a one [on] one with an offensive lineman, and did the same moves [from] when I got hurt and it felt good. That’s when I thought I was really back.” Time will tell whether or not he can reach last year’s level of play. Bryant, who describes himself as a turf monster on the field because of the excitement he brings to it, is looking to finally make his long awaited comeback to the FAU defensive line. “I believe that I bring a large amount of speed and explosiveness on the defense,” he said. “I’m just trying to be a leader for the team and bring high energy every game. I try to excite a lot people, including my teammates, and get them going.” Brandin has two special goals this season, and he beleves both are within reach. “I’ll be satisfied with this season if I get two rings: the conference championship ring and a bowl ring.”

Continued on page 10

Quez

Pass and Persist Jaquez Johnson overcame a substantial amount of adversity in becoming the FAU starting quarterback. With his junior season on the horizon, he is focused on leading this team to levels previously unseen. Story by Ashley Nicole Moss Photo by Ryan Murphy

Continued on page 12

hen the story of Jaquez Johnson is told, it will be of an athlete from a small town with big dreams and a lot of determination — both of which fueled him from the time that he began playing football. “I was always good, but I was never the best. I had to work a whole lot harder than a lot of people,” said Johnson. Johnson’s love for sports developed early. He grew up in the small, rural city of Starkville, Miss. With a population of just over 24,000, it wasn’t exactly a hotbed for college football. As a child, he developed a strong interest in football and basketball and soon discovered a trait that might be one of the reasons that the FAU coaching staff loves having him under center — Johnson simply cannot stand to lose. “I hated losing [when I was growing up],” he said. “When I did lose, I cried. Every game. I hated it.”

Sept. 2, 2014

University Press

Quez

Photo by Michelle Friswell

Continued from page 11

Photo courtesy of Chris Todd

Jaquez Johnson arrived at FAU by way of Eastern Mississippi College, where he won a national junior college championship and set a school record for passing yards. His play caught the eye of FAU offensive coordinator Brian Wright. lle Friswell

Johnson’s remarkable work ethic, combined Photo by Miche with a healthy dose of natural talent, turned After undergoing him into a force to be reckoned with on the shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in field. December 2010, Johnson was left unable to Jamie Mitchell, who coached Johnson during throw. The schools that originally showed his final year at Starkville High School, saw interest began to second-guess recruiting him. promising traits in his quarterback, even as an Johnson found himself in the midst of an 18-year-old. unenviable situation. “His commitment and leadership ability “It was hard,” he said. “But in the end, it was are unparalleled,” Mitchell said. “He’s a great probably the best thing that ever happened to young man who comes from a tremendous me.” family.” Johnson also had to deal with the issue of As Johnson flourished, the University of rehabilitating his shoulder. The frustration and Memphis, Southern Mississippi University, the intensity of the rehabilitation process initially University of Alabama at Birmingham and a overwhelmed him — he was unsure that he’d handful of other schools showed substantial even be able to return to football. “When I was first going through rehab, I interest in him. That is, until an injury remember thinking I’ll probably never be able endangered his future. 12

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

to throw again,” he said. “It was bad.” Johnson is still doing rehab for his shoulder to this day, and he says the process will continue for years to come. “I’m still rehabbing now for it. It’s ongoing until I finish playing football, basically.” Johnson finished his senior season of high school and ended up at Eastern Mississippi Community College. There, he faced a new challenge: He sat on the bench not because of an injury, but because of a coach’s decision. Johnson was redshirted and spent his entire freshman year on the sidelines. The team won a national title in Johnson’s redshirt year, and Johnson realized he had a lot to live up to. “I had a lot of pressure,” Johnson said. “But at the same time, I had a dream and I stuck to it. I just kept on trying and worked hard.” Johnson proved to be a very good player once he hit the field. He even set a school record with 557 total yards (455 passing, 102 rushing) in his final game at EMCC. Johnson’s character, along with his impressive play, eventually fell on the radar of offensive coordinator Brian Wright and the rest of the coaching staff at Florida Atlantic University, sparking the program’s interest in recruiting him. “His coaches at his East Mississippi junior college spoke very highly of him,” said Wright. “They talked about his ability, talked about the type of person that he was first and foremost, so that really got me interested.” The attraction was mutual. Johnson was drawn to the program’s desire to improve, something he was more than familiar with. “I felt like everyone here was on a mission to get better, everyone was working to get somewhere. They all wanted to be great.” Over 800 miles from home, Johnson initially had a bit of a tough time adjusting to South Florida culture, which served as a stark contrast to his native Starkville. He also missed his beloved grandmother. She took his departure especially hard. “She always took care of me. I mean I grew up with my mother and father, but there’s just Continued on page 18

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GAME PREDICTIONS

' 14 Game Predictions Charlie Partridge, the third head coach in FAU football history, heads into his first season with a program that still needs to establish itself. They’ll take a step in the right direction this year, winning eight games and tying the school record for wins in a season. Read our game-by-game predictions for the upcoming year.

