FAU football preview: Former UM QB N’Kosi Perry named starter after unique competition

If the FAU Owls can find success at quarterback and at kicker, this has the look of the program’s third Conference USA champion since 2017.

The Owls — who went 5-4 last year, including a 25-10 loss to Memphis in the Montgomery Bowl — went through perhaps the nation’s oddest quarterback battle. There were originally five players in the hunt. Two of those five are the sons of key FAU coaches, and they have been beaten out — for the moment at least — by Miami Hurricanes transfer N’Kosi Perry.

“I feel like I fit in perfectly,” Perry said. “This offense is a mix of everything, and I’ve been playing football for a long time now. I’ve done a mix of everything.”

FAU’s quarterback depth chart includes Nick Tronti, who started his college career at Indiana; Willie Taggart Jr., a Florida State transfer and the son of the head coach; and Michael Johnson Jr., a Penn State transfer and the son of FAU’s offensive coordinator.

Javion Posey, who had been the only quarterback in the competition who started his career with the Owls, has been moved to utility player. He started his college career as a wide receiver.

“You’ll see him at running back, receiver and cornerback,” FAU coach Willie Taggart said of Posey, who was second on the Owls last year with 403 rushing yards. “He’s one of our best athletes. He will make plays for us.”

Johnson, who spent the past two years at Penn State, is a quarterback to watch for the future. Coming out of high school, he was the nation’s No. 15 dual-threat quarterback, turning down Alabama, Miami and others.

Tronti, in his fifth college season, began last season as FAU’s starter. He and Perry are FAU’s most experienced options.

“We’re excited about the quarterback room,” said Taggart, who is set to start his second season as FAU’s coach. “Our guys know what we did last year [5-4] wasn’t good enough.”

The good news for the Owls is that almost every starter is back from last year with the exception of linebacker Leighton McCarthy, who led Conference USA with nine sacks.

FAU could replace McCarthy with Akileis Leroy, who has returned after missing last season due to academic issues. He led the team in tackles in 2019 and had 15.5 stops for losses.

FAU ranked 10th nationally last year in points allowed (17.4), but the Owls now have their fifth defensive coordinator in five years — Mike Stoops.

The top Owls defenders are cornerback Zyon Gilbert, linebacker Chase Lasater (72 tackles) and end Jaylen Joyner (six sacks).

Special teams became a concern after kicker Vladimir Rivas, whose career-long field goal is a 48-yarder, transferred to Maine.

The offensive line returns all five starters. However, when right guard Federico Maranges missed the spring due to a shoulder injury, that opened the way for Andrew Boselli and Doug Johnson Jr. Boselli, a Florida State transfer, is the son of Tony Boselli, who made the Pro Bowl five times as an NFL offensive lineman.

At running back, the Owls return leading rusher James Charles (429 yards, 4.7 average). The Owls want to get back to the success they had in 2018, when Devin Singletary — now in the NFL — rushed for 1,348 yards, 22 touchdowns and a 5.2 average.

Perhaps South Florida Bulls transfer Johnny Ford is the answer. Ford had 1,937 all-purpose yards in three years at USF, including 1,175 on the ground.

FAU’s receiving unit is led by TJ Chase, Jordan Merrell, LaJohntay Wester and Bernard Robinson, who combined for 60 catches and six TDs last year.

The return game could be among the best in the league with Wester and Ford.

FAU hosts Marshall on Nov. 6 in a battle between the top two contenders for C-USA’s East Division crown, according to the league’s preseason poll.

The Owls’ coaching staff includes former NFL star Hines Ward as a special assistant to Taggart; offensive coordinator Michael Johnson Sr., who coached Mississippi State’s receivers last year; and former Hurricanes star Kevin Patrick as the defensive line coach.