FIU analysis: A position-by-position look at the Panthers’ 2020 football team

GRADING THE PANTHERS

QUARTERBACKS/C

The grade here reflects uncertainty as to the starter, not necessarily a lack of talent. With James Morgan off to the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the New York Jets, FIU will be looking to send a third consecutive quarterback to the draft (Alex McGough, Seattle Seahawks, seventh round, 2018). The likely 2020 starter is redshirt junior Kaylan Wiggins, but he will be challenged by Maryland transfer Max Bortenschlager and freshmen Stone Norton and Haden Carlson. Wiggins is the most athletic QB in FIU history, setting a single-game school record for the position with 187 rushing yards in his lone start, against New Hampshire. Wiggins’ ability to light it up in the passing game is unproven, but the same can be said about everyone else on this list. The only other FIU QB with starting experience in college is Bortenschlager. He started eight games in 2017 — completing just 51.9 percent — and he has been injured for much of the past two years.

RUNNING BACKS/B

Two FIU running backs signed as undrafted free agents — Anthony Jones (Seattle Seahawks) and Napoleon Maxwell (Chicago Bears). Senior D’vonte Price will finally get a chance at being the full-time starter, although he has no less than six scholarship challengers. Price has six career starts and 960 total rushing yards. His 6.2 yards per rush is on pace to become a school record, but his 5.0 average last year reflected an overall disappointing season (just 249 yards). Maleek Williams, a transfer who rushed for 144 yards (5.3 average) with two touchdowns in two years at Arkansas, is an intriguing option. The other challengers are sophomores Lexington Joseph, Shaun Peterson and Demarcus Townsend and freshmen Kejon Owens and Eric Wilson.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS/B

Graduated seniors Austin Maloney, Maurice Alexander and Tony Gaiter combined for 108 catches for 1,559 yards last season. The top returner was supposed to be senior Shemar Thornton, who led FIU last season in receptions (51), yards (668) and touchdowns (five). But Thornton has been lost to injury. It will be interesting to see what FIU gets out of two redshirt juniors: JJ Holloman, who sat out last season after transferring from the University of Georgia; and Bryce Singleton, who caught 46 passes his first two years but missed 2019 due to injury. FIU doesn’t throw much to the tight end, but junior Sterling Palmer is the leader of the group. He has played all 26 games the past two years (14 starts). However, after grabbing a modest 26 catches for 279 yards as a freshman, his numbers slipped even further last year (22, 205). Rivaldo Fairweather, Joe Hocker, David O’Meara and Kamareon Williams hope to challenge Palmer. Fairweather, an athletic true freshman, appears to have the most potential.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN/B

FIU has allowed the fewest sacks in Conference USA two years in a row — eight in 2018 and 14 in 2019. But the Panthers lost outstanding offensive line coach Allen Mogridge to the South Florida Bulls and starting right tackle Devontay Taylor as a transfer to Florida State. In addition, team leader Dallas Connell graduated. The new coach is former Miami Hurricanes blocker Joel Rodriguez, and his leaders are senior center Shane McGough, who has played in 35 games and made 23 starts at FIU; and senior left tackle D’Antne Demery, who is an NFL Draft prospect. Redshirt junior guard Mershawn Miller overcame a gunshot wound in 2018 and started six games last year. Sophomore Sione Finau, who earned C-USA All-Freshmen honors, will likely start at the other guard spot. Dontae Keys, who started 21 games the past two years at North Carolina A&T, will get a chance to win the job at right tackle. Other players to watch include sophomore Lyndell Hudson and freshmen Jose Mirabal, Julius Pierce and Shamar Hobdy-Lee.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/B

Defensive tackle Teair Tart signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent, but the Panthers have the depth to replace him. Redshirt senior Andrew Tarver, who started 11 games last season, is a run-stuffing tackle. Senior Jordan Woods, who started his career at Georgia Tech, is looking for a breakthrough. At end, the Panthers are loaded with talent, including two more transfers from Power 5 schools: junior Chris Whittaker (Kentucky) and Alexy Jean-Baptiste (Arkansas). Seniors Noah Curtis (20 career starts) and Kevin Oliver (22 starts) are hoping to finish their college careers strong.

LINEBACKERS/C

Middle linebacker Sage Lewis, who led C-USA with a school-record 132 tackles in 2018 and earned second-team all-league honors in 2019, graduated. Senior Jamal Gates, who was second to Lewis among FIU tacklers last year, is now in the spotlight. He had a career-high 12 tackles against Louisiana Tech, an interception against Miami and a forced fumble at Tulane. Senior Daniel Jackson has a ton of experience (39 games) but just three starts. Junior Rocky Jacques-Louis (25 games) had two pick-six interceptions as a freshman but wasn’t the same playmaker last year. Redshirt senior Tyson Maeva, a transfer, started 25 games for Boise State in 2017-2018 and had four sacks in the latter season. Other FIU linebackers looking for playing time are redshirt freshman Nasir Carter, sophomore Donovan Georges and senior Dimitry Prophete.

DEFENSIVE BACKS/A

Safety Olin Cushion graduated, but FIU is in good hands at the position with senior Richard Dames (fourth on the team last year with 56 tackles) and redshirt junior Dorian Hall (26 games the past two years, with three interceptions). At cornerback, FIU graduated Stantley Thomas-Oliver (Carolina Panthers seventh-round pick) and Ike Brown. Fortunately, the Panthers have senior Rishard Dames — Richard’s twin. Rishard led FIU last year with four picks, including a one-hander against Western Kentucky that he returned 80 yards for a touchdown. The other corner could be Iowa transfer Josh Turner or Nebraska transfer Henry Gray. Other defensive backs to watch include Jamal Anderson, Marquel Dillard, Jamal Potts, Joe Perkins and Andrew Volmar.

SPECIAL TEAMS/C

DJ McCarthy is the new “teams” coach, replacing James Vollono. FIU also lost prolific kicker Jose Borregales, who transferred to Miami, and all-league punt returner Maurice Alexander, who graduated. Senior Tommy Heatherly made a fine FIU debut last season, ranking second in the league with 15 punts of at least 50 yards. His 43.0 average was the second best in school history and ranked fifth in the league. The new kicker is freshman Chase Gabriel, who went 13-for-15 as a prep senior with five kicks of at least 45 yards. Gabriel also had three kicks longer than 50 yards in one incredible state playoff game last year, but FIU signed Josias Jean — a graduate transfer kicker/punter from Alcorn State — as insurance. FIU is searching for a kick/punt returner.

COACHING/A

Three years, three bowl appearances for Butch Davis, the best coach in FIU history. Offensive coordinator Rich Skrosky is an asset, developing two consecutive NFL Draft picks at quarterback (Alex McGough, James Morgan). Losing outstanding offensive line coach Allen Mogridge was a hit, but Joel Rodriguez appears to be a great replacement.

This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 9:30 AM.