Story by Wesley Wright Photo by Michelle Friswell

Sept. 13 vs. Tulsa

Tulsa was considered a Conference USA favorite last season, but only managed three wins. Gone are the days of alternating quarterbacks for the Owls — Jaquez Johnson is firmly at the helm of the FAU offense, one that will run the ball around two-thirds of the time and ask its quarterback to make big plays only when necessary. On a side note, Partridge has agreed to sport bright red trousers on game day if the student section is filled at any of the five FAU home games this season. Score: 31-21, Florida Atlantic

Sept. 20 at Wyoming

The flight from Boca Raton to Laramie is a long nine hours. Jet lag is a possible issue, as well as elevation — the playing field at the University of Wyoming is around 1.4 miles above sea level. Charlie Partridge simply has a more talented team than Craig Bohl, and the Owls will not let outside factors deter them from another win. After defeating FAU 30-28, in 2009, FAU became the only team Wyoming has ever beaten in the state of Florida. This September, FAU will finally get a chance for revenge on enemy turf. Score: 24-14, Florida Atlantic

Sept. 27 vs. Texas-San Antonio

With a 7-5 showing last year, the Bobcats came just one game short of winning the Western Division of Conference USA, and that was in just their third year of existence. Thirty-eight seniors are on this year’s team, coached by Larry Coker, formerly of the Miami Hurricanes. FAU will beat this experienced squad at home, helped by some shoddy play by unproven UTSA quarterback Tucker Carter. Score: 28-21, Florida Atlantic

Aug. 30 at Nebraska*

The University of Nebraska is paying FAU a handsome fee of $1 million for this early-season game, a tune-up of sorts. Since Bo Pelini is still the head coach at UN, this game would be a Pelini vs. Pelini affair if former FAU head coach Carl Pelini hadn’t resigned amid allegations of drug use last November. In his place is Charlie Partridge, who will be overmatched in the first game of his head coaching career. Look for a big game out of Omaha native Brandin Bryant. The Cornhuskers are a gifted team in every facet of the game, and they will beat FAU soundly. Score: 42-13, Nebraska

Sept. 2, 2014

Last year, the University of Louisville beat the Florida International Panthers 72-0 — so bad in fact, that the two teams decided to employ a running clock to bring the game to a quicker close. FIU was terrible last year, winning just one of its 12 games. Its lone win came by just one point over Southern Mississippi (another one-win team). There are no signs that the Golden Panthers will put a better product on the field this season. Count this as a win for FAU over its bitter rival for the second consecutive year. Score: 31-14, Florida Atlantic

Oct. 18 vs. Western Kentucky

This season’s edition of the Crimson Tide looks every bit as good as last year’s — on paper at least — and even their second string squad would probably beat the first string Owls. Alabama is also forking over $1 million for this game, which should be the second and last blowout of the year for FAU. The Owls must play these games against superior teams to get sorely needed funding. Score: 56-7, Alabama University Press

HOME

Oct. 2 at FIU

Sept. 6 at Alabama

HOME

*This issue went to print on Aug. 29.

WKU left the Sun Belt Conference in favor of Conference USA, same as FAU and a host of other schools. Eight wins last year gave Western Kentucky a new school record, but was not selected for a bowl bid. Former WKU offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm is now the team’s head coach. Brohm presides over a solid team, but their eight wins last year were due in part to a soft schedule. FAU will pull out a close victory in Boca Raton. Score: 35-21, Florida Atlantic

HOME

Oct. 25 at Marshall One of the keys to the recent success of the Thundering Herd is how well they recruit the state of Florida. Quarterback Rakeem Cato (a product of Miami Northwestern High School) is back, ready to lead Marshall into another strong season. The Owls lost to Marshall last year on a late field goal, and they’ll lose in a similar fashion this year, only it’ll be in West Virginia this time around. Score: 28-24, Marshall

Nov. 1 vs. UAB

8-4

FAU beat Alabama at Birmingham 37-23 in the game in which former Owl cornerback Keith Reaser tore his ACL. Reaser is now playing for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and the Owls will win another game over UAB without him. The Blazers were hapless last season, going 2-10 and seeing their coach resign after two years to take a job at Louisville. FAU will win over a UAB program that had very little consistency in recent years. Score: 27-20, Florida Atlantic

Nov. 8 at North Texas

HOME

UNT went 9-4 last season and ended its season with a bowl victory over the University of Las Vegas. The Owls are a few years away from being able to win conference road games, but as they get used to performing under elevated expectations, those wins may come in the near future. This week, though, the Owls will lose late. Score: 24-13, North Texas

Nov. 22 at Middle Tennessee

FAU lost to the Blue Raiders in a high scoring affair last year, and Middle Tennessee was the only team that really outclassed the Owl defense. The Owls will rise up and grab a solid road win. With five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing), FAU quarterback Jaquez Johnson had the best game of his short career last year. Don’t expect another such performance, but count on a road win for the Owls, who know that to compete for bowls they will need to win games on the road. Score: 27-24, Florida Atlantic

Nov. 29 vs. Old Dominion

ODU only managed to win home games last year, and it lost to every team from a major or mid-major conference. In short, the Monarchs lost to every viable team and they beat all of the teams that they were supposed to. Florida Atlantic is no pushover — especially at home — and it will beat ODU handily. Score: 27-6, Florida Atlantic

HOME

Our prediction: Head coach Charlie Partridge will have his team at or near the top of Conference USA by the end of November. Having learned a little each day about how to be the face of a program, he’ll end his debut season with a bowl game. Sept. 2, 2014

Junior defensive back Cre’von LeBlanc

Final Record

University Press

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Quez

“I had a really great game. I was playing good. didn’t really matter. I just wanted to play.” something about her. Anything that she had, Wide receiver Rodney “Lucky” Whitehead I had some mistakes. I got hurt that game, but she would give it to me and she’s always calling I felt like after that game my teammates really me and she’s always worried about me. She’s also found some difficulty adjusting to two believed in me.” different quarterbacks. the only one that cried when I left. I had to Stoshak believed the rallying happened “It’s kinda difficult because they’re not the give her three, four hugs before I left. So… I the game prior with their 28-10 win over the same, their releases are different and you can’t mean, she’s real special to me.” University of South Florida. get the feel of one quarterback. So it was kind In short, he was a little homesick. Fortunately, “I would say [the team started to really he had some teammates who helped him cope support Johnson] after our first win against with the culture shock. USF. [His performance] showed we could “The people that I really started hanging “When I first saw Quez, actually win some games with him.” with a lot were people who came from honestly, I thought he was Eventually, coach Wright saw enough of junior college, like Mustafa Johnson and Dan Johnson to know what he needed to succeed McKinney, and they had the same struggle that a linebacker because of his within the offense. I had. They understood where I was coming size,” Stoshak said. “But “After the third or fourth game [is when I from and kind of took me in like a little when he threw the ball, he really started to notice Johnson’s strengths and brother.” was very impressive.” weaknesses as a player]. We really gave him the Johnson and then-freshman Greg opportunity to play the whole game against Hankerson moved to the forefront come fall. South Florida and he made a few mistakes, but Wide receiver Jenson Stoshak not only took in the end we came out and won the football notice of Johnson’s ability to sling the ball of hard.”said Whitehead, who also came to game. At the end of that game, I knew what around the field, but also his physique. The FAU by way of a junior college. Johnson’s level of comfort increased with he could do.” stoutly-built Johnson stands six feet tall and Johnson and Hankerson stopped alternating each game. It was during a Sept. 21 game weighs around 220 pounds. “When I first saw Quez, honestly, I thought versus Middle Tennessee that he felt the team once Johnson’s play improved, a decision that coach Wright felt was in the best interest of rally behind him. he was a linebacker because of his size,” Stoshak said. “But when he threw the ball, he was very impressive.” Johnson wasn’t quite impressive enough to earn the starting quarterback spot outright. He wasn’t as adept at running the offense as he thought he would be. “[Understanding the offense] took me longer than I expected. Coming out of junior college, I had been there two years before I even played a game, so I knew that offense inside and out,” he said. “So I was thinking I was going to get it fast and be on the move, but when I first started in the Miami game… I could do everything in practice, but when it came to the actual game... I froze. I wasn’t ready.” The Owls’ coaching staff made the decision to split possessions between Hankerson and Johnson, even on singular plays. Johnson found the adjustment tough, but he chose to focus on what he could do with his opportunities Photo by Michelle Friswell instead of complaining. “It was hard. I was just trying to get a feel for Jaquez Johnson’s ability to run makes him an immediate threat for every defense that he playing Division 1 football. As it got going, I faces. He led the team last year with 772 rushing yards — 119 more than the next leading rusher, Jonathan Wallace. just wanted to play,” he said. “Who started, it 18

