BOCA RATON, Fla. — Lane Kiffin described Florida Atlantic’s sudden rise from perennial doormat to Conference USA champions last season as having been a year “full of stories.”
As FAU prepares for its spring game on Saturday (4:00 p.m., FAU Stadium), Kiffin may have already found the Owls’ newest unique story.
Wide receiver Dante Cousart, a former star at William T. Dwyer who joined the Owls as a walk-on two years ago, has enjoyed a strong spring.
Kiffin told reporters he believes the rising redshirt junior could start this season as the No. 2 receiver behind sophomore standout Willie Wright.
“He’s made a ton of plays,” Kiffin said. “Great energy, much like Willie, the guy’s kind of flocked [to] him, and he’s a pretty neat story.”
Never mind that Cousart, who spent his freshman season at Assumption College (Mass.) before returning home to Florida, has yet to record a catch at the Division I level.
Kiffin said Cousart has already shown enough, both on the field and with his work ethic, that he could easily go from scout team to where he’d have an opportunity to start for an Owls team that averaged 40.6 points per game last year.
With several other receivers injured battling minor injuries early in camp, a list which included likely starters DeAndre McNeal and Jovon Durante, Cousart stepped up and became a favorite target of both De’Andre Johnson and Robison.
FAU has experimented lately with using Cousart in option and trick plays, a job which Wright and the since-graduated Kamrin Solomon had last season.
“I think I’ve had a pretty good spring so far,” Cousart said. “They’ve given me an opportunity to show what I can do. I think I’ll definitely be able to piggyback off this and hopefully have a great fall camp.”
Cousart had one of the spring’s more impressive touchdowns on Tuesday, barely staying in bounds to haul in a pass from Wright, who spent the end of practice taking reps at quarterback.
After hearing the defense that argued the call and argued he didn’t stay in bounds, Cousart flashed a knowing grin and said he’d “let the tape decide that.”
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