Saturday, September 18, 2021

FAU Memorial Whirlwind

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

These past three FAU home games have been very emotional dating back to Friday, November 20, 2020.

When the Owls hosted The Massachusetts Minutemen last November, I came to this game with a heavy heart in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

My mother was dying of COPD and I knew it was a race against time to see her during those final days. After the contest, My wife and I made the 22 hour trek up I-75 North to Farmington Hills, MI where would subsequently plant ourselves for 16 days.

She passed away on Saturday, November 28, 2021, two days after Thanksgiving.

Since that game, four family members have died including my mother.

I lost My Aunt Judy in January due to Covid-19, My Aunt Tina Caplan in March with complications of Dementia and Uncle Albert Kroll, who died of Cancer in June.

When former FAU Coach Howard Schnellenberger died on March 27, 2021, that death stung as well because it it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be covering Owls Football. 

Coach was definitely a father figure to me and we go back to 1982 when he was the Miami Hurricanes boss.

On September 10, 2021, I covered the FAU Memorial Celebration for Schnellenberger and it was quite an event for the man who is regarded as the “Father of Football “ for this fledgling university.

The Owls had their home opener on Saturday, September 11, 2021 and they hammered Georgia Southern, 38-6. 

FAU QB N’Kosi Perry recorded four touchdowns and 332 yards and guided an Owls offense that totaled 541 yards to earn multiple honors this past week. 

He became the first FAU QB to pass for over 300 yards since December 20, 2019.

My wife and I stayed for the first quarter then had to take an evening flight to Detroit as there would be a memorial service my mother and Aunt Tina on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 12:30 PM.

You talk about the ultimate bookends between a family event and deaths in the family, this was it.

To make matters more interesting, in addition to family commitments, this past week has been a whirlwind because I went and leased a vehicle while I was in Detroit on Thursday, September 16, 2021 and drove it back to Florida arriving on Friday Night at 8:45 ET.

If there was one thing that worked in my favor as FAU hosted the Fordham Rams, the game started at 6 PM. I had all day to rest and work on Social Media.

How did FAU fare against Fordham University?

The Owls defeated the Rams 45-14.  

Perry was 27-43 for 278 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 29 yards and one a touchdown.

FAU (2-1) improved to 7-0 at home under Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart and have won 10 straight home games. 

With the loss, the Rams fell to 0-3. They are an FCS School which plays in the Patriot League.

Despite the emotional stress of losing so many people in a 10-month period, it was still great to see the Owls win all three ballgames. 

FAU won all three games in convincing fashion by winning by over 20 points.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at southfloridatribune@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter @TribuneSouth.

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