Trisha Shetty (Editor)

2007 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

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Conference
  
Sun Belt Conference

Offensive coordinator
  
Gary Nord

Defensive coordinator
  
Kirk Hoza

2007 record
  
8–5 (6–1 Sun Belt)

Offensive scheme
  
Pro-style

2007 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

Head coach
  
Howard Schnellenberger (7th year)

The 2007 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Owls entered their second season as full members of the Sun Belt Conference.

Contents

The Owls claimed their first-ever conference championship, defeating Troy in the last game of the season. To follow-up, the Owls won their first-ever bowl game, winning the 2007 New Orleans Bowl, defeating the Memphis Tigers. This feat made NCAA history, as Florida Atlantic became the fastest start-up program to win a bowl game, after just seven seasons of intercollegiate competition.

Preseason

The 2007 FAU Owls were heavily experienced, as only four starters (combined offense and defense) graduated from the 5–7 (4–3 SBC) 2006 team. Sophomore Rusty Smith started at quarterback, having faced no battle for the position with senior Sean Clayton. The defense was senior-laden and featured returning starters at linebacker (Cergile Sincere, Andre Clark, and Frantz Joseph), defensive line (Robert St. Clair, Jervonte Jackson, and Josh Pinnick), and at both safety positions (Taheem Acevedo and Kris Bartels). On offense, Smith's right side of the line (Jarrid Smith and John Rizzo) and his center (Nick Paris) returned.

In the Preseason Sun Belt Coaches' Poll, FAU was picked to finish sixth in the conference despite the wealth of experience on both sides of the ball.

Preseason All-Sun Belt honors

  • Cergile Sincere (LB, Sr.)
  • Josh Pinnick (DL, Sr.)

    • Mid-season awards and honors

  • Week 3 USA Today National Player of the Week: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Week 3 National Player of the Week, Defense: Tavious Polo (CB, Fr.)
  • Week 3 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Week 3 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Defense: Tavious Polo (CB, Fr.)
  • Week 6 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Week 13 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Week 13 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Special Teams: DiIvory Edgecomb (KR, Jr.)
  • Week 14 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Week 14 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Defense: Frantz Joseph (LB, Jr.)
  • 2007 Shula Bowl Most Valuable Player: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • 2007 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Most Valuable Player: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)

    • Post-season awards and honors

  • Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year: Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year: Howard Schnellenberger

    • All-Sun Belt honors

  • First Team All-Sun Belt Conference:
  • Rusty Smith (QB, So.)
  • Cortez Gent (WR, So.)
  • Jason Harmon (TE, Jr.)
  • Frantz Joseph (LB, Jr.)
  • Cergile Sincere (LB, Sr.)
  • Tavious Polo (CB, Fr.)
  • Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference:
  • John Rizzo (OL, Jr.)
  • Jarrid Smith (OL, Sr.)
  • Jervonte Jackson (DL, Jr.)
  • Corey Small (CB, Jr.)
  • Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference:
  • Kris Bartels (DB, Sr.)
  • Charles Pierre (RB, Jr.)

    • A year for the record books

    The 2007 football season saw numerous school records broken.

    References

    2007 Florida Atlantic Owls football team Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA