Preview: Q&A with FAU Beat Writer Kevin Fielder

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Emotions will be high on Saturday in Floyd Stadium.

For the Blue Raiders, the Senior Day ceremonies at 2:05 p.m. ahead of the 2:30 p.m. kick against Florida Atlantic will certainly bring all of the program's sentimentality to the forefront just before kickoff.

On the opposite sideline? You have a team that was on their own field in 2021 against the Blue Raiders when each team needed to win to head to a bowl game. Jordan Ferguson, who was sucking wind on the sideline, recovered a N'Kosi Perry fumble forced by DQ Thomas, pushing a fourth quarter lead to 27-17, a margin that would take MTSU to the Bahamas, and keep the Owls home for the holidays.

"A lot of guys on this team that were a part of that loss last year, and know what it felt like in the locker room last year," FAU Head Coach Willie Taggert said in his "That's been a motivator for our team to get right after that game in a lot of phases...We know how we felt, and we don't want to feel that way again."

This Saturday, MTSU (5-5, 2-4 C-USA) will have its hands full with an FAU (5-5, 4-2 C-USA) team that's had a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type season. Some games, like last week at FIU in a 52-7 win, they look like one of the best teams in the conference. In others, like a 24-21 loss at UTEP, they look pedestrian, even mediocre.

The constants, MTSU Head Coach Rick Stockstill said, are the signature trademarks of a plethora of FAU teams through multiple staffs: speed in the skill groups, physicality and size in the trenches.

"They're a really good football team," Stockstill said. "They're always super talented from a skill set. They've got a lot of speed on both sides of the ball. Really, really good defense, they don't give up a bunch, they make you earn everything you get. They're physical up front."

Adding intrigue to the matchup, one being played for the 19th time since 2003, is the fact that FAU's offensive coordinator coached in the game last year, for the Blue Raiders. Brent Dearmon, who took over in Boca Raton for Michael Johnson this offseason, was complimentary of the Middle Tennessee program this week during media availability, though the familiarity certainly has added some intrigue within the Murphy Center to this Saturday's game.

Though for senior Jordan Ferguson, facing off with Dearmon in his final home game has made him pretty nostalgic.

"I want to shoutout Coach Dearmon and thank Coach Dearmon for giving me the opportunity to play offense in college," Ferguson said. "He made my dream come true. Me and the other guys, Marley and Zaylin, we really enjoyed that."

To get a closer look at the Owls, GoBlueRaiders.com sat down with Kevin Fielder, who covers FAU for Owls247.com, to learn about the up and down season in Boca, some of the breakout stars on each side of the ball, and his keys to the game.

You can find Fielder, who also does excellent work for Underdog Dynasty, on Twitter @TheKevinFielder.

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1) Of all the teams in Conference USA this season, Florida Atlantic has been the one I'm least able to figure out. One week the Owls look like true conference title contenders, the next they drop a game they had no business losing, usually by tight margins. What has been the vibe around the program this season in year three of Willie Taggart's tenure? Are folks generally pleased, or left wanting for more out of the Owls? How will these final two games in the regular season affect that perception?

I also can't figure them out, so you aren't alone in that. It's been an incredibly mixed bag of results for FAU. One week, they're struggling in the second half and losing in a disappointing fashion. The following week, they're winning a complete game.

Overall, I think the vibe around the program can best be explained as hopefulness and disappointment. Losing the way FAU has this year is going to cause some frustration, but the last few weeks have certainly changed the mood. Now, they're in the fight for the Conference USA Championship – though they'll need help – and they have an opportunity to get into a bowl game after missing it last season. The Owls have also played well over the last few weeks, putting together some consistent performances in big games.

As for the next few weeks, I think they'll end up defining FAU's season. In a lot of ways, making a bowl game is the expectation, and they're in a position to control that. After the way last season ended, they need to close the season out better, and that means winning some games down the stretch. Personally, I think the team recognizes that too.

2) Blue Raider fans are very familiar with FAU's offensive coordinator, Brent Dearmon, with him having coached MTSU just last season. Numbers wise, it looks like he's found a balance he struggled to find consistently in Murfreesboro between the ground and in the air. Now with 10 games under his belt with the Owls, how do you assess the job he's done this season?

Brent Dearmon has done a good job since making the move down to Boca Raton. They've found consistency on the ground, making it their identity on offense. The usage of wide receiver LaJohntay Wester also means that, after not having one last season, they've found a "WR1" they can rely on. There have certainly been moments where they've struggled, but every offense will have those kinds of moments throughout the season.

Dearmon's ability to get other wide receivers involved might be his best accomplishment. While Wester has separated himself, the likes of Jahmal Edrine and former walk-on Tony Johnson have had their moments. Down the stretch, that's been incredibly important too. Teams have started to put more focus on LaJohntay Wester and Dearmon's offense hasn't missed a beat.

