FIU program on rise with athletics revamp

Quote:``The rise of FIU sports started when [athletic director] Mr. [Pete] Garcia was hired,'' said Nelson Lopez, a longtime FIU fan who organizes football watch parties at the Sports Grill. ``Mr. Garcia's vision and decisions have been one step ahead of everyone else. The buzz created in the last few years by FIU has fans thinking it's our turn now to be the dominant college sports team down here.''

FIU Football Media Guide

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FIU FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE

Five questions facing FIU football

Quote:2. The backup running backs don't have much experience. Who could end up playing behind starter Darriet Perry?

Backup running back seems to be a concern because because of a lack of proven players. At the start of camp, senior fullback/H-back John Ellis is listed as the No. 2 back, but right behind him are senior Daunte Owens, freshman Darian Mallary, sophomore Kendall Berry and junior Trenard Turner. Coach Mario Cristobal has said the competition is wide open. At 247 pounds, Ellis is a load to bring down. Owens and Mallary are speedsters.

FIU Golden Panthers ready to build on their football turnaround

Quote:Cristobal said FIU does not pay attention to any preseason rankings, and he knows there is still plenty of work to do.

``Inside the four walls of this program, it will always be the same: improvement, continue climbing towards what we want to build -- a championship football program,'' Cristobal said. ``As we hit the day when we are consistently lining up, completing our assignments, communicating, the results of that will be evident in our performance and in the win-loss column. We had a real significant jump last year, and we intend to take another significant jump this year.''

Golden Panthers trying to speed up their building process

Quote:``[Offensive coordinator Bill] Legg said it best: We are not going to sneak up on anyone,'' Cristobal said. ``Coach Legg is in the second phase of a very, very exciting offense, and now that our linemen are maturing and we have a little bit more depth, that allows us to do some things that we weren't able to do last year.''

Pair of FIU football players chasing awards

Quote:Anthony Gaitor is included on the College Football Performance's 2009 Defensive Back watch list as one of the nation's top defensive backs.

For the second consecutive season, center Brad Serini was named to the Rimington Award Preseason Watch List. The Rimington Award is presented to the best center in the country each year.

FIU football linebacker Franklin Brown sidelined with groin injury

Quote:Starting quarterback Paul McCall had a solid day. McCall connected with 6-5 freshman Jairus Williams on a 65-yard touchdown. McCall also had a 20-yard completion to tight end Eric Kirchenberg and a 30-yard pass to Jonathan Faucher.

FIU receivers in full stride

Quote:FIU will wear pads for the first time in camp Thursday, which marks the first of the last four open practices. Practice begins Thursday and Friday at 8:30 a.m., and Saturday begins two-a-day sessions, with workouts at 8 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

Killian cornerback Richard Leonard

Quote:Leonard is ranked No. 76 among cornerbacks nationally by Rivals.com, and enters the season ranked the No. 23 overall prospect in Miami-Dade County by The Miami Herald.

Two of his former teammates -- Lamar Miller (UM) and Giancarlo Revilla (FIU) -- have begun a verbal tug-of-war to see where Leonard will display his skills in college.

``I talk to Revilla and Lamar every day, and they both want me to go to their schools,'' Leonard said. ``But I really haven't decided on any school yet and I'll probably keep an open mind until national signing day.''

Photos from FIU Media Day

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A message from Coach Cristobal

FIU's Darian Mallary continues to impress

Quote:``There is a reason he was the leading rusher in Dade County last year,'' coach Mario Cristobal said. ``He's shown that if you give him some room, he'll make you pay. He adds a different dimension to our backfield.''

FIU defensive line steps up

Quote:``We're starting to get more physical,'' Cristobal said. ``We have miles to go, but we're starting to see flashes of what we can be as a defensive line.''

All eyes on the corners for FIU

Quote:``Dez has been a consistent guy for us in the past,'' defensive backs coach Jeff Popovich said. ``He's probably ahead of a couple of the other guys. He is a smart football player. He does a great job of putting himself in very good situations to be successful.''

FIU defense gets in the zone

Quote:``It was a very physical practice emphasizing the inside run, emphasizing punching the ball out and just being tough,'' coach Mario Cristobal said. ``We got a ways to go. We got to be a much tougher football team come Sept. 12 [season opener at Alabama] and for 11 straight games after that.''

FIU's Darian Mallary making a big impact

Quote:``If you can lead Dade County in rushing, you probably are pretty good,'' coach Mario Cristobal said. ``It's arguably the best football in the country at the high school level. He's got that gear that very few guys possess. Also he's not real big so he does come out of stuff. He has impressed so far, but he has to continue learning everything.''

Barnes Rounding Out His Role
Friday, August 21, 2009 - Greg Bianco and BaltimoreRavens.com


Ravens linebacker Antwan Barnes is on a mission to show that he’s not just a speed rusher this year.

Judging by his performance in training camp, Barnes has worked hard to accomplish that mission.

Barnes really stood out in the Ravens’ preseason opener against the Washington Redskins last Thursday. That night, he made one tackle stuffing a run up the middle, he nearly snagged an interception in coverage and even logged one special teams stop.

And the pass rushing?

Barnes is improving on that too, as evidenced by his first-quarter pressure of Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell. The 6-foot-1, 245-pounder came screaming off the edge on third down and hit Campbell just as he released the football.

“Antwan has gotten better at everything,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “He needed to get better at everything. Even what his forte is supposed to be, is rushing the passer, he’s really smoothed that out. He’s got a couple of moves now, a counter or two.

“But he’s playing the run so much better. He’s playing with technique. He’s playing harder. That’s something that’s got to continue on every day, every game, every practice. He’s doing the things that we’ve asked him to do, and he’s responded really well.”

The former Florida International University linebacker cites the birth of his daughter, Alyssa Barnes, as a big motivator this spring. Barnes trained diligently with several other NFL players in his hometown of Miami before and after attending parts of the Ravens’ offseason minicamps.

With the 5-month-old Alyssa on his mind, Barnes returned a more-complete player.

“Seeing her every day and knowing that I’m going out on the field doing it for her [is important],” Barnes said Thursday. “The past couple of years, I didn’t have anyone to do it for except my grandmother. Right now, it’s about my grandma and my daughter.”

When the Ravens selected Barnes in the fourth round out of FIU in 2007, he was the first person in his school’s history to get drafted.

Baltimore was eager to add a player that totaled 23 sacks and 224 tackles throughout his career with the Golden Panthers.

Barnes, who was recently named to CBSSport.com’s Sun Belt Conference All-Decade team, began his Ravens career primarily as a special teams contributor.

Now, the Ravens are holding him to a higher standard.

“Antwan Barnes has really had the spotlight on him this entire camp because we know what he can do, we know what we need him to do,” defensive coordinator Greg Mattison admitted. “He has done a very good job, throughout camp, of rushing the passer and working as the SAM at the linebacker position.

“We’re excited about him.”

Barnes, who also is believed to have made the first fumble recovery for the defense at training camp, was itching to get back out on the field against the Redskins after missing the entire 2008 postseason when he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 16 at Dallas.

He thinks Monday’s preseason matchup with the New York Jets will give him the chance to further show his skills.

“I’m right where I want to be as far as where I’m at and what I’m doing,” Barnes said. “I’m just getting everything back. My last game was the Dallas Cowboys game, so I’m just getting myself back in tune. I feel like this game is going to be good.”


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FIU offense looking for playmakers

Quote:``I think it's important for our team to be of the mind-set that we can't rely on T.Y. always,'' Cristobal said. ``God forbid should T.Y. ever get injured or have an off-day. Others have to make plays, and we're more than capable of doing so.''

FIU running game rebounds behind a stout line

Quote:``We can't say enough about the guys up front,'' said McCall, a fifth-year senior. ``They were on point, all five of them from first team to second team. They were opening up holes all over the place. We had time all over the field. When you can run the ball and the defense is still putting people in the box and you have time [to throw] and you can protect, that's a sign of good things to come.'

Linebackers are strength of FIU's defensive unit

Quote:Pooh Bear Mars became FIU's first four-star recruit when he signed last February.

Joining Mars in the freshman class are Kenny Dillard, who was The Miami Herald's Defensive Player of the Year last season after leading the county in tackles at Miami Northwestern, and Markeith Russell, an All-County selection from North Miami Beach.

``The freshmen linebackers have brought a little more excitement, a little more fun in the meeting room,'' Bryant said. ``We have that constructive criticism going on. We can tell each other stuff without catching anyone's emotion and we take that criticism into practice and get better.''