After mustering just 10 points in its first two games, the UMass football team will have to contend with one of the nation’s best defenses Friday.
The Minutemen will face Florida Atlantic at 8 p.m. in Boca Raton, Florida. The Owls hold the No. 5 scoring defense in the country at 13 points per game. They’ve allowed just 65 points and six touchdowns in five games. Of the teams ahead of them, No. 1 Wisconsin has only played two games, and No. 4 San Diego State has played four.
“It’s gonna be about your ability to handle edge and interior pressure,” UMass coach Walt Bell said.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt organizes FAU’s defense with three down linemen and blitzes from all over. The Owls (4-1) have accrued the fifth most sacks per game (3.8) in the country. Senior linebacker Leighton McCarthy is fifth in the country with seven sacks, and sophomore lineman Jaylen Joyner ranks ninth with six.
“They’re all on the same page. They took that amongst themselves to make the defense what it is. They play with fanatical effort. I think a big part of it is focusing on the little things. That’s helped create a standard for our guys,” Florida Atlantic coach Willie Taggart said. “Everyone’s taking pride and living up to that standard.”
Florida Atlantic additionally has the best red zone defense in the nation. Opponents have only scored one touchdown and kicked five field goals in 11 trips. Technically the Owls’ .545 red zone percentage defense is second to Wisconsin’s 0.00, but the Badgers have only played twice and allowed one trip to the red zone.
“Holding people to field goals becomes just as good as a stop,” Bell said.
UMass (0-2) was shut out in its season opener and only averages 190.5 yards per game. That’s second to last in the country in front of California, which has only played once. The Minutemen rank last in the country with 5 ppg and sit in the bottom six in both passing (114.5 yards per game) and rushing (76 yards per game) offense.
“At the end of the day the scheme is the scheme, we just have to continue to improve and be better,” Bell said. “There was improvement last week, and it’s going to take more improvement this week to have success.”
If UMass wants to end Florida Atlantic’s three-game winning streak, it’s also going to have to stop a recently discovered weapon: redshirt freshman quarterback Javion Posey. Posey debuted in the fourth quarter against Western Kentucky on Nov. 7 and ran for 60 yards and a score in a 10-6 victory. He started the Owls’ last game against FIU, running for 182 yards and a score, and throwing two touchdowns.
“They’ve got the really athletic quarterback which they just discovered – our luck the week before,” Bell said. “That’s what’s scary, he’s a great player. You can have guys in the right spots and still not get him on the ground.”
Posey adds another element to Taggart’s offense, which scored a season-high 38 points last week against Florida International. The Owls also have two running backs averaging more than 5 yards per carry in Malcolm Davidson (8.1) and James Charles (5.3). The Owls are one of the top 30 rushing offenses in the country and average more than 200 yards per game.
“There’s so many formations, so much motion, so much jet sweep action, it really makes you be incredibly disciplined for the four or five run concepts they run really well,” Bell said. “They have an unbelievable amount of window dressing and ability to package the plays.”
Despite Posey’s breakout game against the Panthers, Taggart didn’t commit to him as the starter against UMass. Nick Tronti started the previous four games and went 3-1 as a starter. He’s thrown for 490 yards and three touchdowns.
“I’ve got no doubt who’s gonna be out there,” Bell said.
Posey will likely oppose another second-time starter in UMass freshman Will Koch. Koch played most of the game against No. 16 Marshall and was responsible for the Minutemen’s two scoring drives. Bell didn’t officially name anyone as the starter and said “there’s still competition there. He’s got to improve every day and go win the job.” Garrett Dzuro relieved Koch for the fourth quarter against Marshall.
“We feel pretty good about those two young guys we have and their continued growth and development,” Bell said.