FIU lands one of its largest donations ever for its athletic department, plus notes
Four donor groups – including three who have chosen to remain anonymous – have combined to make a $2 million donation to FIU Athletics.
This is one of the largest gifts in the history of the department.
Each of the parties has committed to donating $500,000, and that includes FIU Board of Trustee Member Carlos Duart and his wife, FIU Foundation Board of Director Tina Vidal-Duart.
FIU athletics director Scott Carr believes the donation will transform the student-athlete experience at the school, including the construction of a new weight room at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
In addition, the money will go to renovating the football locker-room and to a pair of “state of the art” hydrotherapy recovery rooms. There’s also a plan to improve the softball dugouts, which will double in size.
“The goal is to get a majority of these projects going within the next month,” Carr told the Miami Herald. “In a perfect world, we’d like to have these projects done by the time our students-athletes return for the fall semester in August.
“We’ve already done some behind-the-scenes work with contractors. The wheels have been in motion for a couple of months.”
THIS AND THAT
▪ Carr said the success of FIU’s top rival – Florida Atlantic – reaching the Final Four in men’s basketball got him thinking.
“My first thought was: ‘That will be us one day’,” Carr said. “But what really impressed me were the FAU fans. I was there in Houston for the Final Four, and I saw the crowd FAU brought for the game. That excited me, knowing we can do the same thing.”
▪ FIU offensive coordinator David Yost said the Panthers lacked consistency at quarterback during last year’s 4-8 season, with Grayson James playing 11 games, and Haden Carlson starting the finale.
This year James and Carlson are competing with redshirt freshman Amari Jones and true freshman Keyone Jenkins, and Yost said they are getting equal snaps.
“At some point, there has to be separation, but it probably won’t be this spring,” Yost said. “Those four haven’t had a lot of bad days this spring.”
▪ Yost also said Carlson “opened some eyes” with his one start last year.
▪ Yost said he ran more motion offense last year than in past seasons. Motion makes it easier for a quarterback to see if the defense is in zone or man coverage. Motion also prevents linebackers from “going downhill” in attack mode.
Instead, Yost said, “they are moving ‘flat’ (laterally), and that allows us to run the ball better.”
▪ FIU center John Bock II on the offensive line after the recent transfer departures of starting tackles Lyndell Hudson Jr. and Shamar Hobdy-Lee: “They were older dudes. You don’t really want to say it, but they had set starting spots. Now, we’re a hungrier o-line. I feel like we’re a better group. There’s more competition. We’re a closer group. I feel like every spot is open at this point.”
▪ FIU offensive line coach Joshua Eargle on what he expects from his unit: “If we call a run, it’s four yards. If we call a pass, it’s six points. Let’s put it in the end zone, and the quarterback is not touched.”
▪ Yost on true freshman offensive tackle Mykeal Rabess, who graduated early and is already running with the second string: “He should be getting ready for the prom. Instead, he’s hitting opposing players in the face.”
