FAU Football: Marshall snaps Owls’ 12-game home win streak, 28-13.

This might be one of the only few times I say this: It doesn’t feel good to be right. In my preview for this critical matchup for FAU against Marshall, I was not confident in the Owls winning this football game. I brought up concerns that’s been plaguing the team for some time.

I asked these questions: “Could they start fast? Could they limit penalties? Could they limit the self-inflicting wounds?” Answers: Kind of, yes and a big, fat no.

At the end of the game, FAU “drops” their fourth game of the season (second in the conference) to the Marshall Thundering Herd, 28-13.

Not our night.

Final: Marshall 28, FAU 13 pic.twitter.com/n8yDhVciSM

— Florida Atlantic Football (@FAUFootball) November 7, 2021

Speaking of “drops,” those will haunt the Owls as there was a couple that would’ve ended up as touchdowns. More on that later.

FAU Hagerty Family Head Coach Willie Taggart evaluates the team’s performance as a whole against Marshall:

“It’s a tough loss for our football team. We didn’t play well in all three phases of the game and against a good football team. It’s disappointing because we had an opportunity to win the game and we didn’t take advantage of it. It’s a tough one. We got to get back together and find a way to get back into the win column.”

Taggart said it was a tough loss especially after those crucial drops and fumble on offense. Says that they didn’t play with the fundamentals needed to execute. More from Taggart will be my story for @LemonCityLive. #FAU https://t.co/Odhudb0U0t

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 7, 2021

The first play of the game didn’t start the way FAU wanted as the Thundering Herd’s Jayden Harrison returned the kickoff 99 yards for the touchdown. However, the Owls offense started with a purpose as they answered back with a touchdown drive that saw the running game find holes led by Johnny Ford. Perry threw to receiver Brandon Robinson for the 27-yard touchdown. 

FAU defensive back, Romain Mungin got a pick on the next drive to set up the Owls to increase their lead, which they did with a field goal. They would get another field goal in the second quarter, but it turns out that would be the only scoring from the Owls in the game. 

Overall, this is the total “what if?” game as the drops and a fumble from Johnny Ford after a big gain put FAU to bed in the third quarter. This has been a recurring theme for FAU this season as they seem to lose football games themselves rather than the other team outclassing them. 

The highlighted text that I’ve shown here from my preview was true for #FAU tonight. Those “situations” that we’ll look back on are the drops and the fumble and it cost us. As Taggart says every week, EXECUTE! https://t.co/jXLTSS8e9K pic.twitter.com/CIoRZlfGGV

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 7, 2021

Coach Taggart talked about these consisting self-inflicted wounds and what it’s going to take to limit them:

“We just got to keep emphasizing it and keep working on it, that’s all we can do. We just got to continue to coach the fundamentals of things. I mean, you look at some of the mistakes it was fundamental like catching the football. You know, those fundamental things we got to do a better job. And then again, we got to get rid of the ball quicker. We can’t hold the ball long, thought that N’Kosi [Perry] held it a couple of times too long.”

Receiver Je’Quan Burton dropped the ball two times in situations where Perry threw deep, accurate throws that would’ve resulted in touchdowns with his speed. LaJohntay Wester also had a drop that with his speed as well, it could’ve resulted in a touchdown. While you have to adapt to the game flow, it’s hard to not look at those moments and think the game could’ve went another way.

Taggart talked about Perry’s performance and expressed his night could’ve been way different.

“Yeah, he could have got rid of the ball quicker. Some throws I know he wishes he would have back on a couple there. But again, if he completes those dropped passes, his numbers are totally different than what it was. So I thought N’Kosi [Perry] did some good things for us, but again, we didn’t play well in all three phases, you know, and not just offense, special teams as well. We didn’t play that bad all year in special teams and that was bad after the kickoff return to open the game and then the punt return right before the half was killers.”

N’Kosi Perry finished the day 15/29 for 202 yards and one touchdown. Before the end of the first half, he had only thrown the ball nine times. He talks about his assessment of the offense against Marshall:

“We didn’t play good enough. We left a lot out there. We can’t have turnovers, we can’t have the drops, we can’t have the missed passes that I had. Just left a lot out there.”

While the drops and fumble can hurt a quarterback’s confidence, he does acknowledge the missed passes he did throw. In the second half, there were instances where he sailed the open receiver.

Perry agrees with the sentiment that this team is losing the games, rather than the opposing team outclassing them. Saying this shouldn’t be their identity.

“I definitely think it remains true. I don’t think we lost a game like this, this year in this fashion with the drops and fumbles. Like this was just sloppy football today and that’s not FAU football and we have to be better as a whole,” Perry said. “I think the standard at this school is very high for the football team, for the university as a program, and for the whole band of brothers. That’s why I came here. I wanted to be a part of that. And we got to get back to that. On that first drive, we went right down and scored and it felt good and everything but we got to figure out what got us in the tank.”

#FAU QB N’Kosi Perry emphasized that the way they played tonight isn’t what this university represents. He says they need to get back to what makes them succeed, back to that B.O.B. mentality. More from Perry will be in my story. https://t.co/nKkGqAwI9q

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 7, 2021

The running game was effective as Johnny Ford had a nice game as he ran for 138 yards, averaging 10.6 yards per carry. But, it seems what people will remember is the fumble that hurt the Owls’ momentum. Ford also experienced some sickness in the first half as he left the sidelines to throw up. Taggart confirmed this after the game, but says also Ford attended a funeral before the game.

Taggart assess his performance with all that was happening to him:

“It was good considering what Johnny [Ford] went through today, he had a funeral to go to and then got here to play the game. You’re not sure how mentally someone is, but he was locked in and ready to play in this ballgame and I wish he wasn’t sick so we could play him a little more.”

On the defensive side of the ball, it wasn’t an awful performance from them as they allowed 28 points, but they were vulnerable against the pass. Marshall quarterback Grant Wells threw for 352 yards and one touchdown pass. The touchdown acted as one of the daggers that put this game away as Wells completed it to Willie Johnson for 65 yards.

FAU defensive back Zyon Gilbert competed in his 56th game as an Owls, the most by anybody in the program. This game was No. 250 in the history of the school, meaning Gilbert has competed in more than 20 percent of FAU’s games. 

Because of the loss, it is a tough one to swallow as the talks about the defense’s performance:

“We just didn’t play well, we gave up a lot of passing yards and as a secondary we have to go back and watch the film, make a couple of corrections and get better for next week,” Gilbert said. “ We just have to give the ball back to our offense more. We have to start strong, finish strong.”

#FAU DB Zyon Gilbert says the defense didn’t play well, says they gave up a lot of passing yards. Says him and the secondary have to go back and watch film and correct the mistakes. More from him will be in my story. https://t.co/YduxMJOnqR

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 7, 2021

With Gilbert being a veteran and one of the leaders on the team, he talks about what he tells the team after a rough loss like last night.

“But after this game, just tell our guys to keep their heads up. The season is not over when we still have a couple more games. We still have to finish out strong, this one game does not define our season. We’d have to just finish strong and get back to playing FAU football.”

The loss snaps the Owls 12-game winning streak at Howard Schnellenberger Field and Taggart earns his first home loss in his stint as head coach. They’re no longer under their own control in the East division as they suffer this loss against a division rival. The goal right now for FAU is to win out and see what happens. 

FAU will next go on the road as they’re set to face the Old Dominion Monarchs on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 3:30 in Norfolk, Virginia.

Photo courtesy of FAU Athletics.