Why big-play FAU, coach Lane Kiffin could pose problems for Charlotte 49ers’ defense

The Charlotte 49ers had 66 points hung on them last week against Southern Mississippi.

Now the 49ers play a team that can really score: Florida Atlantic, the best offensive team in Conference USA, comes to Richardson Stadium on Saturday.

“It doesn’t take long to turn on the film and know we’d better prepare hard for this team,” 49ers coach Brad Lambert said of the Owls. “This offense can get away from you fast.”

It will be the final game of a forgettable season for the 49ers (1-10, 1-6). But things are just getting interesting for FAU (8-3, 7-0), which has already clinched the East Division title and will face West Division winner North Texas on Dec. 2 for the C-USA title. A bowl game will follow.

“They’re a really confident team,” Lambert said. “And they’re executing at a high level.”

The Owls are coached by Lane Kiffin, who is in his first season in Boca Raton after three years (less a national championship game) as offensive coordinator at Alabama. One of football’s most notorious coaching nomads, Kiffin has also been the head coach at Tennessee, Southern California and with the Oakland Raiders.

Kiffin is also somewhat of an offensive savant, and he’s quickly worked some magic at FAU. The Owls, led by running back (and appropriately nicknamed) Devin “Motor” Singletary and quarterback Jason Driskel, lead C-USA in scoring (40.5 points per game) and rushing offense (280.3 yards per game) and are second to North Texas in total offense (472.6 per game).

This is not particularly good news for a 49ers team that ranks 11^th in the league in scoring defense (32.9), 13^th in total defense (444.7), 12^th in rushing defense (195.6) and last in pass defense (249.1).

Singletary is a 5-foot-9, 200-pound sophomore who leads the nation with 24 rushing touchdowns. He’s fourth nationally with 1,524 rushing yards and tops C-USA with a 138.5 yards-per-game average.

“Singletary is a good back and this offense is fast paced, it’s a hurry-up team,” said 49ers linebacker Jeff Gemmell, who averages 8.5 tackles, eighth in C-USA. “They’ll hit you with a big play, then come right back at you with another big play. We’re going to have to focus on getting lined up fast and focus on our individual assignments.”

Getting healthy

The 49ers were without several key defensive players last week in the 66-21 loss to Southern Miss. Lambert says he expects safety Ben DeLuca (concussion) and cornerback Denzel Irvin (hand) to be back against FAU. Defensive end Zach Duncan (concussion) isn’t expected to play. Lambert said cornerback Marquavis Gibbs (foot) is also expected back, as is receiver Workpeh Kofa (ankle).

No kicking verdict

Lambert benched first- and second-string kickers Nigel Macauley and Jackson Vansickle for the Southern Miss game. Their replacement, Kyle Corbett, didn’t attempt a field goal against the Golden Eagles (although he made all three of his point-after kicks) and will be the kicker against FAU.

Chasing a record

There’s a chance Gemmell can break the 49ers’ single-season tackling record of 108 (set by linebacker Nick Cook in 2016). Gemmell, who missed the first half of one game serving a suspension for targeting, has 93. He’ll certainly have plenty of chances against FAU to break the record.

This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Why big-play FAU, coach Lane Kiffin could pose problems for Charlotte 49ers’ defense."