Less than two weeks before the long-awaited season opener, FIU is wrapping up fall camp and beginning to transition into Game Week preparation for South Florida. On Sept. 5, the Panthers will take on the Bulls at Raymond James Stadium, and will look a bit different from last year’s 7-6 squad.
Some takeaways from camp, and some names to look out for when the team takes the field in Tampa:
FRESHMAN RECEIVER TURNING HEADS IN PRACTICE
If you are a Florida high school football fan, you have probably heard the name Barrett Schulz. He is best known for making the game-winning reception in the Class 7A state championship game at Pitbull Stadium, lifting Lake Mary over Vero Beach. Now, he is a Panthers freshman who has caught the eyes of the coaching staff.
“He’s making a ton of plays,” FIU coach Willie Simmons said. “His catch radius is unbelievable. If you throw a ball in his vicinity, he’s most likely going to come down with it. He’s had a phenomenal camp.”
In his senior season at Lake Mary, Schulz hauled in 81 receptions for 1,326 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was rated a three-star recruit and held 10 offers, including FIU.
Schulz’s name was the one that kept being mentioned throughout camp and after two scrimmages, he’s continued to rise to the top of the depth chart. His number has a chance to be called upon a lot in Week 1.
“I can’t let it get to my head because it’s just a scrimmage, just a regular practice,” Schulz said. “I know I have the ability to do that, and so do my teammates, but I have to keep that ready for the games.”
TIGHT END ROOM UNDERGOES A MAKEOVER
With the departure of three tight ends from last season’s roster — all due to exhausting their eligibility — tight ends coach Frank Ponce was tasked with searching for new talent.
Through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, FIU brought in four new names — Ayden Passley (freshman), Davis Brown (freshman), James Resar (transfer) and Kevin Schaffer (transfer) — to a mix that included returnee Jackson Verdugo.
Resar is the most interesting name in that room. Once upon a time, he was a four-star quarterback who committed to Iowa. After his time there didn’t work out, he stepped down to the junior college level. He did play some quarterback, completing 20 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown, but that is when the switch to tight end started. He hauled in 12 catches for 161 yards and one touchdown, eventually landing at FIU.
“I enjoy it, because I felt like at quarterback, I held back a lot because I had to process a lot,” Resar said. “Now, I can just play at full speed, and that’s helped me a lot. I feel like during spring I had some growing pains just learning and blocking schemes, but summer got me a lot more confident with that.”
Resar brings a different look that FIU hasn’t had. He can line up on the outside like a wide receiver and his understanding of opposing defenses, given he is a former quarterback, allows him to set up in the right spots.
“When I can basically play receiver and tight end, that helps me get good matchups,” Resar said. “If a linebacker tried to cover me, I can beat them with speed, but if I then have a defensive back trying to cover me, I can beat them with physicality.”
Passley has also been placed in a similar role to Resar. A native of Jupiter, he had 13 receptions for 166 yards and four touchdowns before joining the Panthers.
Verdugo, one of two returnees, played in all 13 games last year, catching 10 passes for 101 yards and one touchdown. He will be used in a blocking role, one that Resar and Passley likely won’t be in. Verdugo can also be used as a red-zone target.
Schaffer, a transfer from Rhode Island, is the oldest player of the group but missed most of camp. His availability for Week 1 is still up in the air. The positive news for Simmons and his staff was that Schaffer was back in pads on Wednesday, the final full day of camp. Last season, for the Rams, he caught two passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns. He will be used in more of a blocking capacity with the Panthers.
PREPARE TO SEE A MUCH FASTER PANTHERS DEFENSE
Defensive coordinator Jovan Dewitt is headed into his fifth season in the role at FIU. He was part of the previous coaching staff, and remained when Simmons was hired to lead the program before last season.
One of his main camp observations has been the quickness on defense. Dewitt considers the increase in speed not much of a difference, but more of an augmentation to the unit as a whole.
“It makes life so much better,” Dewitt said. “All of a sudden, plays that do break through, get tackled. Instead of it being an explosive play, we can tackle it for less than 10 yards. You don’t want any of those things to happen. But if they do happen, we got some speed on the field.”
Dewitt returns 50% of his defense, which finished 76th in FBS last season. Amongst that returning talent is linebacker Josiah Taylor and cornerback Jai-ayviauynn Celestine.
Taylor was recruited by Dewitt himself when he also held the title of linebackers coach. Last season, Taylor played in all 13 games, starting 10. He had 76 total tackles — 31 solo, 45 assisted — 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He was named to the All-Conference USA First Team Defense in the Athlon and Phil Steele season preview magazines.
“I think he’s always been a really good player,” Dewitt said. “I remember when he was a freshman, I said he’s going to end up becoming a great one for us. Hopefully he continues to prove me right.”
Celestine really turned it up a notch during FIU’s 4-0 month of November. He finished the season with 19 total tackles — 13 solo, six assisted — and one interception, which came against Delaware. He will be part of the starting cornerback group.
On the flip side, there was an infusion of talent, which includes cornerbacks Ryan Gadson and Lawrence Johnson.
Gadson, a transfer from FCS Lafayette, posted 67 total tackles — 53 solo. 14 assisted — and three interceptions. He was named to the All-Patriot League First Team. Gadson has also contributed to the speed aspect that Dewitt mentioned, and his previous experience already provides evidence of that. Expect Gadson to be one of the starting cornerbacks in Tampa.
Johnson is a transfer from rival FAU. In eight games last season, Johnson had 10 total tackles — seven solo, three assisted — one tackle for loss, and two passes deflected for the Owls. After starting camp off hot, he dealt with an injury and has been working his way back. He will factor into the team’s cornerback rotation throughout the season.
“There’s obvious cover skills and speed,” Dewitt said. “The subtle thing that pops out is their ability to communicate when motion happens, when the pictures change and their ability to show up in the box when they need to show up in the box. We try to do our part to keep the corners out and let them cover, but occasionally the offense can manipulate the formation and support structure, and the corners have got to get into the fit. That’s where they’ve made the biggest contribution.”
FACING THE BULLS IN THE HOME OF THE BUCCANEERS
Though South Florida is building its own on-campus stadium in Tampa, the Bulls still call the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ stadium their home. The last time the Panthers played in an NFL facility was Sept. 22, 2018, against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.
Kickoff against the Bulls is set for 7 p.m. It will be televised on ESPN+.
