Based on the comments on here since the game, I'm pretty surprised at what I saw.
The defense seems to be a good bit better than I think even most of us thought, but with some old bugaboos coming back. We lack discipline on the edges. Far too many times FSU was able to hit an open and unprotected edge. Tackle to tackle we're stout, but our Sam (depends on set who it is) and WDE aren't doing a good job of maintaining a hard edge out there. Leads to our guys being asked to make a lot of plays in space, and the other bugaboo is that we're not tackling well again.
I thought our front 4 was dominant, and for sure Landry is going to be amazing. Maybe the best first step in the nation. End of this year he'll be in a very different place than he is even now. If anything I don;t think this board realizes how good he actually is. Wuj has become a real force. Best defensive backfield since 2008 in my view.
Problems aside, this defense is lights out. Teams are going to struggle to put up points on this group all year, but to be sure we'll see better offenses that this relatively hapless FSU crew. I think Miami is going to beat these Seminoles like a drum. I'd give them +17 at present.
Offense. Holy shit what an utter and complete shit show. Gross would be my adjective.
We all have a right to be pissed off here. The nepotism is deep here. In fact, it's legitimately hurting this team. Anyone key on old Louie? In truth this isn't a kid that should be on the 2 deep at an FCS school. I believe he's literally flat footed, he has more penalties in his career than neutral plays, he misses assignments, and he quite literally is yet to actually block someone. He's taking a scholarship, he's playing in place of better kids, and he's not just neutral, he's hurting us. On the Hilliman fumble he completely went rogue. He was supposed to double down with Hilliman, and instead he actually ran a route. The fumble itself was all Hilliman, ball waving around with 3 people on him, but had Louie actually helped out Hendren as he was supposed to he'd have had a better chance. This is complete and utter horseshit. There is no room for nepotism at the P5 level - or DIII for that matter.
I feel similarly, but not as strongly about Dudeck. Getting way to many snaps, pretty obvious it's because Daz feels he "deserves" it rather than because he gets things done. 4-5 snaps a game is fine. He's playing too much. Everyone gets a trophy, huh?
The OL: I mean, damn. Its bad. I don't know how we get better here other than by getting Louie out. We can neither block straight up man for man, nor can we make proper adjustments at the line. Nearly every play we have one rusher unaccounted for. Most teams average < 5 a game. We are abysmal. Just absolutely awful. This isn't just an experience thing, this is bigger than that. Was Lindstrom even instructed how to play this position in college? No words for what he was even attempting on the play his man blew up Darius' ankle. Leaning forward, feet together, head down. Basically the exact opposite of what you want to see. I'm sure he'll end up with a nice career here, but we should probably teach him a little something before we trot him out there.
It's tragic Wade went down. I felt like the light had literally just come on before he went down. I'm not sure what most of you were watching in your QB evals. I did not think Smith looked like a deer in the headlights by any stretch. That means things like rapid breathing, dilated pupils, rapid pan and scan, etc. I thought he looked to be absolutely lost in terms of the playbook, but his inner state looked fine to me. If anything relatively cool affect. No worries about his nerves at all.
For my money, I thought the offense looked more crisp under Flutie than at at other point in the game. Had Daz not vagina'd out on the 4th down call, I think he'd have fired a strike. He came in and immediately took control. Identified the Mike, helped out on the OL adjust, and fired some good balls. Footwork was solid, certainly has command of the playbook, etc.
But I know Daz, and he wants no part of a passing the ball. He's going to completely turtle here. We're going to be a gimme as to whether we go over 15 pass attempts a game the rest of the way. We're going to go all in on the ground game, our backs are going to take an unfair beating, the offense is going to over-stress the defense, and the shit storm is going to grow all season. We'll see Smith the rest of the season, etc.
Our WR coach for me would be on fire alert. If anything, for me, they look worse. Routes are awful, blocking is horrible, etc. I feel like I see massive holes in Fitch's planning and philosophy, etc. Not impressed with preparation, but I don't have a huge issue with playcalling, but how can you even evaluate that when we still really don't have an actual drive against a P5 thus far this year. Nor will we with the way this offensive line plays.
Bottom line: its just not going to be our year offensively. 2015 is going to be a damn bitter pill to swallow. We're building, but we're going to pay for it this year.
