Heading into Week 8 of the 2025 season, Florida Atlantic Coach Zach Kittley has his Owls sitting at 3-3 and 2-1 in the American Conference. This is just one win away from where preseason prognosticators said they would be at the end of the season, but not with six games left.
Obviously Kittley isn’t going to settle for those odds, as he has set bowl eligibility as a target for FAU to achieve in year one of his tenure as skipper.
To move ahead, he will look to take the tachometer on his now high octane offensive engine even higher against the most formidable conference opponent the Owls will likely face for the rest of the season – South Florida.
One of the players which has helped that come to fruition in recent contests is wide receiver and return specialist Jayshon Platt, who has shot up the depth chart this season after being limited in action his first three years.
#FAU WR @jayplatt5 saw sparing play time his first three years. But that all changed when @Zkittley took the reigns. And ever since the talented route runner has been ULTRA Productive. What led to the change? Coach Kittley explains🔽 pic.twitter.com/jmNR3JYCtb
— FAU Owls Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) October 14, 2025
In what appears to be a tall order upon first glance, Kittley met with the media on Tuesday for his game week assessment the Bulls while offering commentary on a number of other subjects.
Below are some select highlights from the time we spent.
On the Tough American Conference Schedule
“We have a tough schedule…if you play in the American Conference; you have a tough schedule regardless…Memphis is an undefeated football team right now in this league, triple option offense Rice who’s really coming along and a good UAB football team as well. And the next two opponents for us South Florida who is 19th in the country, and undefeated Navy team, who will probably be top 25 here in a couple weeks…it’s tough every week.”
Current Health of the Team
“We’re a little banged up, so we’ll see how it looks. I can go ahead and say Alex Atcavage will be out for a few weeks. We’re hoping to get him back. And some other guys, you know, it’ll be kind of 50-50 if they make it up or not. Some guys we had some guys practice today that are banged up. We’re at that point of the year where you’re six games in and we physical football, so you’re going to have some of the shoulders, the hamstrings, the quads and those type things and stuff like that.”
On the Bulls
“They’ve had a tough schedule as well. And they’re playing really good football. You know, one thing I think that one of their big strengths is, especially offensively, is continuity. Coach Golesh has been there for three years now. His quarterback’s been with him for three years now. I don’t think people really understand what kind of impact that makes on a football program. Just having that continuity and being able to have somebody that really, really understands what you’re doing. I can speak to it.”
“[Byron] Brown is a really, really good football player. He is leading the team in carries and leading the team in touchdowns. He’s throwing it across the yard. I think that’s just their strength overall, just some continuity and leadership at the quarterback position. Clearly, they play fast offensively, if my research is right, this is going to be the number one and number two fastest offenses in the country going at it this weekend, which will be a lot of fun. They have big receivers on the outside that can really run. They like to spread you out.”
On the Play of the Defensive Line and the Line Staff
“They’re doing a good job. We came into the year, to be honest with you, not quite sure where we would be as far as pressuring the quarterback goes. We feel like we’ve got some really good defensive linemen. I think it was really fun for me this last week you go play a team that wants to throw the ball, and for us to come out and have the game that we had with five sacks against that team. Kudos to coach Santana, Coach Lacy. They’re two really good football coaches that coach hard and demand a lot of those guys.”
On Defending the Bulls Offensive Attack
“I think it starts with us as coaches – Coach Dewhurst specifically – getting the call in fast. You have to have a menu of tempo calls defensively that you’re going to use. And we have got to get the call in…you have got to just get lined up. That’s the one thing you can’t do in tempo (not be lined up). That’s why most teams use tempo.
“To wear you down, but also to see if maybe, maybe you can’t line up. We have to make sure guys are running free and wide. Then is it alignment. They do a lot of good stuff. They’ll line up super wide splits and really try to spread you out. See if you are going to get a light run box then they just try to crease you on the inside. We have got to get communicated and we have got to get lined.”
On the Owls Ability to Generate Sacks this Season
“I’ll give him some credit; Coach Hamby is really good at pass Pro. He played in the old school Mike leach air raid and so it was pass every play. And so that’s kind of his forte. He’s really, really good at pass pro. Being able to run the football also helps those guys in pass protection. Me calling certain plays helps too. I can’t just put the ball back there all day and give my quarterback to have eight seconds to throw the ball. So I got to get the ball out. I got to chop the defensive line. But ultimately, it all comes back to those guys executing, doing their job and taking pride in their work.”
The Owls and Bulls will kick-off under the lights of Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 PM in what will be Florida Atlantic’s second prime-time showcase in the last three games. The game will be shown on ESPNU. We will be on hand as well, so be sure to follow along with us on all of the major social media platforms.