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

Continued on page 20

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Quez

Both Stoshak and Whitehead said that the team. Johnson plays basketball pretty well. His on“It always comes down to the guy that makes court skills actually took Shoshak by surprise. the best decisions with the football and [has] The two play pickup basketball every now and the ability to make plays and lead your team,” then. he said. “Quez just did a better job of that.” “I didn’t believe it when he first told me [that It is interesting to note that Wright made that he was good at basketball], but when I saw him decision despite the icy relationship between play, I was like ‘Wow, he’s the real deal.’” him and Johnson. Football is Johnson’s chosen craft, and he “It’s not the best relationship,” Johnson said. has been putting in many hours on the field “But we get our job done, and we be [sic] on and in the film room to try and better himself the same page on game day.” as a quarterback this offseason. Johnson’s teammates feel confident that Although pleased with his progress as a their quarterback can guide them through the player, coach Wright wanted Johnson to work upcoming season. on a particular part of his game during the Wide receiver Stoshak is much more offseason. comfortable with Johnson than he was this “We wanted him to work on some of the time last year. A good sign, considering that the mechanics in his throwing. bulk of the catches Stoshak Getting the football out,” will make will come from Wright said. “We’re always Johnson. “Compared to last year, trying to get the football “Compared to last year, it’s like night and day,” said it’s like night and day,” said out fast. Our passing game Stoshak, who is entering is really dedicated on timing Stoshak, who is entering his junior season.”I trust and getting the football out his junior season. “I trust Quez. Whatever he calls, Quez. Whatever he calls, quickly. So, we’re always I’m completely behind it 100 I’m completely behind it 100 trying to improve that with percent because I know that percent because I know that our quarterbacks.” Whitehead added that he’s learned a lot and he’s he’s learned a lot and he’s when Johnson isn’t on the matured a lot.” matured a lot.” field fulfilling the requests Whitehead looks up of his coaches, he’s taking to Johnson’s ability to the initiative to make compartmentalize his tasks. “Once he’s on the field, it’s strictly football,” himself a better quarterback. “He comes a lot by himself. He watches film [and] does says Whitehead. footwork drills by himself a lot. He does a lot He’s focused and ready to go. Outside of of extra work to better himself.” that, he’ll coach you up if you did something Johnson knows better quarterback play wrong… I look up to him as a leader.” could lead directly to wins sooner rather than Whitehead adds that Johnson’s knack for alternating between being serious and laid back later for the FAU program. He’ll be satisfied with this season, and his college FAU career, if contributes to him being an exceptional player. “Quez is really a great teammate. He knows FAU wins a major bowl game. In recent years, that aspiration would have when to joke around and he knows when to seemed far-fetched, but Johnson and the team be serious.” earned eligibility for a bowl game last year (all it Johnson has strong leadership qualities and takes is six wins), and the quarterback believes a no-nonsense attitude on the field, but he’s a that the team is more complete this year. simple man off of it. Johnson might be the man to bring this team He loves watching the ABC show “Castle,” its first winning season since 2008. His drive and he can really play basketball — he even to achieve has yet to fail him, which could be a claims that he’d be playing basketball in college good sign for FAU football’s immediate future. if he hadn’t chose football. Wesley Wright contributed to the reporting for this story. 20

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(L-R) Alex Deleon, D’Joun Smith, Damian Parms, Andrae Kirk, Christian Milstend, David Lozandier, Tony Moore, William Dukes

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ndrae Kirk’s family has seen almost every football game that he played during his time at FAU. A Miami native, Kirk chose the school primarily because he relished the opportunity to stay close to home, near his family. The product Kirk’s family saw in 2011 was a shabby one. During his freshman year, the team managed just one win and racked up 11 losses for former head coach Howard Schnellenberger, who retired after the season. It was a tough time, especially for freshmen like Kirk and William Dukes, to whom Schnellenberger sold the program. Schnellenberger was one of the main reasons that Dukes chose Florida Atlantic over Western Kentucky. Dukes, a Fort Lauderdale native, wanted to stay close to home, but his coach was the driving force. He remembers Schnellenberger quite fondly. “He’s a funny guy,” Dukes said. “I used to hear stories about him. I felt like he was an amazing person, and I knew that he could get me better. I came here just to experience his coaching. That one year helped me. It gave me a lot of wisdom.” Dukes received wisdom, while Kirk received worry. He found himself a bit bothered, but managed to compartmentalize everything. 22