The defense seems to be a good bit better than I think even most of us thought, but with some old bugaboos coming back. We lack discipline on the edges. Far too many times FSU was able to hit an open and unprotected edge. Tackle to tackle we're stout, but our Sam (depends on set who it is) and WDE aren't doing a good job of maintaining a hard edge out there. Leads to our guys being asked to make a lot of plays in space, and the other bugaboo is that we're not tackling well again.
I thought our front 4 was dominant, and for sure Landry is going to be amazing. Maybe the best first step in the nation. End of this year he'll be in a very different place than he is even now. If anything I don;t think this board realizes how good he actually is. Wuj has become a real force. Best defensive backfield since 2008 in my view.
Problems aside, this defense is lights out. Teams are going to struggle to put up points on this group all year, but to be sure we'll see better offenses that this relatively hapless FSU crew. I think Miami is going to beat these Seminoles like a drum. I'd give them +17 at present.
Offense. Holy shit what an utter and complete shit show. Gross would be my adjective.
We all have a right to be pissed off here. The nepotism is deep here. In fact, it's legitimately hurting this team. Anyone key on old Louie? In truth this isn't a kid that should be on the 2 deep at an FCS school. I believe he's literally flat footed, he has more penalties in his career than neutral plays, he misses assignments, and he quite literally is yet to actually block someone. He's taking a scholarship, he's playing in place of better kids, and he's not just neutral, he's hurting us. On the Hilliman fumble he completely went rogue. He was supposed to double down with Hilliman, and instead he actually ran a route. The fumble itself was all Hilliman, ball waving around with 3 people on him, but had Louie actually helped out Hendren as he was supposed to he'd have had a better chance. This is complete and utter horseshit. There is no room for nepotism at the P5 level - or DIII for that matter.
I feel similarly, but not as strongly about Dudeck. Getting way to many snaps, pretty obvious it's because Daz feels he "deserves" it rather than because he gets things done. 4-5 snaps a game is fine. He's playing too much. Everyone gets a trophy, huh?
The OL: I mean, damn. Its bad. I don't know how we get better here other than by getting Louie out. We can neither block straight up man for man, nor can we make proper adjustments at the line. Nearly every play we have one rusher unaccounted for. Most teams average < 5 a game. We are abysmal. Just absolutely awful. This isn't just an experience thing, this is bigger than that. Was Lindstrom even instructed how to play this position in college? No words for what he was even attempting on the play his man blew up Darius' ankle. Leaning forward, feet together, head down. Basically the exact opposite of what you want to see. I'm sure he'll end up with a nice career here, but we should probably teach him a little something before we trot him out there.
It's tragic Wade went down. I felt like the light had literally just come on before he went down. I'm not sure what most of you were watching in your QB evals. I did not think Smith looked like a deer in the headlights by any stretch. That means things like rapid breathing, dilated pupils, rapid pan and scan, etc. I thought he looked to be absolutely lost in terms of the playbook, but his inner state looked fine to me. If anything relatively cool affect. No worries about his nerves at all.
For my money, I thought the offense looked more crisp under Flutie than at at other point in the game. Had Daz not vagina'd out on the 4th down call, I think he'd have fired a strike. He came in and immediately took control. Identified the Mike, helped out on the OL adjust, and fired some good balls. Footwork was solid, certainly has command of the playbook, etc.
But I know Daz, and he wants no part of a passing the ball. He's going to completely turtle here. We're going to be a gimme as to whether we go over 15 pass attempts a game the rest of the way. We're going to go all in on the ground game, our backs are going to take an unfair beating, the offense is going to over-stress the defense, and the shit storm is going to grow all season. We'll see Smith the rest of the season, etc.
Our WR coach for me would be on fire alert. If anything, for me, they look worse. Routes are awful, blocking is horrible, etc. I feel like I see massive holes in Fitch's planning and philosophy, etc. Not impressed with preparation, but I don't have a huge issue with playcalling, but how can you even evaluate that when we still really don't have an actual drive against a P5 thus far this year. Nor will we with the way this offensive line plays.
Bottom line: its just not going to be our year offensively. 2015 is going to be a damn bitter pill to swallow. We're building, but we're going to pay for it this year.
