FAU opens camp Friday after going 5-7 last year. [ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ/Special to The Post] ▲ FAU wide receiver Tavaris Harrison showed flashes of becoming an elite receiver last season. Can he stay healthy this fall? [ALLEN EYESTONE/palmbeachpost.com] ▲ FAU head coach Lane Kiffin is 16-10 in two seasons. [ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ/Special to The Post] ▲

Florida Atlantic opens fall camp Friday morning with the focus on the offense and special teams

BOCA RATON — The Lane Kiffin Train, and all that follows with the Twitter-loving head coach as its conductor, is ready to get back on track when Florida Atlantic football begins fall camp Friday morning.

Players officially reported to camp Thursday. The Owls will hold 20 practices, including three scrimmages, over the next few weeks before moving into game preparation for their Aug. 31 showdown at Ohio State.

Expectations are relatively low for third-year head coach Kiffin and the Owls after last season's disappointing 5-7 finish. FAU was picked to finish third in Conference USA's East Division and only one player, senior tight end Harrison Bryant, was named to the league's preseason team.

The attention, rightfully so, will be on the quarterback battle between incumbent Chris Robison, Justin Agner and Nick Tronti. But Kiffin has historically kept his true feelings on quarterback competitions close to the vest, only publicly revealing his two opening-day starters — Dwyer High grad Daniel Parr in 2017 and Robison last year — on game day.

Five questions (besides the quarterback battle) before the Owls open camp at the Oxley Center fields.

RELATED: FAU football needs to move past inconsistent 2018 special teams performance

1. Will the next star running back emerge?

Alfred Morris signing with the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week means four former FAU running backs are in the NFL. Two — Buffalo's Devin Singletary and Chicago's Kerrith Whyte — combined for over 2,200 rushing yards and 33 all-purpose touchdowns last year. FAU has leaned heavily on the run game in Kiffin's first three seasons and, even with a lack of experience at the position, a sudden change in strategy would be surprising.

Early enrollee BJ Emmons played with Kiffin at Alabama in 2016 and improved throughout his first spring with the Owls. Freshmen Kelvin Dean and Larry McCammon III come highly recruited. And don't rule out redshirt junior James Charles, who earned most of the first-team carries in spring ball.

2. Can the wide receivers unit stay healthy?

Injuries happen to every football team, but even the walk-ons who replaced the healthy scholarship receivers in spring ball found themselves sidelined. Fifth-year senior Tavaris "Pico" Harrison, who set career-highs in catches (21) and yards (375) last year, was limited all spring. Talented redshirt junior John Mitchell has caught only six passes the last two seasons because of various ailments.

Kiffin has bemoaned the wide receivers' struggles with drops and overall health for over a year. Avoiding injuries, especially early in camp with so many new faces, would be a tremendous step in the right direction.

3. Who's kicking field goals?

Incumbent Vladi Rivas missed six field goals in the Owls' final six games, including two chip shots in three-point losses to North Texas and Charlotte, and finished 10-of-17 on field goals. Rivas battled a groin injury and self-esteem issues throughout the season's second half. Furman transfer Aaron Shahriari is expected to be eligible and true freshman walk-on Logan McLeod is listed on the online roster. FAU needs an improved kicking game if the Owls hope to compete for a league title.

RELATED: FAU head coach Lane Kiffin says football can cure political, racial divides

4. What other freshmen will see the field?

The wide receiver unit's various issues could mean more snaps for Eyin Cole, an explosive target who mixes size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and speed. Another receiver, Xavier Roberts, is expected to be with the Owls when camp opens Friday after being academically cleared. Defensive tackle Latrell Jean was a star for Class 7A champion Lakeland High. Former Miami-Edison standout Travon Thomas is a dynamic pass-rusher who can play both defensive end and linebacker.

Defensive back Dwight Toombs II and linebacker Diamante Howard, a former Hurricane commit, will have opportunities to improve and progress after participating in spring workouts.

5. So, what should we really expect?

The law of averages means FAU likely won't repeat their 1-4 record in one-score games last year. Realistically, FAU is playing a 10-game schedule; the opener at Ohio State could be too great a challenge and, since FAU hasn't lost to an FCS foe since transitioning to the FBS in 2004, it's probably safe to pencil the Sept. 21 home game against Wagner as a win. But the rest of those 10 games, including a Sept. 7 matchup with UCF, could go either way.

FAU had issues throughout their first training camp under Kiffin and finished 11-3 in 2017. Things were mostly positive last summer and the Owls missed out on a bowl game. If there's some sort of healthy (we'll avoid the term 'normal' because Kiffin is still running the show) balance the team can find in the next few weeks, FAU should be headed to their second bowl game in three years.

FAU position previews:

[Quarterbacks]

[Running backs]

[Wide receivers]

[Tight ends]

[Offensive line]

[Defensive line]

[Linebackers]

[Defensive backs]

[Specialists]

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