Seminoles prep for Tigers’ attack
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State held Clemson’s high-powered offense to one of its lowest scoring outputs last season.
But the Seminoles defense isn’t hanging its hat on the past.
“Last year doesn’t really do much for us, except give us film to watch,” junior starting safety Trey Marshall said.
FSU’s defense has also gone through significant changes since holding 12 of 13 opponents to fewer than 25 points in 2015.
The Seminoles were torched by Louisville, North Carolina, Ole Miss and USF before turning in their best defensive performances of the season in their last two games, holding Miami and Wake Forest to averages of 16 points and 264 total yards per game.
Clemson’s offensive duo of Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson and running back Wayne Gallman will give the Seminoles (5-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) a true litmus test of their improvements defensively in Saturday’s 8 p.m. game in Doak Campbell Stadium.
Watson joins a list of strong quarterbacks FSU has prepared
for this season — Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, Miami’s Brad Kaaya, Mississippi’s Chad Kelly, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky and USF’s Quinton Flowers — but may be the most polished allaround prospect of them all.
Watson has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,950 yards with an ACC-leading 20 touchdowns, while rushing for 279 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers (7-0, 4-0).
“He’s as good as anybody,” Jimbo Fisher said. “I mean, you watch the consistency he plays with, he throws the deep ball, the short ball, can run. But to me, his competitiveness, too. He’s a great competitor and always finds ways to make the plays . ... He’s a very, very special player, he really is.”
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney announced Tuesday that Gallman, who suffered a concussion against NC State on Oct. 15, will play against Florida State.
But the Seminoles have already planned to face the senior who leads Clemson’s rushing attack with 489 yards and five touchdowns.
Fisher called Gallman a “two-headed monster” because of his ability to run physically between the tackles and play a role in the passing game out of the backfield.
Starting FSU cornerbacks Marquez White and Tarvarus McFadden, one of two players who leads the nation with five interceptions, know they’ll have their hands full defending receiver Mike Williams, who many consider an NFL prospect.
Williams leads the Tigers with 578 yards receiving with four touchdowns, trailing only Tampa native Deon Cain, who has scored six touchdowns this season.
McFadden’s interceptions are among 15 turnovers the Seminoles have forced this season, an area Clemson’s offense has had some trouble with in its pursuit of a second consecutive berth in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Watson has thrown eight interceptions, while the Tigers have also committed eight fumbles, leading the ACC in turnovers.
Swinney likened the turnovers to a “rash, but that will turn.” He’s proud of the fact his team has also forced 16 turnovers and the miscues have not hindered their results this season.
“I think the fact that we've still been able to win, I think speaks to what type of team we've got and what type of chemistry we have on this team,” Swinney said.
FSU’s defense acclimated to playing five new starters, simplifying the defensive play-calling and shifting to more man coverage in the secondary after its poor start to the season.
The turnovers have been a positive because players are simply “doing their job,” Fisher said.
“You make turnovers when you’re in the right place, your eyes are on the right things, you react, you know what you’re doing and you make plays,” Fisher said. “Sometimes turnovers don’t come all the time. People don’t give you those opportunities. But [other teams are] giving them to him, and they’re taking advantage of them.”