Fisher, ’Noles respect improved Orange
TALLAHASSEE — Syracuse coach Dino Babers, whose team took down defending national champion Clemson earlier this season, is not taking Florida State’s 2-5 record lightly by any means.
With the exception of FSU’s disappointing 35-3 loss last week, Babers — like FSU coach Jimbo Fisher and his players — believe the Seminoles are a few points away from having a one-loss record and being ranked among the top teams in the country biding for a College Football Playoff bid.
The harsh reality, however, is Florida State (2-5, 2-4 ACC) is a team on the cusp of being ineligible for a bowl for the first time in 36 years and looking for its first home win of the sea- son in November during Saturday’s game at Doak Campbell Stadium against Syracuse.
Still, Babers and the Orange (4-4) believe beating FSU will be a “tough task” to accomplish.
“Coach Jimbo, one of the top coaches in the country, and to go to have an opportunity to play at their place is going to be a difficult task because they’re a very, very talented football team,” Babers said while complimenting FSU earlier this week.
“I know that obviously they’re playing their freshman quarterback, but there’s nothing wrong with their defense. … We know they’re talented, and we know we’ve got our hands full.”
The Seminoles will surely have difficulties trying to slow Babers’ highpowered offense, which leads the nation averaging more than 89 plays per game.
Syracuse is also No. 2 nationally in third-down defense, forcing teams to convert on only 23.8 percent of third-down opportunities, which allows its offense to get the football back after quick defensive stands.
“They’re getting the ball back for those guys at a great rate,” Fisher said. “They’re doing a great job.”
FSU standout safety Derwin James says Syracuse may be the fastest team the Seminoles may face this season.
“That’s tempo. You have to be able to line up every play,” James said. “They move fast. They are on the ball every play. You can’t simulate the speed like that.”
Fisher and the FSU coaching staff have tried to emulate it to an extent during practice this week. While one offensive unit is running a play for the defense, the scout team offense is already lined up for a play that the defense must run over to defend.
The keys to the game, according to Fisher, will be for his defense to get off the field on third down, while hoping his offense can extend its own drives to ice Syracuse on the sideline.
“You still can never duplicate how good they are or what they do — to a certain point,” Fisher said. “But the tempo of it, getting lined up, getting your alignments and making your calls, those type of things, you’ve [got to be] very adequate at that, because that’s kind of the new normal [in college football].”
Added FSU defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas: “It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be breathtaking. But we’re going to work on it in practice so when we get into the game, it should flow easy.”
Fisher had plenty of praise for Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey, who has completed 60 percent of his passes with 12 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns, Top 5 ACC receivers Steve Ishmael (843 yards receiv- ing) and Ervin Phillips (626), and emerging tight end Ravian Pierce, who has 23 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
Regarding Syracuse as a whole, Fisher says the Orange is starting to turn a corner under Babers, who is in his second season with the program.
“I see them playing with much more confidence and knowledge in what they’re doing. They’re comfortable in their systems,” Fisher said of Syracuse.
“As far as scheme and what they’re doing, the guys are playing much faster, much more confident, much more consistent, and they understand … You can see that when they play, and that to me is the ultimate thing you want to have.”