The Florida Atlantic Voice

Florida Atlantic has their guy. 33-year old Texas Tech OC Zach Kittley will take over the FAU football program. Ken LaVicka breaks down why it's so significant in the landscape of Florida football, what it mean for FAU in recruiting, both high school and the transfer portal, and gives context as to why Kittley was a hot commodity that Florida Atlantic had to have. SUBSCRIBE to “The Florida Atlanti...

Where did that come from? FAU put up historic offensive numbers in a season-ending drubbing of Tulsa and appeared to let off 11 games of pent-up steam. With 2024 over, Ken LaVicka gives his overview of the blowout in Oklahoma, hands out his postseason FAU Football awards, has a necessary transfer portal conversation & sends a blunt message to a select few FAU fans. SUBSCRIBE to “The Florida At...

Once again, Florida Atlantic had a chance to win a football game late, but a bevy of critically-timed mistakes doomed the Owls for the 9th time this season in a loss to Charlotte. Also, it appears as if the transfer portal is already having a big effect on FAU, plus an ominous atmospheric storyline is developing for the season finale at Tulsa. SUBSCRIBE to “The Florida Atlantic Voice” podcast:  Sp...

After 22 games and only 6 wins, Tom Herman is out as Florida Atlantic head football coach. How did it get to this point? What went wrong? What happens next? Ken LaVicka discusses that and more in an emergency edition of the Florida Atlantic Voice presented by Robes Law Group. SUBSCRIBE to “The Florida Atlantic Voice” podcast:  Spotify   Apple Podcasts Follow Ken LaVicka on social media: X –  @KLVs...

Perhaps the biggest downside of a losing college football season is the inevitability that staff changes are likely to be made. That moment has arrived at FAU. Tom Herman's announcement that he's parting ways with defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni & OL coach Ed Warriner is exiting the program are the first major consequences of a lost season that drew its last breath at East Carolina. Ken L...

2024 is officially a lost season for Florida Atlantic. In the most punishing way possible, FAU was mathematically eliminated from the postseason by an East Carolina team that was just much better. Also lost in the game, Cam Fancher, who deserves a lot of respect. Now...a lot of questions about how to navigate the final three weeks: What (and who) needs to be prioritized? What is the future of the...

Where does FAU Football go from here? Another 2nd half crumbling, this time at the hands of USF, who made sure it hurt. There's no doubt about this game's post-mortem, the defense in the final two quarters was a no-show. Not only did the defense never come back out of the halftime locker room, but it was demoralized into submission. And now that FAU needs to go perfect the rest of the way to becom...

As he closes in on his debut as Florida Atlantic's new head basketball coach, John Jakus is introspective, open, blunt and hopeful about Owls basketball in 2024-2025. From fostering personal relationships with his players and staff, to creating a cohesive environment for his players to become close with their new teammates, to using extremely detailed approaches to meet individual coaching needs,...

Once again, FAU was competitive, the defense was opportunistic...and the passing game didn't show up. That exact scenario has reared its ugly head too many times in 2024, which is why FAU's bowl hopes are diminishing to troubling lows. What's the overlying issue? The passing game, which is on pace to be one of the worst in Florida Atlantic's FBS history. Ken looks at why the Owls were unable to fi...

How? Why? It all happened so fast. FAU looked like it had North Texas beaten, but instead, it's a full week of "what if?" after watching a 10-pt lead with 2:38 left disappear. FAU wasted winning efforts across the board, but the losing efforts in the final 4:21, on both sides of ball, spelled doom for the Owls. Ken LaVicka points out all of the losing plays in the final 4:21 that cost FA...

Behind TCU transfer quarterback Chandler Morris and its Top 5 nationally-ranked pass offense, North Texas presents a lot of challenges for the Florida Atlantic defense. Ken LaVicka explains how FAU can slow down the Mean Green offense, especially the aerial attack, and why the Florida Atlantic offense is trending in the right direction, especially in an area FAU will have to be able to execute in...

Ken LaVicka sits down with star FAU cornerback Kahzir "Buggs" Brown for a candid conversation about Brown's football journey. A multi-sport athlete growing up, Brown discusses his football growth, how he became a corner, the mess that was his initial college football recruitment, how he grew as a player and person at Maine, the first-in-his-life opportunity that FAU offered him once he w...