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

A brand new stadium. A one-win season. Four coaches. With just one season left, FAU football seniors reflect on their futures. Story by Wesley Wright Photo by Michelle Friswell

“I was worried, because I had never experienced anything like that [losing season],” said Kirk, who played just one year of high school football at Miami Central. “I just kept playing, I wanted to get better everyday. I never let it hang on me too long.” The entire program has taken on that mantra. They’ve increased their win total each season since, due largely in part to a senior class that has taken some hits over the years. Tony Moore is a fifth-year senior. A native of Tampa, he became intrigued with FAU when he saw the type of talent that the program was cultivating, years before it translated into wins. “I’ve always been the type of person that wanted to be part of something new instead of something old,” Moore said. “I decided I wanted to be part of rebuilding this foundation that they had started.” That foundation Moore mentioned is a reference to the two bowl wins that FAU earned under Schnellenberger. The Owls won a bowl game in 2006 and 2007, but suffered three losing seasons in the years after — including that 1-11 season, which was Moore’s redshirt freshman year. “From that year, we started getting the right pieces,” he said. “It takes years of time to get the right pieces. We kept inching forward and

inching forward.” And inch forward they did. Schnellenberger retired and Carl Pelini took his place. FAU won three games during the 2012 season — one of which was a 7-3 win over Wagner, a Division 1AA squad. The team looked hapless. With a full year under his belt, Pelini began to implement his own system and recruit the type of players he preferred. Heading into fall 2013, FAU looked poised to take another step forward. Because of a terrific junior season, D’Joun Smith is widely considered one of the best cornerbacks in the country — but the senior Miami native only had one Division 1 scholarship coming out of high school. “Loyalty,” Smith claimed was the deciding factor in him choosing Florida Atlantic. “FAU hung around. I had recognition from other big schools, but [FAU] kept up with me. It was like, ‘Man, we want you that bad that we'll keep your scholarship.’” A fight on the football field cost him the final five games of his high school career at American Senior High School. Many programs backed off of Smith, perhaps because of character concerns. When bigger programs came looking for Smith again, he told them he had no Continued on page 24

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intention of changing his mind. Smith calls his pathway to FAU a second opportunity to play the sport he loves and considers it one of the best decisions he has ever made. During his junior year, Smith knew something wasn’t right. In their second season under Pelini, the team sat at 2-6 and looked dead in the water. “When you are at the bottom, you have no choice but to go up,” said a laughing Smith. “It can’t get no worse. It can’t get crazier than that. At the time, we had the players, but everybody said it was the coaches. Now we got the coaches, and I guess the players wasn’t [sic] producing. You realized at the top, it wasn’t as good of a foundation as we thought.” That “foundation” started with Pelini, who resigned amid controversy on Oct. 30 of last year. Athletic Director Patrick Chun approached Pelini with sworn affidavits claiming that he had smoked marijuana. Smith and the rest of the team received text messages requesting that they head to the Oxley Center, the on-campus athletics complex, immediately. There, they were informed of Pelini's situation. The school later absolved Pelini of all surmised drug charges, then relieved him of his duties. “If that foundation ain’t good, no matter what it is, it’s gonna crumble. But then you get [interim head] coach [Brian] Wright to come in, he tries to live a righteous life, and you see this big turnaround,” said Smith, who mentioned the team’s comeback win over Tulane as a turning point for the team. Wright took over once Pelini left. He managed to keep the team focused on winning a game that took place just three days after its former head coach left the program. The team won their next three games to end the season at 6-6. Never before had FAU won four consecutive football games. Chun hired head coach Charlie Partridge in December to take the job long-term, and when Partridge chose to keep Wright around, the team immediately began to gel. “Offensively, that was a big plus,” said redshirt senior tight end Alex Deleon. Deleon showed up to an FAU campus that 24

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

Seniors had no football stadium. FAU’s history of tight ends (they have one in the NFL right now — Arizona Cardinal Rob Housler) and the opportunity to be a pioneer were vital factors when Deleon was choosing the school that he would like to play for. He saw FAU as an opportunity for his class to leave its mark.

