Tag: Florida Atlantic University

Report: Ravens Hall of Famer could be a candidate to be next head coach at Florida Atlantic

Adam Schefter is reporting that Florida Atlantic University is interested in Ray Lewis to become their next head football coach

(This post has been updated with new information.)

Universities around the country have seen the success of Eddie George at Tennessee State and Deion Sanders at Colorado. They are looking to hop on the trend of hiring head coaches who lack experience at the highest level.

Adam Schefter reports that Ravens Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis is a candidate to land the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic University.

Florida Atlantic recently fired head football coach Tom Herman.  The Owls are in last place in the American Athletic Conference standings.

UPDATE: The Palm Beach Post reports that FAU is not planning to interview Lewis, according to a source in the sports department.

FAU was 6-16 during Herman’s two seasons and is 0-6 in the AAC this year. It is on a five-game losing streak.

Herman took the job as FAU was transitioning from Conference USA to the AAC and after the firing of coach Willie Taggart, who had been there three seasons. Chad Lunsford, the former head coach at Georgia Southern, will be the FAU interim coach.

FAU has won three conference championships in school history, including Conference USA in 2017 and 2019 under Lane Kiffin. Since then, FAU has had just one winning season and has endured four consecutive losing seasons.

Lewis, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Despite not having prior college coaching experience, he’s a fantastic leader and could be a great hire for a program looking for headlines and wins.

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Bill Raftery was absolutely dumbfounded by FAU botching the final seconds of regulation against Northwestern

Bill Raftery is all of us.

The Flordia Atlantic Owls will probably want their overtime loss to the Northwestern Wildcats back. A lack of urgency during the final seconds of regulation puzzled everyone, including the broadcast announcers.

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FAU and Northwestern’s matchup was so good. The Wildcats fought back tooth and nail to tie the game late in the fourth quarter behind a massive showing from Ryan Lanborg and Boo Buie, who combined for 47 points and eight assists. Northwestern’s grit and toughness eventually helped force their matchup into overtime and a 74-63 victory.

However, Johnell Davis from FAU actually had a chance to win the game but seemingly passed it up — yes, really — for a last-second heave. The lack of urgency was so mystifying that announcer Bill Raftery couldn’t believe it. Here’s Raftery’s call about it with Ian Eagle and Grant Hill:

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Looking back at Casey Thompson’s college football career

A former Nebraska Cornhusker quarterback has entered the transfer portal. Casey Thompson will be looking for his fourth school in seven years.

Thompson attended Texas from 2019-21 before joining Nebraska for the 2022 season.

In his only season as a Cornhusker, he started ten games and threw for 2,407 yards with 17 touchdowns and ten interceptions. The quarterback would transfer to FAU for the 2023 season.

He would appear in three games and throw for 509 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions before tearing his ACL and medial meniscus.

Thompson was granted a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA for a seventh season. You can find a photo gallery of Casey Thompson’s college football career below.

Former Nebraska quarterback earns seventh year of eligibility

A former Nebraska quarterback has earned a seventh year of eligibility.

A former Nebraska quarterback has earned a seventh year of eligibility. Casey Thompson has been granted a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA and will be eligible for the 2024 season.

Thompson spent 2023 at Florida Atlantic University after spending three years at Texas and the 2022 campaign at Nebraska. He started three games for Florida Atlantic this past season before tearing his ACL.

In his one year in Lincoln, Thompson played in ten games while throwing for 2,407 yards and 17 touchdowns with ten interceptions.  In his three games at FAU, he threw for five touchdowns and five interceptions.

A photo gallery of Casey Thompson’s career can be found below.

Women’s basketball shoots past Florida Atlantic 77-53

Women’s basketball shoots past Florida Atlantic 77-53

The Huskers returned home following their 1-1 run at the St. Pete’s Showcase last week. Nebraska welcomed in Florida Atlantic for its last game in the month of November on Wednesday night. The Huskers took down the Owls 77-53, with a trio of players scoring double-digits in the win.

Alexis Markowski, Natalie Potts, and Callin Hake combined for 41 points on the night, with Markowski leading the way with 18 points. Markowski also secured ten rebounds in the win, making it her third double-double game of the season.

Potts also finished with a double-double in the win and the first of her collegiate career. Potts mirrored her point total and rebound total, hauling in 12 each. Potts scored half of her points from the free throw, going a perfect six-of-six.

Hake rounded out the trio by dropping 11 points, making it her third double-digit scoring game of the season. Hake delivered all but two of her points from beyond the arc, landing three of her four attempts.

Nebraska moves to 5-2 on the season and will begin the month of December with a home game against Georgia Tech on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. and can be viewed on B1G+.

Former Husker quarterback suffers season-ending injury

A former Cornhusker quarterback will miss the rest of the 2023 season with a knee injury.

A former Cornhusker quarterback will miss the rest of the 2023 season with a knee injury. Casey Thompson tore his ACL and medial meniscus in Florida Atlantic’s 48-14 loss to Clemson last Saturday.

Thompson had thrown for 509 yards and five touchdowns with five interceptions in three games this season. Last season with Nebraska, he started ten games and threw for 2,407 yards, 17 touchdowns, and ten interceptions.

Thompson told ESPN during the offseason that injuries affected his performance the last two seasons, and he was hoping that a healthy 2023 would show everyone what he could do.

“The biggest thing for me is that a lot of people don’t know that I played through (injuries) the last two seasons and haven’t had a chance to play a full and healthy season,” Thompson said. “This time around, I’m looking for a coach who believes in me and an offensive line who can protect me.”

FAU will take to the field again on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 2:30 p.m. A photo gallery of Casey Thompson’s career can be found below.

Former Husker quarterback throws five touchdowns in season opener

A former Nebraska quarterback threw five touchdowns in his debut with his new team.

A former Nebraska quarterback threw five touchdowns in his debut with his new team. Casey Thompson led Florida Atlantic to a 42-20 season-opening victory over Monmouth on Saturday.

Thompson was 20 of 25 and threw for 280 yards along with his five TDs. This is the quarterback’s third team in five years after playing at Texas and Nebraska.

In his lone season in Lincoln, he started 10 games and threw for 2,407 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He joined one of his former coaches in Boca Raton.

Former Texas coach Tom Herman is in his first season as the head coach of the Owls. Herman spent two years at Houston before leading Texas from 2017-2020.

A photo gallery of Casey Thompson’s career can be found below.

Former Husker QB named starter at new school

A former Cornhusker has been named a starter for his new team.

A former Cornhusker has been named a starter for his new team. Quarterback Casey Thompson has been listed as QB1 at Florida Atlantic University.

Thompson is playing for his third team in his five years of collegiate football. The quarterback attended Texas from 2019-21 before joining Nebraska for the 2022 season.

In his lone season in Lincoln, he started 10 games and threw for 2,407 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He joined with one of his former coaches in Boca Raton.

Former Texas coach Tom Herman is in his first season as the head coach of the Owls. Herman spent two years at Houston before leading Texas from 2017-2020.

FAU was recently predicted to finish fifth by the American Athletic Conference media. According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, FAU leads the American Athletic Conference in returning offensive production at 83%.

Thompson told ESPN that injuries affected his performance the last two seasons.

“The biggest thing for me is that a lot of people don’t know that I played through (injuries) the last two seasons and haven’t had a chance to play a full and healthy season,” Thompson said. “This time around, I’m looking for a coach who believes in me and an offensive line who can protect me.”

FAU will open the 2023 season on Sept. 2 at home against Monmouth. A photo gallery of Casey Thompson’s career can be found below.

Report: FAU to hire ex-Giant Everett Withers as assistant head coach

Former New York Giants DB coach Everett Withers is joining FAU as their assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is set to hire former New York Giants defensive backs coach Everett Withers as their assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator.

Pete Thamel of ESPN was the first to report the news.

The 59-year-old Withers spent the 2019 season with the Giants under then-head coach Pat Shurmur. He worked alongside defensive coordinator James Bettcher, while Henry Baker served as his assistant defensive backs coach.

The Giants, who finished 4-12 that season, sported the fifth-worst passing defense in 2019. They allowed a total of 4,225 yards passing and 30 touchdowns.

Shurmur was fired following the season and the majority of his staff, including Withers, were also let go.

After his time with the Giants, Withers joined Texas as an analyst. He then went on to serve as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for FIU (2021) and assistant head coach for Temple (2022).

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Chargers have spoken with Florida Atlantic LB Rashad Smith

The Los Angeles Chargers continue to do homework on the linebackers in the upcoming draft.

The Chargers appear to be looking to add more pieces to the linebacker group from the upcoming draft.

According to Miami Herald’s Barry Smith, Los Angeles has had talks with former Florida Atlantic linebacker Rashad Smith.

Smith, the 6-foot-1 and 217 pounder posted 302 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, seven passes defensed and six interceptions in his four-stint for the Owls.

Even though he is undersized for the position, Smith is always hunting to the ball by relying on his speed, whether that’s against the run, in coverage or as a blitzer.

For the Chargers, Smith would be best as a box safety or a hybrid outside linebacker role.

Smith projects as a seventh-round selection.