The 2009 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...

 in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger

Howard Schnellenberger

Howard Schnellenberger is an American football coach at both the professional and college level. He is currently in his final season as head coach of Florida Atlantic University, having announced his retirement on August 11, 2011, effective at the end of the 2011 season...

 and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium

Lockhart Stadium

Lockhart Stadium is a stadium located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. It is currently used by Fort Lauderdale High School, Stranahan High School, Northeast High School and Dillard High School for home high school football games, and previously served as the home of the Florida Atlantic...

 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The Owls were in their fourth season of competition in the Sun Belt Conference

Sun Belt Conference

The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...

. The Owls finished the season 5–7 and 5–3 in Sun Belt

2009 Sun Belt Conference football season

The 2009 Sun Belt Conference football season was a NCAA football season that was played from September 3, 2009, to January 6, 2010. The Sun Belt Conference consists of 9 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle...

 play.

Preseason

The Florida Atlantic Owls entered the 2009

2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season

The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...

 college football season hoping to rebound on what was considered a disappointing 2008 campaign. The 2008 team

2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

The 2008 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2008 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL...

 ended the season 7-6 (4-3 SBC), despite returning an overwhelming majority of starters from the 2007 conference champion team

2007 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

The 2007 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2007 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL...

. Quarterback Rusty Smith entered his senior season. The 2009 team looked to rebuild on defense, losing defensive star, Frantz Joseph, and a number of other key starters.

The Owls looked to shoot for their third-consecutive bowl appearance, as the 2008 squad defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas

Central Michigan Chippewas

The Central Michigan Chippewas are the sixteen men's and women's athletics teams of Central Michigan University. CMU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1950-1970. The school's athletics programs are affiliated with the NCAA and compete in the Mid-American...

 in the 2008 Motor City Bowl

2008 Motor City Bowl

The 2008 Motor City Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association bowl game in which the Florida Atlantic Owls defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas 24–21. It was played on December 26, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and aired on ESPN. The underdog FAU team from the Sun Belt...

.

The Owls also had to deal with a new offensive system, as Gary Nord

Gary Nord

Gary Nord is an American football coach, currently serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coachfor the Purdue Boilermakers college football team...

, offensive coordinator

Offensive coordinator

An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...

 for Florida Atlantic since 2004, took the same job at Purdue

Purdue University

Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...

.

Preseason Sun Belt Players of the Year

• Sun Belt Conference Co-Player of the Year, Offense: Rusty Smith (QB, Sr.)

Schedule

Mid-season awards and honors

• Week 15 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, Offense: Alfred Morris (RB, So.)
• 2009 Shula Bowl Most Valuable Player: Alfred Morris (RB, So.)

All-Sun Belt honors

• First Team All-Sun Belt Conference:
  • Jason Harmon (TE, Sr.)
  • Alfred Morris (RB, So.)
• Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference:
  • David Matlock (OL, Sr.)
• Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference:
  • Marcus Bartels (DB, So.)
  • Kevin Cyrille (DL, So.)