Schnellenberger has expectations for Owls

The Florida Atlantic coach expects a better performance Saturday.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Howard Schnellenberger has been a head coach in college for 19 years, and he also was a head coach for two years in the NFL.
When Schnellenberger was brought out of retirement in 1998 to start the program at Florida Atlantic University, he wasn't sure just what he was getting into.
This season is Schnellenberger's third with the Owls, and the veteran coach, who spent five seasons at Miami (Fla.), 10 years at Louisville and one year at Oklahoma, is expecting bigger and better things.
After a 4-6 season in 2001, the Owls' first, the team fell to 2-9 a year ago, but Schnellenberger made the schedule as tough as he could get.
YSU won last year
Saturday, he brings the Owls (1-2) to Youngstown to clash with the Penguins (2-1), who defeated Florida Atlantic, 24-17, last season in Florida in their only meeting.
The Penguins had a 24-3 lead in that game through three quarters, before the Owls rallied with 14 fourth-quarter points to make it interesting.
"We're hoping to stay with [YSU] a little bit earlier than last year," Schnellenberger said. "We're a little more experienced and we seem to know where we are this year."
The veteran coach said that injuries have hampered his team.
"We've got a whole number of injuries. However, most of them are day-to-day things and a lot of them will play Saturday," he added.
Led by QB Allen
The Owls are led by junior quarterback Jared Allen, who last week was named offensive player of the week by the sports information directors at the Division I-AA independent universities.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound signal-caller from Edmond, Okla., led the Owls to an all-time high 352 yards in their 33-29 loss to Central Florida. He completed 26 of 40 passes without an interception and threw three touchdown passes, his longest being 53 yards.
Allen has played in every game for three years and started all but two, one because of injury and the other by a coin flip in the school's first game ever.
Florida Atlantic is mainly a passing team as they average only 98 yards per game rushing.
Jackson is shelved
The top rusher, Anthony Jackson, who has 112 yards on 15 carries, won't play because of an injury, while junior David Barron, a 5-8, 165-pound speedster, has 101 yards on 27 carries.
Allen's top receiver, Anthony Crissinger-Hill, who has caught 15 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns, is also questionable, but Roosevelt Bynes, a 6-1, 185-pound junior, with 14 catches for 253 yards and three touchdowns, is ready to go.
The Owls are not that big on the offensive line, but they are very quick. The biggest is junior guard Kevin Ketchup at 6-5, 292, while the tackles are junior Ken Campos (6-5, 275) and junior Dave Richards (6-3, 261). The other two linemen are under 240 pounds.
Porous defense
Defensively, the Owls have been giving up 454 yards per contest, 346 of that through the air and 108 per game rushing.
Leading the defense is senior linebacker Quentin Swain (6-0, 230) with 22 tackles, 17 of them solo hits, while sophomore strong safety Christian Amaya has 19 tackles, two of them for losses.
Florida Atlantic has only recorded two sacks this season, but have three interceptions and one recovered fumble.
The Owls upended Middle Tennessee State in the season opener, 20-19, then lost 45-17 to Valdosta State at home. Valdosta State played in the Div. II national championship game last season.
"We hope to get better so that we can match up better against Youngstown," Schnellenberger.
Blaylock on roster
The Owls have one area player on their roster, sophomore Josh Blaylock, a 6-1, 239-pound offensive guard from Canfield.
"Josh is going to help us in the near future," Schnellenberger said. "We moved him from fullback to guard in the spring, and he's working very hard at the new position."
mollica@vindy.com