For the first time all season, it felt like Florida Atlantic played a complete football game in their 40-21 homecoming victory over Tulsa on Saturday.
FAU went into Saturday afternoon’s game riding a two game losing streak, but fresh off of a bye, this game was a chance for the Owls to set the tone for the remainder of their season. A tone was indeed set, as the Owls bounced back on both sides of the ball en route to their fourth win of the season.
It was the defense that set the tone for FAU in their win, starting on their first series of the game when Owls cornerback Terez Reid intercepted Tulsa quarterback Baylor Hayes for the team’s first interception of the season.
While the defense made plays in weeks prior, it was the offense that was unable to capitalize; however, today it was a different story as the Owls walked away with points on over 50% of their drives.
Quarterback Caden Veltkamp had his most accurate performance of the season, completing 21 of 29 attempts (72.4%) for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jayshon Platt and Easton Messer were the beneficiaries of Veltkamp’s big day. Messer hauled in 6 receptions for 83 yards and a career high 3 touchdowns, while Platt caught 5 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, his second consecutive game with 100 yards receiving.
Veltkamp credited his team for playing complementary football, but noted that the mistakes could have cost them tonight and that is something they will need to clean up moving forward.
“We played good complementary football in other games, but the defense played really well in the first half. You know, the offense, we got down inside the five and we fumbled. You know, that’s my fault. And we get down there again in the second half on the second drive, and you know, we kick a field goal. So we got to fix those things, especially, you know, going in there against a really good football team. So when you get in the red zone we got to score touchdowns. Can’t get field goals. We need to get better there. But yeah, the defense played really well in the 4th quarter,” Veltkamp said.
FAU now sits at 4-5 with three games remaining on the season, and although a difficult stretch, they head into it confident, having found a way to bounce back on both sides of the ball after two weeks of struggles.
Resilience has been a reoccurring theme for this FAU squad so far this season and they needed that trait in the second half against Tulsa. Between resiliency, a resurgent run game, and aggressive defense, they were able to pick up an important conference win.
Below were three difference makers in the Owls win over Tulsa.
Defense forces multiple takeaways
Zach Kittley said it felt like a tire weight being lifted off of his back after the game when asked what it felt like when Terez Reid recorded the team’s first interception of the season.
That weight being lifted, started a domino effect, as the Owls recorded two interceptions on the day and recovered a fumble, their most takeaways in a game this season.
All three of the Owls takeaways translated into points, as their interception on the first drive of the game resulted in a field goal for the FAU offense and their second, which came in the second quarter, was followed up by an 11 yard touchdown pass from Veltkamp to Messer.
The fumble recovery came on the drive prior to Tulsa’s second interception of the game, as Zyere Horton punched the ball away and it was recovered by Damarius McGhee who returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.
The Owls used three first half takeaways to take control of the game early on and after the game Terez Reid said the defense setting the tone is always a goal for the defense and tonight they were successful.
“Yes, it’s definitely something we always try to do. You know, it may not always be successful, but the emphasis coming into the game, is we want to be the most physical. We want to take the ball away as early as we can, and we want to limit them to as many opportunities as we can,” Reid said.
Resurgent run game
The volume wasn’t there for FAU to have a monstrous game on the ground; however, in a somewhat small role Kaden Shields-Dutton gave the Owls everything they needed in the trenches.
Shields-Dutton carried it 10 times for 107 yards, and although a bulk of his yardage came on a 50 yard carry in the second quarter, he came up crucial on a late drive in the 4th quarter when the Owls needed a score.
With Tulsa inching back closer, down just 13, FAU needed points to take control of momentum and Shields-Dutton gave them important yardage on the ground that led to one. His first carry of the drive went for 27 yards, which set FAU up past midfield. The Owls faced 3rd and 7 just a few plays later, and where in weeks past the drive would have stalled, this time Shields-Dutton was able to gain six yards that set up and 4th and 1 which they were able to convert.
The first thing that Shields-Dutton mentioned after the game was a shoutout for his offensive line, which saw the return of senior captain Alex Atcavage at right guard.
“Shout out to the O line. Obviously none of it is possible without them. They block their behinds off every play. There’s no football team without them. It starts in the trenches,” Shields-Dutton said.
Atcavage returned to the starting lineup for FAU on Saturday and it was a much needed re-addition for the Owls as it gave them an anchor they had been missing on the right side of the line. After the game, Atcavage mentioned the run game improved tonight and it started with their mindset.
“We’ve obviously had issues, and Kittley kind of told us,’ like every reporter just keeps just asking us, like, Why can’t we run the ball? And even tonight, I mean, like, we weren’t running great, but, there was improvement. And I just think that we kind of have to have a mindset when we run the ball, like, all right, let’s go, let’s do this thing. And like, even me, I had multiple blocks tonight that, I was the reason for it not popping out. But I just think we kind of just talk about it, just a mindset, kind of just as a unit, you know, just having an edge to us. So that’s kind of been our mindset this week going into the game, that we just have to kind of figure it out,” Atcavage said.
Zach Gibson saves the day
You never know how much you truly are going to need your backup quarterback, that is, until his number is called in one of the most critical portions of the game.
That was the case for FAU on Saturday, as the Owls found momentum shifting away from them in the second half. Things almost went from bad to worse when Caden Veltkamp took a hit to the shoulder on the previously mentioned 3rd down carry from Kaden Shields-Dutton in the 4th quarter.
After Shields-Dutton’s carry set up a 4th and 1 play, backup quarterback Zach Gibson took over for Veltkamp who had to leave with an injured shoulder. Kittley had no training wheels on for his backup, as on 4th and 1 he dialed up a flea flicker and Gibson was able to connect with Jayshon Platt for a gain of 30.
On the very next play, Gibson was able to connect with Messer for a 9 yard touchdown, the dagger, as it gave the Owls a 40-21 lead which ended up being the final score.
Despite the less than ideal scenario, Kittley had confidence in Gibson’s ability to convert the flea flicker and lead the Owls into the endzone and his confidence paid off.
“The flea flicker. I mean, I had it. I’ve told the staff, I told the players all week, we get to fourth and one or fourth and two. I’m calling the flea flicker. I did make sure he felt really good about it before, and he’s like, Oh yeah, coach, I’m great. Let’s, let’s run it. And so pulled the trigger there. And then the other play was something we’ve repped all week long. And again, just what a throw, to be honest with you, and maybe a better catch with my guy back there in the back toe tapping on the sideline. Just fantastic. And so, again, super proud of Zach,” Kittley said.
Gibson is a veteran, and although he said he had never practiced the flea flicker before completing it, the amount of football he has played throughout his career prepared him for anything.
“I don’t think I ran that play previously, honestly, but like Katrina (FAU’s SID) mentioned, I have played a lot of football. So I mean, there aren’t too many concepts that I haven’t run, you know. And I just felt confident at that point in the game, like coming off of how I did two weeks ago against Navy, I knew I was gonna be fine,” Gibson said.
