College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the FIU season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– FIU Schedule Analysis
– FIU Golden Panthers Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
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2020 Record: 0-5 overall, 0-3 in C-USA
Head Coach: Butch Davis, 5th year, 23-21 (86-64 overall)
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 125
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 110
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 85
FIU Golden Panthers College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– Let’s just say the offense took a step back. The Golden Panthers averaged a horrendous 281 yards and 22 points per game with a woefully inefficient passing game and not enough of a ground attack to make up for it. Any improvement starts with something happening through the air – FIU failed to hit 200 yards in any of the five games and was under 90 in two.
– Consider the quarterback race wide open. The FIU quarterbacks combined to average just 4.7 yards per attempt hitting just 45% of their throws. Stone Norton took off for Southern Illinois, Kaylen Wiggins is still an option, and former Maryland transfer Max Bortenschlager has the experience. After that it’s up to a few untested freshmen – at the moment, no other options are coming aboard.
The receiving corps has experience but now needs to help out the quarterbacks – and vice versa. Five of the top six receivers are back, and getting back 2019 leading target Shemar Thornton after missing last year is huge.
Junior Bryce Singleton led the way for the wideouts in 2020 with 14 catches for 150 yards, TE Rivaldo Fairweather is a 6-5, 245-pound second-year freshman who looks the part – he led the team with 165 yards on his ten catches; with almost all of it against Florida Atlantic – and there are plenty of options ready to do more.
– The line was abysmal in pass protection, but it was solid for the ground game and should be a bit better even with two starters gone. The transfer portal is active with three backups leaving, but landing a few new guys will help starting with Api Mane from Kansas for the inside.
The backs are there if the line can just give everyone time. Leading rusher D’vonte Price is a big 6-2, 215-pound veteran who averaged close to seven yards per carry, Shaun Peterson is an even bigger 6-3, 215-pound back who averaged six yards per run, and there’s plenty of help in the mix.