“Guys from Alabama, schools like that, they can never say they’ve been the first,” Deleon said. “Yeah, they’ve won a national championship, but they weren’t the first. By the time I leave here, I expect to say I was the first to win the conference.” As far as personal goals are concerned, Deleon just wants to make an impact wherever he can. “I tell myself everyday I want to be a playmaker without the ball. Whether that’s

#19 William Dukes Photo by Ryan Murphy

blocking in the run game, blocking in the passing game, or special teams, I just want to bring that winning tradition that was started back.” Deleon credits that winning mentality for the program becoming steadily better during his time here. He and several other players mentioned the family dynamic of the team has contributed as well. On any given Monday evening this summer, you could find a few FAU football players carousing and enjoying themselves at Strikes. Deleon can’t bowl (“It looks good, but it’s going in that gutter”) but does acknowledge that activities like that go a long way toward bringing the team together. David Lozandier, a senior linebacker from North Miami, revealed that the team also bonds

by playing cards and competing on “Madden.” They’ve even created their own card game called “Four Squares.” He claims the family aspect of Partridge’s program reaches even farther than the team itself. “There’s more of a connection. When I say a connection, I mean not only the players, but the staff. And the people who work around us in the facilities, and the student body,” said Lozandier. He chose FAU because two former teammates recommended that he come. One is Randell Johnson, who graduated from FAU in the spring of 2013 and now plays for the Buffalo Bills. The other is Nexon Dorvilus, a tight end who also graduated last spring. Relegated to special teams for much of his first three years, Lozandier is in position to compete for the starting linebacker job. He’s already thinking of his post-career aspirations. “I’ve got a couple of options. I can attend law school — I’m thinking about becoming a lawyer,” he said. “I am thinking about joining the Navy Seals program, or being a teacher, or a coach. I want to serve and help people, especially going back to my neighborhood. I wasn’t privileged to come from other great circumstances so I want to go back to my neighborhood.” All of the seniors have bought into the new system that Partridge has implemented. They trust him and they like his personality. They appreciate how transparent he has been. “He’s full of energy,” Deleon said, as his coach rolled over a table to maneuver around a cramped interview room. “He’s a detail oriented guy, great recruiter, great coach. His door is always open. When [he] comes on that practice field, it’s about business.” Time will tell if Patridge is able to get his FAU tenure off on the right foot. The team has some talent, and one could argue that all the turmoil they have seen is just as vital to molding a program that knows how to win. Dukes is certainly looking at the glass half full. “We went through a lot of adversity last year,” he said. “I think we have a major bond right now. We’re here to help each other. I feel like it’s going to be a great year.”

PARTRIDGE

University Press

Sept. 2, 2014

Partridge In A Palm Tree You know Charlie Partridge as the FAU head football coach. But how much do you know about the path he took to Boca Raton?

Story by Wesley Wright Photo by Michelle Friswell

ou’ve seen head football coach Charlie Partridge at some point in the last few months. Maybe it was rousing up a half-full basketball stadium last December. Maybe it was at a summer freshman orientation session. You might’ve seen Partridge throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a Marlins game this past May. You might have even caught Partridge flying up or down I-95 heading to see the family of a recruit or his father Jack. Since he became the fourth head coach in FAU football history last December, Partridge has been pulled in countless directions. He has reached out to companies for support and to expand the FAU brand. He and his staff have scoured every corner of this state looking to grab recruits who represent the type of program Partridge

wants to instill. Partridge seems to have his program on the fast track to relevance. He’s come a long way — figuratively and literally. An 18-year-old Partridge stepped onto the campus of Drake University in the fall of 1992. A muscular frame, bald head and earrings made the Plantation, Fla. native a sight to behold in metropolitan, conservative Iowa. You wouldn’t be able to tell these days, but at one point, FAU’s newest head coach was quite a physical presence — Partridge could bench 400 pounds during his playing days — and was quite the defensive tackle. Dave Doeren is the current head coach at North Carolina State University and a former teammate of Partridge. The two

