2008 Florida Atlantic Owls Football Preview

2008 Florida Atlantic Owls season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Florida Atlantic Owls football preview as well as the 2008 Florida Atlantic Owls Football Schedule. Before leaving be sure and bookmaker our live college football odds page which offers up to the minute point spreads for this weeks games.

Coach: Howard Schnellenberger (8th year at Florida Atlantic)
Team Name: Owls
2007 Overall Record: 8-5
Returning Starters: 18

The Florida Atlantic Owls (8-5 overall, 6-1 Sun Belt) are the best of the Sun Belt Conference. Last season, they tied for first. Their wins included a 38-32 victory over Troy, which was the other Sun Belt club that went 6-1 in the league. That win earned the Owls a bowl berth. They played and beat Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl 44-27.

In 2007, the passing game provided most of the yards and points for this team. Starting QB Rusty Smith (479 ATT, 281 COMP, 3,688 YDS, 32 TDs, 9 INT), now a junior, is back to lead the attack. Smith is amazingly accurate and a fine leader and decision-maker. Junior WR Cortez Gent (64 REC, 1,082 YDS, 9 TDs) returns as the leading pass catcher. Senior TE Jason Harmon is also back. Both Harmon and Gent were All-Sun Belt last season. The running game, which is led by senior Charles Pierce (170 CAR, 782 YDS, 7 TDs), is solid and deep. The O-line is exceptional. This club tied for 13th in the nation for least sacks allowed. That’s great protection.

The defense allowed too many points in 2007—33.2 PPG. The national ranking of 99th in points allowed is too high. Senior linebacker Frantz Joseph (131 tackles, 64 solo) is the leader on this side of the ball. The frontline looks to be solid and deep. The secondary includes two fine corners—sophomore Tavious Polo, who had seven interceptions last season, and senior Corey Small, who made 103 tackles (82 solo) last year. The safeties are new.

This could be a ten-win team. The Owls should dominate the conference and the non-conference schedule, which is quite kind, should also result in two or three wins. That means only two or three loses all season. The major swing game is at Minnesota on September 20. If they win that contest, this club could be 10-2.

Head coach Howard Schnellenberger (41-42 in seven years) welcomes back 17 starters, many of whom are seniors and juniors. This Florida Atlantic team is skilled, talented and experienced. Another Sun Belt title and bowl appearance are almost certain.

If you enjoyed this piece, underneath this article are more team previews of schools that dont reside in the major conferences.