Colgate coach Dick Biddle has expanded the recruiting territory for the Raiders during his eight years as coach, and he now makes annual visits to Florida.
Saturday one of the nine Florida players on Colgate’s roster made Biddle’s efforts look brilliant, as quarterback Chris Brown came home and showed the Sunshine State what it let get away.
Brown threw over and ran through the Owls’ defense, passing for three touchdowns and running for another. He had 207 yards in the air and 78 running in Colgate’s 36-24 Division I-AA semifinal victory over Florida Atlantic.
Brown did it all in front of a large contingent of relatives and friends who rode a chartered bus from his hometown of Rockledge to Lockhart Stadium. Many of them saw him play in college for the first time.
“It was good to play in front of them and show them what I can do and show them we are a good football team,” Brown said.
“I tell you what, he’s a rascal, and he’s a winner,” FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger said. “They set the offense just exactly for what he can do.”
Brown was an option quarterback at Rockledge, and that ability to run and pass on the run confounded FAU.
FAU linebackers Chris Laskowski and Chris McKinley were teammates with Brown at Rockledge, as was Owls kicker Mike Myers.
Brown had the better day, though Laskowski did intercept one of Brown’s passes, and it set up FAU’s lone touchdown of the first half.
But most of the time, FAU was chasing Brown.
Brown, a junior, is 18-0 as a starter.
“People don’t think he throws it well, but he completes his passes, and that’s all that matters,” Biddle said.
RUNNING OVER RECORDS
FAU held Colgate running back Jamaal Branch to 130 yards, below his average of 152.9 coming into the game.
But Branch still was able to set five Division I-AA single-season rushing records.
Branch’s 130 yards gave him 2,271, surpassing the previous mark of 2,260.
Branch had 45 carries for 430 on the season to better the previous record of 409.
He scored a touchdown, his 29th, surpassing the old mark of 28.
Saturday was Branch’s 12th 100-yard game of the season, one better than the old record. It was also his 12th consecutive 100-yard game, good for another record.
“I’m just trying to help my team win, and I’ll take the ball 100 times if that’s what we have to do,” Branch said after his record-breaking performance. “I wasn’t that tired, but I was bothered by the heat a little bit.”
ENCOURAGED BY TURNOUT
As part of FAU’s move to Division I-A, the Owls will have to average 15,000 fans per home game next season.
That is a stretch for a team that averaged 4,682 in its six regular-season home games.
But Saturday’s playoff crowd of 12,857 gave FAU President Frank Brogan hope the momentum generated by FAU’s success will continue into next season.
“To penetrate this deep into the playoffs in only our third year, to see this kind of a crowd come out to support us and see the excitement that’s been created — I think this bodes very well for us next year,” Brogan said.
“Our young men left it all on the field. I don’t think you could want a better day for Florida Atlantic University with the obvious exception of the score.”
MAIN MOTIVATOR
Schnellenberger left the sideline in the third quarter, approached the crowd and waved a towel to encourage the crowd to yell a louder when the Owls were making a defensive stand.
“I felt behooved to use my influence to get the crowd to learn that his is a participation sport and not a spectator sport,” Schnellenberger said.
“I was happy with the crowd. To sell that many tickets in that short of time is remarkable. We’re starting with zero fan base at Florida Atlantic University, and we’re building one.”
