WKU Football: Florida International Preseason Preview
Over the past month we’ve given you a preseason look at each of WKU’s regular season opponents. Today we conclude the series with the regular season finale as the Tops travel to Miami to finish their season against Butch Davis’ Panthers of Florida International.
Date & Time
November 24th 2017, 6 p.m.
Location
Riccardo Silva Stadium. Miami, FL
Series
WKU leads 6–4
Last Meeting
Last season, a month after head coach Ron Turner was fired, interim coach Ron Cooper brought the Golden Panthers to Bowling Green. FIU played WKU tough for a quarter only trailing 14–7 after the first 15 minutes. WKU then reeled off 35 straight points and jumped out to a 49–7 lead on the strength of four Ace Wales touchdown runs. WKU took the foot off the gas in the fourth quarter and FIU tacked on 14 more points as WKU won 49–21.
TV/Radio
TV — beIN Sports
Radio — Hilltopper IMG Sports Network
2016 Season
FIU’s season cratered during the first month. The Golden Panthers were outscored by 95 points in those four games leading to head coach Ron Turner’s mid-season ouster. Former Louisville coach, Ron Cooper, took over and guided the Golden Panthers to three straight wins (FAU, UTEP, Charlotte). The schedule tightened back up after that and FIU only won one of their final five games (over Marshall) to finish 4–8, (4–4), tied for fourth in C-USA East resulting in their 13th losing season in 15 years of existence.
Returning Starters
15 (7 on offense, 8 on defense)
Relevant Preview Articles
Bill Connelly’s SB Nation Florida International Preview
Davis’ FIU engine will be powered by recruiting. He has experienced hands at the wheel for offense and defense, but his hires weren’t stunning from a tactical standpoint. Davis is going to try to win by having a more athletic team on the field. And his odds of pulling that off are pretty decent.
That makes 2017 interesting. FIU ranks first in returning production, which correlates to about a touchdown of improvement from seasoning alone. Plus, the Panthers were definitively better over the last two months of 2016. These would be beneficial for pretty much any coach to inherit. But Davis’ first years in his given stops haven’t been particularly amazing. Will he be able to take advantage of the experience?
If so, there are certainly wins to be found.
And if not, is he prepared for another long-term rebuild?
Pete Fiutak’s College Football News Florida International Preview
There’s no need for a total teardown — there’s a good foundation to build on.
Seven starters return on a defense that should be fantastic at linebacker and safety. There needs to be more of a pass rush, and the tackles have to emerge, but there’s reason to expect a big improvement with the new coaching staff and the settled situation.
The O that was so inconsistent and turned the ball over way too often needs help on the line, but the skill players are in place. Star TE Jonnu Smith is done, but the rest of the receivers are back, and rushing tandem of Alex Gardner and Anthony Jones is excellent, and Alex McGough is a capable passer who should be okay, if he doesn’t keep throwing picks.
Can Davis prove that he’s a good enough coach to make FIU a Conference USA player? That 2000 season with the 11–1 Hurricanes was a long, long time ago, and his real talent as a salesman and recruiter won’t matter too much right away.
But the bar is set at a winning season and getting to a bowl game. Davis can at least do that, and he might be able to for the next several years.
Three Players to Watch
Leading FIU’s experienced team is a three year starter in McGough. The 6'3'’ senior from Tampa has been a solid, but not spectacular, player for the Golden Panthers. Two years ago, he passed for 2,722 yards and 21 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Last year, he battled injuries and regressed to just 1,891 yards passing and a 13/11 touchdown to interception ratio. If McGough wants to lead FIU to just its third bowl game in school history, he will be called upon to be an efficient game manager that limits turnovers. If he plays more like he did during his sophomore year, a bowl is possible in 2017.
FIU returns eight starters on defense in 2017, the undisputed leader of that defense is Wint. The 6'0'’ senior from Homestead, Florida was a force last year for a mediocre defense. Wint finished with 108 tackles last season including 6.5 tackles for loss. Wint also forced two fumbles and recovered another one. He is FIU’s only preseason All Conference USA player garnering first team honors. Wint will be called upon to replicate his 2017 numbers and be the leader of defensive coordinator, Brent Guy’s aggressive defense. Against WKU he’ll look to put his worst game of last season behind him, against the Tops he had a season low two tackles. That should provide plenty of motivation on Wint’s senior day.