Before the start of fall camp, Ken LaVicka listed the 7 offensive improvements that would help FAU contend for the AAC title in 2024. In this edition of "The Florida Atlantic Voice", Ken checks in to see how close FAU to improving from its 2023 numbers in 1) explosive plays, 2) wide receiver balance, 3) 3rd & 4th down conversion rate, 4) time of possession, 5) red zone production, 6)...

We didn't see this coming. UCONN annihilates FAU and it's now it's time to pick up the pieces. Ken discusses how easy it was for UCONN to physically displace FAU defenders, tries to answer the question "What's the biggest issue with the FAU offense?", acknowledges that Florida Atlantic is now behind the sticks when it comes to postseason play and declares the season at a "crossroads...

It's FAU Mailbag time! Ken opens up his mailbag to take on questions about FAU's next NFL star, conference realignment, what his favorite FAU uniform is, why Florida State won't schedule FAU & more! Plus...Ken believes this year's FAU Basketball non-conference schedule is very similar to the arduous, yet fruitful, non-conference slate from last year and why he's so impressed with John Jakus' s...

Another year. Another Shula Bowl. Another FAU hammer-job of FIU. The FAU defense continues to prove that it has what it takes to keep the Owls in every game, the running game shows up for the first time this season, Tom Herman has some BIG TIME stones, where the game's momentum switched fully to FAU & why the Shula Bowl needs more credit as one of college football's best rivalries. It's a full...

It was a long, slow bleed. Continued offensive issues for FAU, a deep dive into why the inconsistencies are absolutely not just on QB1, another courageous bend-not-break (but maybe too much bend) defensive effort, the point of the game where FAU was sent back on their heels and why Ken is confident the season is FAR from over. It's a full breakdown of FAU's steamy and stalling loss to Army. SUBSCR...

After he took a beating against Michigan State, the sustainability of QB Cam Fancher is a concern, especially to Tom Herman. The FAU head coach explains what steps they've taken to protect Fancher. Army's ultra-physical triple option offense is in the spotlight this weekend, so nobody better than former FAU defensive MVP Kris Bartels to break what the Owls must do to slow down the churning attack....

Cam Fancher's up-and-down debut, FAU's defensive domination, which roster returner stood out most, which newcomer flashed most brightly and why everything Ken predicted would be the case early in the 2024 season played out prominently in the opener. It's a full breakdown of FAU's heartbreaking, frustrating, yet encouraging season-opening defeat at Michigan State. SUBSCRIBE to “The Florida Atlantic...

In 2010, FAU had a decision to make. Find a venue to "host" their football game against Michigan State, or lose a significant pay day. FAU decided to go with the former, but with their usual home stadium out of the question, the powers-that-be in Boca needed to get creative...and did they ever. Former FAU Athletics marketing guru Dexter Lamont and former Senior Associate AD (now currect...

While everyone wants to talk about the FAU quarterback situation (which is now official, btw), most fans have amnesia when it comes to how much trouble the Owls had running the football. After the program's least productive year on the ground in over a decade, Tom Herman believes he has the running back room right. Why? They've, according to Coach Herman, made the most progress as a unit from the...

In 2023, CB DaeDae Hill came into his own as a lockdown corner. Now? He's starting to get national attention...for the work he put in off the field to have his breakout year ON the field. After making Bruce Feldman's 2024 "College Football Freaks" list for his absurd weightlifting benchmarks and 40-time, Hill's expectations are even greater...and he's ready for the challenge. Everything...

Ken LaVicka has sweated through camp practices and can tell you a few things, including why the quarterback room is not only really good, it has depth...just in case. Also, elite newcomers and steady, strong returning production has FAU's defense on the path to something potentially overwhelming and dominant this season, including possibly the most college football-ready freshman that FAU has ever...

Part 2 of Ken LaVicka's two-part breakdown of everything that FAU Football head coach Tom Herman told assembled media at AAC Media Days in Arlington, TX. In this edition we take look at the how FAU is going to try to account for the loss of record-breaking production of LaJohntay Wester in that receiver room. Also, why Tom Herman compares FAU to UCF of a decade ago and Ken takes a look into what H...

Part 1 of Ken LaVicka's two-part breakdown of everything that FAU Football head coach Tom Herman told assembled media at AAC Media Days in Arlington, TX. In this edition we take look at the entirety of FAU's sizable roster turnover, including the miniscule amount of returning production on offense. Also, Tom Herman is very intent on improving FAU in one-score games and Ken takes a look into Herman...