Parting shot on the FSU-BC game

I'm going a different direction with my blog. With Peter Tom Willis handling the weekly post-game columns, there isn't the same need for me to do a detailed post-game analysis after each game. That being said, there are still times I like to chip in a random thought or two on various issues surrounding the program. You probably won't get too many long drawn out breakdowns of a game or an issue, but instead the new blog will consist of a few thoughts on some hot topics. I've been posting some of this stuff recently on the message boards but noticed that a lot of people miss my comments or my post scrolls of the board too quickly (it seems like a waste of time to post the same thing over and over).

Entry: 11/18 - Parting shot on the FSU-BC game

The loss to Boston College was the first setback of the season that really stung. Against Wake Forest it was obvious that FSU was just a very young team that still had some growing up to do. And every fan felt like FSU should have won the Georgia Tech game except that the Jackets had an unusual offensive scheme and that bad luck with the untimely fumble at the end made the difference. But FSU lost on Saturday to a slow BC team that had no business pulling off the upset. It was a dismal performance on both sides of the ball in a game that could have been huge for the program since Wake Forest lost earlier in the day.

I'm more or less willing to give the offense a pass for having a down game. Don't get me wrong, I would have liked to see Jimbo Fisher stick with the run a little more than he did and the ultimate fault for the loss may lie with the five offensive players that were suspended for the game (both from missing three major offensive weapons and the distraction it caused the team). But just a week ago we all thought the offense was a year ahead of schedule. When you have the youngest offensive line in college football and a rookie quarterback, there are bound to be ups and downs. But until last Saturday we hadn't seen many of the downs.

Even a football novice could see that the FSU offensive line was getting manhandled which was a major reason why nothing was working. The fact is that it's not all that surprising that the OL got worked against the Eagles. One reason why most OLs in college are made up of junior and seniors is so they can physically compete with large, athletic and physical defensive fronts. Until Saturday, Rick Trickett's undersized and youthful OL was able to get by using their superior quickness and employing near perfect technique. Against BC's mammoth defensive tackles it wasn't enough. A year or two from now, when the OL has the chance to physically develop and add size and muscle, matchups like this won't be a problem.

The offense has made major strides this season and with youth all around the future is very bright. I noticed that a few fans quickly forgot how far the offense has come since the Jeff Bowden years. Every offense will have a down game or two so look at FSU's progress as a whole this season and don't judge them by one off game.

On the other hand, I can't give the defense a pass. The starting lineup consists of five seniors and six juniors, most of whom entered the season with starting experience. And entering last Saturday's game, the group on defense was probably as healthy as it had been all season. And depending on who you listen to, there are probably four or five starters that will find a place in the NFL. To see Mickey Andrews' squad get beat down by a simplistic scheme with an average quarterback and very few playmakers in a game of huge importance was disgusting.

And don't even try to make the argument that BC really only scored 20 points (7 was on pick-six) and FSU's offense was at fault for not scoring enough. Every offense is going to have an off game and when that happens it's up to the defense to step up and carry the load. Regardless of the points on the board or the final yardage numbers, BC totally controlled the game and pushed around the veteran Seminole defense all night. There are a couple stats that tell the story much more than points or yards - Time of possession (BC 38:07 to FSU 21:53) and third down conversions (BC 9 of 16). You are asking too much of any offense, especially a very young one that has a major disadvantage at the line of scrimmage, to carry the load when they are spending most of the game on the bench. To compare to the Clemson game, FSU's offense got three fewer possessions than the week before (and one of those possessions was with just 20 seconds left at the end of the game).

Unfortunately, the poor performance by the defense against BC wasn't an aberration.

There are still those that point to statistics and will argue that the Seminole defense has been outstanding this season. This is truly a case where statistics can be very deceiving. Yes, FSU currently ranks 5th in total defense, 28th in rushing defense, 9th in passing defense, and 30th in scoring defense. However, if you throw out the first three games which were against two Division 1AA weaklings and Wake Forest (easily the worst offense in the ACC), the numbers tell a very different story. The scoring defense average would balloon to 26 points a game which would put FSU into a tie with Louisville at No. 70 in that category. Instead of boasting the No. 1 total defense in the ACC, FSU would drop to 5th behind BC, Miami, Georgia Tech and Clemson (from No. 5 nationally to No. 23). And FSU's vaunted rushing defense would plummet from No. 23 all the way 57 in a tie with Notre Dame.

Sorry, but the Seminole defense isn't what it's cracked up to be.

Mickey Andrews has proved himself time and time again to be one of the best defensive coordinators in college football. I still think he has a lot to offer but maybe it's time for him, Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher to sit down in the off-season and consider making some changes. Sometimes you can have good players on a team but the chemistry isn't right between them. Maybe there's a chemistry problem with the defensive coaching staff, and maybe it's time to shake things up a bit.

Game-watching party in Tallahassee this Saturday

If you live in the Tallahassee area I would like to invite you to come out to the Corner Pocket Bar & Grill on Apalachee Parkway this Saturday for the Warchant.com FSU-Maryland Game Watching Party. The Warchant.com Cowgirls will be in attendance to take photos and sign the Girls of Capital City Calendar. A special VIP package is available for the event with all the proceeds going to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It all starts at 7:00 p.m. so see you there!

Related stories/Features to check out:
Warchant TV: Trickett on the state of the OL
Insider Report: Putting last week behind them
PT's Column: Soundly Beaten

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