Florida Atlantic faces challenge in home opener vs. Army's triple-option offense

BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic opens up its home slate Saturday when the Owls (0-1) take on Army (1-0) in an American Athletic Conference matchup.

After taking Michigan State down to the wire in a 16-10 defeat in Week 1, the Owls are gearing up to begin conference play in the win column.

Quarterback Cam Fancher struggled early in his Owls debut and took a beating by the Spartans. The transfer from Marshall completed 12 of 25 passes for 116 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Fancher was also FAU's leading rusher, totaling 67 yards on the ground on 25 carries.

Notably, Fancher was subject to several violent hits courtesy of the Michigan State defense, having his helmet knocked off on several occasions, and suffering a hand injury late in the fourth quarter. FAU head coach Tom Herman confirmed that X-rays of Fancher’s hand came back negative, and the quarterback was a full participant in practice this week.

Fancher’s aggressive running style has sparked concern from Herman. Dating back to his time at Marshall, Fancher has been a notoriously aggressive runner in the open field, often sliding late, and frequently leaving himself vulnerable to hard-hitting collisions. Herman acknowledged that his quarterback’s running ability is a valuable asset, noting that “it’s part of his game,” while also addressing the concerns that such a style of running can bring long-term.

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“We talked about it,” Herman said. “Obviously, this was my first game coaching him, and so we’re kind of learning from each other a little bit. … I think from now on, in those situations, you’ll probably see him dive forward a lot more and protect himself that way.”

Owls offense aiming to improve after slow start

FAU managed three points in the first half against Michigan State, while attempting nine passes for 21 yards. Heading into this week’s matchup, Herman emphasized the need to ensure quality drives down the field while maintaining the integrity of the offense.

“I don’t think our guidance will be confused a whole lot on offense,” he said. “But, we’re certainly going to have to execute, because these guys know what they’re doing, and they do it well.

“I didn’t even realize we only threw nine passes in the first half ... that certainly wasn’t by design. But we do know you have to be cautious with your play selection against these guys, too. We would like to push the ball down the field, but also, this week it’s important to keep drives alive.”

Jayshon Platt earns career milestone

Wide receiver Jayshon Platt hauled in his first career touchdown in the third quarter against the Spartans. The junior from Sarasota noted that it felt good to secure his first collegiate TD, but that it also wasn't a big deal since FAU was losing at the time.

“It didn’t really hit me like that,” Platt said. “It still hasn’t really hit me like that, it just felt normal.”

Herman previously had indicated Platt would see more involvement in the offense this season. Despite taking on a much bigger role, Platt’s mindset remains the same. “Same thing it has always been since I got here,” he said. “Just being a leader for my group.”

Platt will make his second start of the season on Saturday against the Black Knights.

Owls preparing for Army's triple-option offense

The Owls’ defense will be put to the test against the unorthodox triple option offense of the Black Knights.

In Army’s 42-7 win over Lehigh last week, 88% of its offensive snaps resulted in a rushing play. Herman described game planning for an offense of this nature as “nerve-wracking,” noting that he has seen the good, and the bad, in terms of performance against such an opponent.

Cornerback Kahzir Brown, who snagged an interception on the first play of the game last week in East Lansing, says he is up for the challenge in Week 2. He, too, noted the unpredictability of the Black Knights’ offense.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces with their triple-option scheme,” Brown said. “If your eyes are in the wrong spot, or you’re trying to look for the ball, that thing’s gonna crease and go for 60 [yards] on the ground.”

As a defensive back, playing against a run-heavy offense such as Army’s can become repetitive. Despite this, Brown says his coaches have prepared him for what could be a long day on the ground.

“No matter how bored you are, just keep doing your job over and over and over,” he said. “That’s really what we’re stressing, just following your keys and doing your job.”

Saturday's gameArmy at FAUNoon

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Atlantic faces challenge in home opener vs. Army's triple-option offense