’Noles defense driven to win a national title
TALLAHASSEE — Maybe former Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker was a year early on his lofty claim about the Seminoles defense.
During the 2016 preseason, Walker said FSU’s defense could potentially be the best unit the school has ever assembled — even better than the 2013 team that led the nation in scoring defense, won a national championship and saw all 11 starters reach the NFL.
The prediction was far from the truth, with the Seminoles’ relative inexperience exposed during losses to Louisville, North Carolina and Clemson last season.
Granted, FSU faced the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback in Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, the Heisman runner-up and national title winner in Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and the NFL No. 2 overall pick in UNC’s Mitch Trubisky in each of those losses.
But the Seminoles hope the lessons learned from a season ago, plus a defense that returns as many as 14 players with starting experience, can help them return to the ACC title game and College Football Playoff semifinals.
“It makes you realize how disciplined you have to be,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said after Thursday’s practice of the stiff competition last season. “How intense [you have to be]. How every assignment, alignment, every little thing they can take advantage of.
“It makes you a player.”
Sure, the Seminoles have to replace Walker, who became a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos after finishing second in the nation with 16.5 sacks in 2016. better FSU is also looking for a new starting cornerback with Marquez White now playing for the Dallas Cowboys.
But the pieces are in place for Fisher and defensive coordinator Charles Kelly.
Derwin James’ return from a torn meniscus last season gives FSU’s defense an undisputed leader alongside senior defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, the Seminoles’ most experienced returning defensive lineman with 24 starts.
Defensive ends Josh Sweat, who has played in 25 of 26 games with nine career sacks during his first two seasons, and Brian Burns, who led all freshmen nationally with 9.5 sacks, hope to apply the pressure Walker applied last season.
Nnadi leads a deep defensive tackles group with fellow starter Demarcus Christmas, and experienced reserves in Wally Aime and Fred Jones.
Cornerback Tarvarus McFadden, who led the nation with eight interceptions in his first season as a starter, and senior defensive back Trey Marshall lead a loaded secondary.
Senior Ermon Lane, junior A.J. Westbrook and sophomores Kyle Meyers and Carlos Becker of Kissimmee each gained valuable experience in the absence of James, and 2013 national title team member Nate Andrews is now in his fifth season.
The Seminoles hope leading tackler Matthew Thomas, Orlando native Ro’Derrick Hoskins, versatile edge rusher Jacob Pugh and standout sophomore Dontavious Jackson can protect the heart of FSU’s defense.
The Seminoles could also get contributions from numerous other players, including defensive tackle Marvin Wilson; defensive ends Joshua Kaindoh, Jalen Wilkerson and Janarius Robinson; and defensive backs Stanford Samuels III, Cyrus Fagan and Hamsah Nasirildeen.
Florida State will be challenged by one of the toughest schedules in the country, but the Seminoles are a battle-tested group with much to prove.
“If we don’t get a national championship, we’ll feel like we failed,” said McFadden, a former Plantation American Heritage High standout. “We’re starting with Alabama, but it isn’t all about Alabama. We’ve got Miami, Clemson and everybody else.”