3) FAU's pass defense numbers are really impressive this season, and Rick Stockstill said that production starts on the Owl defensive line, which has had plenty of success generating pressure this year. Who are some of the names to know on that side of the ball that have played at a high level this season, and do you agree with Stockstill's assessment?

I agree with Stockstill's assessment. This team is built from the defensive line back. When the defensive line is creating havoc and generating pressure, it means the secondary has less ground to cover. On the defensive line, it's hard to look past defensive tackle Evan Anderson. Nicknamed 'Big Slim', Anderson is literally a huge presence, weighing in at 356 pounds. Although he battled an injury this season, the defensive line has played better since he returned. Also keep an eye on Latrell Jean, who has played well this season, totaling 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

As you get further away from the defensive line, there have been struggles but they've played well recently. The secondary seems to have found its momentum and that begins with safety turned nickel cornerback Teja Young. He's the leader of the defense and both Willie Taggart and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando have said that he will be a future coach. Young moving to cornerback has allowed safeties Dwight Toombs and Armani Eli-Adams to play more and they've both played well with the extra snaps. Toombs, in specific, leads the team in interceptions with three. Down the stretch, his ability to create plays will be important.

4) I enjoyed seeing a section in FAU's game notes dedicated to the Wester Brothers, wide receiver LaJohntay, who's been excellent out of the slot for the Owls, and linebacker Jaylen, who's stepped up as a true freshman these past few weeks. Why have these two brothers been impact players down the stretch and what have coaches on staff said about them recently?

The play of older brother LaJohntay Wester isn't exactly a surprise but it has been encouraging. He's arguably FAU's most dynamic playmaker, capable of turning any play into a touchdown if he gets a chance. Whether it's through the air or on the ground, Dearmon has done everything in his power to get Wester involved and generate chances for him to make an impact. Coaches have long praised his speed and that's really started to show down the stretch. Outside of quarterback N'Kosi Perry and a few veteran offensive linemen, he might be the team's most valuable offensive piece.

Jaylen Wester's impact is a little more of a surprise. While he received praise from coaches during the pre-season, he didn't see a ton of playing time during the first few games, likely due to him being so young. It wasn't until an injury to Eddie Williams against UTEP that Wester started to see a boost in playing time. Now that Williams is out for the season, Wester has become the full-time starter in the position and he's played incredibly well. He had a strong game against UAB and, the week after, opened the FIU game with an interception. Following the FIU game, Willie Taggart mentioned that he has the potential to be one of the all-time great players for the program if he can stay healthy. Players like cornerback Michal Antoine Jr. have also praised his energy, saying he always has energy, regardless of the situation.

5) Both teams can get to bowl eligibility with a win on Saturday, setting up the possibility of guaranteeing a winning season in 2022 the next weekend. What do you think will be the keys for the Owls to leave Murfreesboro with a victory?

Murfreesboro has been a house of horrors for FAU. They've won just one game on the campus of Middle Tennessee, and that came in 2004. Since then, they've experienced losses in 77-56 shootouts (2016) and close losses, like the one-point loss in 2018. Those problems are almost compounded considering the fact that FAU has just one road win this season and that came in the state of Florida.

If FAU is going to come away with a win and become eligible for a bowl game, they'll have to start fast. It doesn't matter if it's a turnover or an early lead, FAU will need to capture some momentum early in the game. They were able to do so against FIU with the early turnover and it seemed to calm down FAU. I'd look at quarterback N'Kosi Perry to help here. He's a veteran and that helps in situations like this because it seems to calm down the entire offense.

Then, they'll need to capture some momentum after halftime. FAU has allowed some backbreaking drives after halftime, with many taking multiple minutes off the clock. These moments have been demoralizing for FAU and have led to some heartbreaking losses, like the UCF game. In that game, FAU allowed a 5-minute drive to open up the third quarter and they couldn't recover. The result was 24 unanswered points in the second half. In short, FAU will need to be mentally strong to win this game.

On the field, FAU will need to run the football well when they're on offense. Their offense is built on them getting into favorable down-and-distance situations and that normally starts with them being able to run the football well, especially on early downs. When they do throw the ball, N'Kosi Perry will need to be accurate, like he was against FIU. The Owls can't leave points on the field because that might be the difference in this game like it was against Middle Tennessee last season.

Defensively, FAU will need to prevent the explosive plays from Middle Tennessee's pass game. Obviously, the Miami game shows what this Middle Tennessee offense can be when they can get some big-time plays, and earlier in the season, FAU allowed some big-time plays through the air, though those plays have been limited as of late. If FAU can prevent the explosive pass plays, it can force Middle Tennessee to be a little more one-dimensional, which will help when stopping a running back like Frank Peasant, who runs like a wrecking ball and semi-truck.

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Players Mentioned

Jordan Ferguson

Frank Peasant

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics