Quarterbacks
Colt McCoy starts another season trying to get Texas back to the apex of college football. He has the experience and the numbers to make him a favorite against Florida Atlantic come Saturday. Despite not having his seasoned receivers, McCoy’s passing game should be able to get past the Owls with relative ease. At 6 feet, 5 inches and 212 pounds, Rusty
Smith is FAU’s best bet against the Longhorns. After throwing for 3,688 yards that included 32 touchdowns last year, his confidence should be high enough to take on the Texas defense. But those numbers were mostly against less-touted opponents.
Receivers
Quan Cosby should be a reliable option for Colt McCoy. The untested receivers Texas has to offer might also get some game time. These options should be good enough to sneak in
some good yardage on game day. Florida Atlantic’s Cortez Gent will be a key option for Rusty Smith. It will be up to him to try to deceive the Longhorn defense. After scoring nine
touchdowns in 12 games last season, Gent could be the surprise element this Saturday.
Running Backs
Texas’ offense has a big slot to fill in the running back position since Jamaal Charles went
pro. Chris Ogbonnaya will be expected to lead the Longhorn charge and run past the Owls
without too much trouble. This should be a good first test for the offensive backfield before
the bigger games. Running backs Wille Rose and Charles Pierre will be posed with a considerable threat when the Owls try to probe into the Longhorn defense. After scoring
eight touchdowns last season, a high-profile season opener will test his mettle against some highquality defense.
Offensive Line
The Texas offensive line should be able to stop any defensive threats posed by the Owls’ defensive line. This traditionally strong unit should be ably powered by Blaine Irby and Peter Ullman despite a few injuries in the reserves. FAU’s star tight end Jason Harmon’s season-ending injury has potentially exposed a weak link in their offense. This can cost
them heavily against the mighty Longhorns, whose defense is looking to make on its own
this season under Will Muschamp.
Defensive Line
Texas should be able to mark the FAU receivers and force interceptions. But it should take
a lot out of the Owls to get past this defense. Their only hope here would be Rusty Smith’s
immaculate passing plays. The Owls’ defensive ends should have their work cut out as they try to stop the Texas offense. They should be able to stop the occasional play, but interceptions should be tough to come by as the Texas offensive line looks set to take them on.
Secondary
Texas’ defensive ends should be able to match up to the Owls’ offensive line. Despite the inexperience in the ranks, they should be able to suppress any movement this Saturday.
The Owls will be missing the services of their starting defensive end Robert St. Clair due to knee surgery. This will make their defense even more vulnerable against a Longhorn offense trying to stamp its authority this Saturday.
Linebackers
Texas linebackers are looking better compared to last season when pass coverage, open-field tackling and blitzing were areas of concern. Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Will Muschamp’s tactics should typify this unit to generate better plays.
The Owls’ linebackers have had a few injury problems in the last couple of weeks. Senior
Andre Clark seriously injured his left ankle and knee during a practice session. This should
leave holes in the FAU defense that the Longhorns can capitalize on.
Special Teams
When it comes to special teams, Texas has been fairly clinical and should not face any problems against Florida Atlantic. Conversion should not be an issue for a team that may
have to bank on special teams almost as much as they do on the offense to score for the
rest of the season. FAU’s Warley Leroy could be, along with Rusty Smith, the other hope for the Owls’ to register an improbable win. It was Warley’s 12 points last season at North Texas that enabled the Owls to beat the Mean Green in their own backyard. He is known for his longrange accuracy that might come into play in Saturday’s game.
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