Continued on page 28 Sept. 2, 2014

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Partridge

roomed together at Drake and they have Atlantic was fortunate to get him.” From Drake, Partridge headed to Iowa State, become very close over the years. Doeren Math is Partridge’s strong suit. At one point where he worked his way up from graduate remembers Partridge quite fondly. he thought teaching and coaching would be his assistant to director of football operations. “He was a guy who was very serious about career path. Turns out it has been, just not the As a DFO, Partridge set up recruiting football,” he said. “Extremely hard worker. I way he thought. visits, took care of housing and academic think he knew he had limitations as a player, “In my mind, I’m still a teacher. I’m just accommodations and coordinated team travel. so his work ethic and his toughness were his teaching different lessons,” says Partridge. “Be But he wasn’t on the field and being a DFO strengths.” a husband. Be a father. Bend your knees to didn’t satisfy him. That work ethic may come from Jack make this tackle, instead of the Pythagorean Dan McCarney was the head coach at Partridge, the family patriarch and a retired theorem.” Iowa State from 1995-2006 when he watched union carpenter who still lives in Plantation, He spent the 1996-1997 season as a graduate Partridge rise within the program. He Fla. Charlie Partridge and his brother John, assistant for his alma mater, and during that remembers a man with a penchant for juggling four years older, lived in a household where season, experienced a win against the University many tasks. their father stressed dedication. of South Florida that he considers among the “I could never give him too much “We lived in the same house in Plantation responsibility,” said McCarney, who now is the our whole childhood,” said John, a graduate head coach at the University of North Texas. of the University of Florida “Whatever I asked him to do, and an accountant for a “Coach Partridge has a way of connecting with the players. They can he did it.” company based outside of Partridge would eventually always go to him for advice about football, but most importantly Atlanta. “We both owe our get back on the field, leaving anything that is going on in their personal lives,” Clermond said. Iowa State to take a job as Dad for showing us the value of hard work.” the defensive line coach That house was very close to the Swap Shop and recruiting coordinator at Eastern Illinois on Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale that University. There was one problem though — Partridge mentioned in his introductory press he had no place to live. conference this past December. Growing up just 20 miles from FAU’s main Charlie Partridge married his wife, Julie, in campus, Partridge could not have known that July 2001. Before Alexa and Kylie (their two his familiarity with South Florida would help daughters), before the cushy head coaching mold him into a quality coach. job, before he was revered as a recruiter in Later on, South Florida recruits would South Florida, he was sleeping on the floor in a appreciate Partridge’s familiarity with their Drake football office during their first wedding region of the country. It would be one of anniversary. several reasons that recruits liked and trusted At schools with underdeveloped athletic Partridge. Before that familiarity would factor Photo of Charlie Partridge by Max Jackson programs, temporary housing for coaches is into his chosen craft, first, he’d have to earn not provided when they relocate for the job. his stripes. most satisfying of his career. Partridge was on his way to a new job, making “[USF was a] fully-funded scholarship a considerably smaller salary and was in a You don’t have to worry about Partridge program, and we were non-scholarship,” tough spot. Julie Partridge didn’t complain at resting on his laurels now that he has finally Partridge said. “We were laughed at, we were all, and now they are happily married with two been rewarded the head coaching job — a job literally laughed at by fans when we were in daughters, 8-year-old Alexa and 5-year-old that many men work so hard for and never warmups. After we won that game...we had Kylie. receive. kids on their knees crying.” “What you have done for me, I can’t put His new gig pays well — $500,000 a year Partridge drove the Drake team bus to into words. I love all three of you more than plus incentives — but Partridge has worked games. He lined fields. And he coached, of you will ever know,” he said to the three most diligently for much less. Coaching wasn’t course. Drake was a financially-strapped, non- important women in his life at his introductory the first job for Partridge after he graduated scholarship program at the time, so the football press conference this past December. from Drake with his bachelor’s in secondary staff was asked to fulfill duties far outside of Partridge spent one year at EIU coaching education. He started off as a teacher. their job description. Money was so tight that the defensive line and serving as recruiting In 1996, Partridge taught math to ninth Partridge worked at a physical plant and cut coordinator. During the next offseason, graders at Valley High School in West Des grass during the summers to make ends meet. Partridge took a job at the University of Moines, Iowa. He scratched his real itch in Through it all, Partridge never wavered. Pittsburgh as an assistant, coaching linebackers, the evenings where he coached football under “No,” Partridge said when asked if he special teams and the defensive line from 2003legendary Iowa high school head coach Gary considered another career choice. “I came to 2007. Swenson. the realization that I wanted to be a teacher It was in Pittsburgh that Partridge blossomed Says Swenson of his former colleague: “I and high school coach. I did that for a season, into a terrific recruiter. Pittsburgh made Patridge have remained friends with coach Partridge to thought that was what I was going to do.” their lead recruiter in Florida, due largely in this day. I am one of his biggest fans. Florida part to this charisma and his connection to the 28

