After taking the day off Saturday, FAU Fall Camp continued on Sunday without skipping a beat. With music blaring and a not-so-intense wave of heat, the day’s highlighted player group was the running back corp.
During the 15 minute viewing period for the media, agility drills and blocking were the two exercises that played out in front of our eyes. With each RB getting a few attempts and reading the body language of the unit, it seems to be a tightly knit bunch with a lot of chemistry.
The Running Back Corps
Running backs Coach Chris Perkins shared in his availability on Sunday about having a consistent group of backs, “It’s huge, especially in this climate. You got NIL, and guys transferring in and out, you know what I mean. So the more you get, more continuity with your guys out here, longer they’ve been with you, I know them. They know me. They kind of know what the expectation is, I mean, that’s huge, because now you don’t have to sort of, quote, unquote, reteach everybody.”
Last season, the Owls top two running backs were CJ Campbell Jr. and Zuberi Mobley. With the departure of Florida Atlantic’s top two rushing producers from 2024, it clearly will need to be a next man up mentality. Luckily for Coach Zach Kittley, he can rely on the incredible duo of Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrell.
Gemari Sands - Redshirt Sophomore
In 2024, Sands had 31 rushing attempts with a total of 117 yards; 3.77 YPC. On the receiving side of things, the Redshirt Sophomore had 3 catches for 60 yards last year. For Sands, the passing game is good news for him. “They pass the ball, but passing the ball is only gonna help [the runningbacks]. They’re gonna lighten up the box. And, you know, we’re gonna see a lot of explosive runs.”
Xavier Terrell - Redshirt Sophomore
Terrell capped off last season’s campaign with a phenomenal performance in the Owls win over Tulsa. In that game, he rushed for 148 yards on two attempts, including a 93 yard scamper. He also had two touchdowns in that game. While one contest does not showcase a full season, it sure is a nice momentum booster heading into the upcoming year. Terrell’s 2024 total consisted of 261 yards rushing on 14 attempts, nearly 18 YPC during last year’s campaign. The Owls back commented on his achievement from last season, “I just try to trust my o-line, really. Coach Perk does a great job teaching us our reads, so I trust him, and then I trust my o- line. … from that, it’s just all vision there.”
Kaden Shields-Dutton - Sophomore
The two are not alone in making up the running back room. The other two running backs that returned for the 2025 season are Kaden Shields-Dutton and Joshua Harriott. While it seems depth chart spots 1 & 2 are filled, the third option is still available.
For now, it seems to be Shields-Dutton leading the way. Coach Perkins shared about Shields-Dutton, “He’s the bruiser back, you know. So he’s just that down hill guy, get out of my way type of dude.” In contrast to what Perkins said, Shields-Dutton believes he’s more than a bruiser. “I’d say the one aspect that people sleep on, is probably me catching outside the box. I think people see me as the biggest back that we have. And they’re like he’s the power back. And, you know, I’ll claim that title gladly, but I can do everything and more. I’m never going to tell someone I’m just a downhill running back. So, you know, I think with this offense, I’ll be able to showcase more of what I’m able to do, whether that’s pass blocking, running the ball inside or outside the tackles, or even if that’s running routes downfield.”
Joshua Harriott - Redshirt Sophomore
Joshua Harriott spent last season learning as he had no playing time on the offensive side of the ball. He has chemistry with teammates Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrell as all three spent time at St. Thomas Aquinas in High School.
#FAU RB tandem @XavierSTerrell1 & @gloading_4 tearing it up early on Day 4️⃣ of camp 🦉🏈🔥 pic.twitter.com/UMBxmIL8oe
— FAU Owls Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) August 3, 2025
Ethan Ervin - Freshman
Ethan Ervin is the lone Freshman in the Florida Atlantic running back room.
Coach Perkins described his thoughts on Ervin, “That’s the freshman kid [out of] Buford High School. Tremendous upside. I mean, I think Ethan’s almost like, I think he’s six foot. Plus he can run, hit some things, and special teams. He was a kid that was here in the spring, which that helps out tremendously.” For now, it seems Ervin will only be needed if absolutely necessary.
Darius Smith - Sophomore
Smith walked on during the Spring. He joined the team as a Sophomore although he graduated from Hudson High School back in 2019.
Depth Concerns
Now for those concerned about depth, that is a valid reason. Injuries hurt Florida Atlantic last season, but especially in the running back room. Each back is expected to step up if/when needed In Kittley’s offense.
While “being versatile” seems to be the saying in the running backs room, every back mentioned a role within the team. Shields-Dutton shared why depth may not be as big of a concern, “We’re going to feed the hot hand, but I think it’s definitely going to be a better chance to see all four of us.” Shields-Dutton shared later on, [The running backs] all bring something to the table. I think that’s something that even an opposing defense can’t really prepare for.”
The Misconception of the “Air-raid”
Many believe an Air-raid offense means the ball will rarely hit the ground but with Coach Kittley’s prior coaching, we can see just how wrong that is. During his time at Texas Tech, Kittley’s offenses produced a back-to-back 1500 yard rusher in 2023 and 2024.
Throughout Sunday’s media availability backs were asked about their receiving style. This also was highlighted thanks to Florida Atlantic producing a running back with 466 yards receiving in Campbell Jr. Sands, Terrell, and Shields-Dutton all mentioned their hands, but the trio made sure to bring up Kittley’s history with the running game. It is very clear that the new Owls HC made sure the backs knew how he would run the offense this season.
Up Next
The 2025 Florida Atlantic Positional Previews continue Monday as we focus on the wide receiver room on Day 5 of Fall Camp. Coach DJ McCarthy and a few Owls wide receivers will speak as we will learn how they feel heading into the season. Monday is also the final day before full contact sessions in pads.