Although Florida Atlantic had struggles during their week one loss to Maryland, a bright spot can be found in the potential breakout of a new star.
It was widely expected that Easton Messer would be the Owls go-to receiver in Zach Kittley’s Air Raid offense and he delivered to the tune of 15 receptions and 83 yards.
The lone touchdown of the game for the Owls however went to Asaad Waseem and alongside his first career touchdown, he finished with 4 receptions and 70 yards, a clear number 2 option for Caden Veltkamp.
A big question for the FAU offense this offseason was who would step up alongside Messer as a reliable option for Veltkamp and after one game, Waseem looks to be rising to the occasion.
The offensive issues that the Owls experienced against Maryland led to an unfortunate start to the season, however Veltkamp and the Owls offense aren’t going to let that discourage them.
Directly after the game, Waseem mentioned that Veltkamp recognized the connection that the duo just formed on the field and that there was no sense of panic from the Owls captain.
“He told me, we’re gonna be straight, this is the first one, he told me he really trusts me a lot, he trusts me and Easton on the same level, so I feel like we just have to keep connecting” Waseem said.
Waseem was a highly touted recruit out of Ocoee High School, earning a 3 star ranking and committing to Colorado in the class of 2023. The talent has never been the question for Waseem, however in a crowded wide receiver room in Colorado, Waseem was unable to break through, which ultimately led him to FAU as a transfer this past offseason
The Owls wide receiver room was equally as crowded as Colorado’s, which meant that Waseem would have to work hard to earn a role, especially with Messer commanding a majority of the snaps in the slot.
Waseem was unfazed, quietly making plays throughout camp and rising up the Owls depth chart, culminating in a week one performance which saw him walk away with lone highlight play all day for the offense.
Following Messer’s 19 target performance, it is likely the FAMU defense will make a concerted effort to limit him, which could open up the door for Waseem to continue his breakout start to the season, something Easton Messer knows Waseem is capable of.
“It’s so important (Waseem developing a connection with Veltkamp). You know, I was the same guy as Asaad, never had the leading receiver role, but what happens is you’re still in the mix, and especially if you have a guy who had 15 receptions a week before, and depending on what the defense wants to do, Assad can have a field day. He’s a great player and a great receiver. So if that’s what teams decide to do, then I’m excited to go watch him,” Messer said.
Week one didn’t go as planned for the Owls, but that didn’t stop Waseem from breaking through and although the outcome wasn’t pretty, FAU left that game with a glimpse of hope heading forward.
Waseem was a part of a Colorado squad which was under constant scrutiny for reasons outside of their control, so a one game bump in the road is something that isn’t going to phase him and he believes won’t phase the rest of the offense either.
“We are going to remain positive, that was our first game together as a unit. Everybody was new here, new Head Coach, New OC, we were just getting a feel for things, it was the first one, but I feel like it’s going to be way better going forward,” Waseem said.
The Owls and Waseem will look for a bounce back win in their home opener, Saturday at 6 PM est with the game airing on ESPN +.
Author: Robbie Lastella
Cover Photo: Christian Proscia
