BOCA RATON — Tom Herman was sitting with his chief of staff on the eve of the first practice of his second season as Florida Atlantic’s football coach and he felt uneasy.
“What am I missing?” Herman said to Matt Smidebush. “Why does this feel so … You mean, I’m going home at six o’clock the day before the first practice? What did I forget? What?”
Smidebush looked at his coach and offered three comforting words.
“It’s Year 2.”
For a coach, it’s not ‘what a difference a day makes.’ Rather, ‘what a difference a year makes.’
And that is true for Herman, who arrived last year when the Owls were debuting in the American Athletic Conference and transitioning out of the underwhelming Willie Taggart era.
Herman guided the program though a 4-8 season that ended with four straight losses, two — at UAB and at Rice — by a field goal each.
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But that was Year 1, with those holdovers having to adjust to the new energetic, intense coach with four years experience at one of the bluebloods of the sport, Texas.
Veteran center Federico Maranges explains the difference between Year 1 and Year 2.
“Last year we had a new (offensive coordinator), new playbook, that takes time for guys to adjust,” he said. “Now that we have the same offensive coaches for the second year it’s more focus on your technique instead of your assignment. You already know your assignment, you don’t have to worry about your assignment. If you don’t know it that’s on you.
“It’s no more conceptual stuff. You know the concept.”
Or, as Herman put it.
“What’s the difference between night and day and black and white?” he said when asked to contrast Year 1 to Year 2.
“You’re drinking out of a firehose in Year 1.”
FAU returning all but one full-time coach
Herman has revamped the roster for Year 2, with about 40% turning over, a much higher number, about 64%, on the two-deep depth chart. But that is something most coaches are facing in the transfer portal era.
But he has not had to overhaul his coaching staff. In fact, Herman had to order just one new name plate for his assistant coaches offices. Every full-time assistant returns but one, defensive coach Corey Bell, who is at Mississippi State. And Bell’s replacement, Michael Cibene, served as an Owls defensive analyst last season.
That continuity was another talking point Smidebush could have used to sooth Herman’s anxiety Tuesday.
“We kind of know the routine, and we’re never going to take our foot off the gas by any stretch, but there’s a sense of familiarity that breeds a peace of mind,” Herman said.
Herman’s culture is being defined. But for a culture to stick a team has to win. How often have you heard a losing program boast about its culture.
So 2024, is a start. Herman is looking for results and FAU’s schedule may be a bit more forgiving with one Power Four program on the schedule, Michigan State. FAU travels to East Lansing Aug. 31 for the season opener. A year ago Herman inherited a schedule that included games at Clemson and Illinois.
And FAU avoids Memphis and Tulane.
“Every year there’s going to be probably about 10 (teams) that legitimately can go into the season, depending on schedule and quarterback and things like that (with) a chance to win,” Herman said about the AAC. “And we’re in that.”
BJ Alexander, a receiver in his fifth year at FAU after transferring from Kentucky, feels a different vibe in Year 2 of the Herman era.
“Even though FAU is not a big name I feel like our culture is turning us into a big name,” he said. “Everybody is buying in.”
For those rolling their eyes, what would you have thought if two years ago someone said FAU will be in the Final Four?
Now, it’s up to Herman to turn that culture, that familiarity of Year 2 and those players buying in … into wins.
And even in Week 1 of Year 2 he saw progress.
No practice is perfect. So Herman and his coaches had to correct any mistakes that were made.
What they found was refreshing.
“It was very well received by the players,” Herman said. “I think, at times, other seasons, there would have been some side talk and palms up and excuses made, and it was, ‘Hey, the old man’s right, let’s get our crap together. And let’s get to work.’
“So that felt really good.”
As it does having the firehose turned off.
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tom Herman ready for results with FAU football after transition year
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