3. Alex Gardner — Running Back
Garner is another steady returning starter for FIU. The diminutive senior from Jacksonville had the best season of his Golden Panther career in 2016. Gardner rushed for 930 yards and six touchdowns. He also is a threat in the passing game, hauling in 30 catches for 191 yards. In 2015, Gardner hauled in 60 catches, so you’ve got to look for him to do damage across the field. WKU has held Gardner to under 50 yards rushing in both games he has played against the Tops. Like McGough and Wint, Gardner will be motivated to lead FIU to new heights during his senior year.
Preseason Thoughts about the Game
- Butch Davis’s Impact
FIU made a smart strategic hire with Davis. The former Miami Hurricanes, Cleveland Browns and North Carolina head coach knows South Florida and after six seasons away from the game, he should have something to prove. Davis has won at every stop, setting up Miami’s most recent run of success for Larry Coker and even taking the lowly Browns to their only playoff appearance since in 18 seasons. He was unceremoniously fired from UNC amid NCAA issues. At 65 years old, this probably will be Davis’ last stop of his career. If he has anything left in the tank he could elevate a program that is in one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in America.
2. Awful Atmosphere
In the pecking order of an already fair-weathered Miami sports culture, FIU ranks towards the bottom of the local sports hierarchy. The Golden Panthers campus is 20 miles from the glitz and glamour of South Beach and fan support is minimal. Just two year’s ago, with the Golden Panthers playing for bowl eligibility, the following crowd showed up for senior day:
With this year’s game being the day after Thanksgiving, I fully expect the stadium to be close to empty again. That should leave a weird atmosphere for both teams especially with a small family and friends only atmosphere.
3. Motivation Factors
With this match-up falling during the last regular season game, where each team stands heading into this game will play a major factor with each team’s performance. For WKU, they could be playing to clinch another Conference USA East title or they could be playing out the string towards a non-first place finish. For FIU, they could be playing for a winning season, bowl game or finishing up another losing season. That motivation will have an effect on each team and obviously will help go a long way to determining who comes ready to play on November 24.
4. Experienced Team
The Golden Panthers have one of the most experienced teams in the nation returning. That goes for the players and the coaching staff. The 15 returning starters showed just enough over the past few years to think that they could potentially push FIU to a six or seven win season, depending on how they do in the non-conference portion of their schedule. That experience makes FIU a tough out, regardless of who they are playing. If Davis and staff can get the upperclassman to buy-in then the programs 3rd winning season in school history is a possibility in 2017.
5. Another Program to Keep an Eye On
Like many programs in Conference USA, FIU is a program that is low on history but high on potential. While I wouldn’t put them up there with their Greater Miami counterpart, FAU (due to support/facilities), the Golden Panthers still could make a move in the coming years and become a thorn in the side of unprepared teams across Conference USA. If Davis can reinvigorate local recruiting and convince several area prospects to stay close to home, then FIU can quickly rise towards the top of the East division. It will be interesting to see which program out of FIU, FAU and Charlotte starts competing in the east first and can stay towards the top of the league.
Preseason Prediction
This game has the makings of a sleepwalk written all over it. WKU will get to spend the beginning of their Thanksgiving weekend preparing for the Golden Panthers. A sterile environment and the turkey hangover cause a low scoring first half. FIU’s athleticm keeps them in the game throughout the 1st half and miscues cause WKU to lead just 14–7 at the half. FIU will tie it up early in the third quarter. However, WKU will once again lean on Mike White’s precision passing and D’Andre Ferby’s power running to put FIU away in the fourth quarter and end their regular season with another comfortable win, propelling them to their third straight Conference USA title game.
Final Score Prediction- WKU 38 — FIU 21
Best places for Florida International coverage as the game gets closer
FIU has slowly built itself up since opening in 1965. The transient nature of South Florida has made building a fan base difficult. However, the Golden Panthers still have several outlets that cover the team. The Miami Herald semi-regularly reports on the team. Panther Now (student newspaper) & FIUSports.com (team website) might have the most consistent coverage of the program. FIU also has semi updated Rivals site called PantherRage.com. If you want a pulse of their fan base check out Gold Paw Sharp Claw (new fan blog) and FIUGoldenPanthers.com (message board) as the match-up draws closer.
How will WKU’s trip to Miami go? What will each team have to play for? Will there be anyone in the stands? Let us know in a comment below, via twitter at @TheTowelRackWKU or on our Facebook page.
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