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Partridge

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talent-rich South Florida area. Joe Clermond played under Partridge. A Tampa native, Clermond became a two-time All-Conference selection at Pittsburgh. He recalls his former coach as a man who always could find a second to talk if he needed it. “Coach Partridge has a way of connecting with the players. They can always go to him for advice about football, but most importantly anything that is going on in their personal lives,” Clermond said. “No matter where you are from, your attitude, your personality, Partridge knows how to communicate with players on and off the field, helping them in that transition to a higher level and understanding of the game, but most importantly to adulthood.” Partridge left Pittsburgh for the University of Wisconsin after the 2007 season. His relationship with then UW coach Bret Bielema dates back around 15 years. Bielema’s past was heavily intertwined in Iowa, same as his good friend Partridge. He attended the University of Iowa and was a linebackers coach during the same years that Partridge was a graduate assistant at Drake and Iowa State University. Bielema described Partridge as a “great football coach, a great recruiter — especially in the state of Florida — but most of all, a great husband and a great man.”

Photos by Michelle Friswell

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The head coach at the University of Arkansas, Bielema actually gave Partridge a job opportunity at Wisconsin in 2005, and Partridge respectfully declined. “He stayed at Pitt another two years before I convinced him to come on over to Wisconsin, and it was a really great choice,” Bielema said. That two year wait proved vital. Partridge met and coached a man named Justin James Watt, a tight end turned defensive end who at the time was delivering pizzas to make ends meet. Watt transferred to UW from Central Michigan University and arrived in Madison having never played defensive end in his life. Under the guidance of Partridge, “JJ” blossomed into a phenomenal player whom the Texans drafted 11th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. Quite a feat for a former Pizza Hut employee. Watt showered Partridge with praise in a 2012 interview with Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal. “He is one of the main reasons for my success,” Watt said of Partridge. “I can’t thank him enough for what he did for me at Wisconsin, taking me from a tight end and then on the scout team as a guy not really knowing how to play the defensive end position to where I am today...What he was able to do with me [going] from a tight end to a first-round pick, I owe him so much and I appreciate him.” Partridge hung around Wisconsin one more year after Watt’s departure and the team scored 70 points in a win over the University of Nebraska. The next day, Bielema resigned to take another job at the University of Arkansas. Unsurprisingly, he offered Partridge the chance to follow him, and Partridge obliged. Bielema’s rationale: “When A native of Plantation, Partridge’s famiilarity with you have success, the South Florida landscape was vital in him you want to keep the landing the FAU job. people around you who helped you get there.” Even in his lone year at Arkansas, Patridge managed to make an impact on the defensive linemen that he coached. Deatrich Wise remembers Partridge as a man who liked to crack jokes and play old school rap, particularly Eminem, during practices. Trey Flowers

Sept. 2, 2014

echoed a sentiment that so many former players have regarding Patridge — he is a man who is wholly invested is his players. “He wasn’t here that long,” Flowers said. “What I remember most is that he is just a genuine person. He’s an outstanding coach, but he’s an even better person.” On his way back from a recruit’s home this past November, Partridge received a call from Athletic Director Patrick Chun. Chun had good news — Partridge was a finalist for the vacant head coaching job at FAU. “I started my preparation for what would be a lengthy interview,” said Partridge. Whatever he did worked. The final interview came and went, and Partridge received yet another call from Chun, who informed him that he landed the position. He was elated and caught a flight down to Boca Raton. After signing his contract and enduring all the fanfare, Partridge settled in and began to implement his own program. Family is a recurring concept for Partridge. The location of his job certainly played into his ending up at FAU. “Family means everything to me. I love my wife, and my kids and my father. To be back home near him means everything,” Partridge said. “Our coaches are encouraged to have our players and kids around at the right times and to get them around our players, because I want our players to walk out of here knowing that family is important.” That notion has trickled down from Partridge to his players, who can vouch for the difference they see and feel between last year and this year, as far as the camaraderie dynamic is concerned. “The team — we’re actually more than a team, we’re a family. All these guys know each other, and coach Partridge is a key to that,” says fifth-year senior running back Tony Moore. “Making us sit down and learn about each other, not just their position but who they are as a person. That’s the biggest difference between this year and past years.” Partridge accomplished that much in his first handful of months as head coach. Team camaraderie could wane if wins don’t come in due time. Happy to be back in Florida, the table is set for Partridge to leave a mark of his own on the FAU program. If he approaches his first head coaching job with the same diligence that he has in his last two decades, the FAU football program is in good hands.

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