FSU defense hopes to rebound after disappointing loss
TALLAHASSEE— After nearly single-handedly keeping the Seminoles competitive during their season-opening loss against No. 1 Alabama, the Florida State defense was drawing rave reviews.
But Saturday’s loss to NC State brought the FSU defense crashing backdown to Earth, showing there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“We had some good things defensively, but there are some things that we need to clean up,” Jimbo Fisher said following the Seminoles’ 27-21 loss to the Wolfpack Saturday. “Itwas disappointing.” Florida State allowed NC State to average 5.2 yards per play. By itself, this number isn’t gaudy, but the circumstances behind the yardage are a bit more telling.
The Wolfpack converted on just 5 of 12 third-down opportunities (41.6 percent), but each of the conversions seemed to come during a crushing situation that broke positive momentum the Seminoles mounted on offense.
Of the five conversions, all of them came with NC State needing to gain at least six yards, a favorable situation for the Seminoles.
Still, the defense proved unable to get off the field when it desperately needed to with the odds in its favor.
“We fell short in a lot of situations and they capitalized on us being in the wrong place, missing tackles,” junior defensive end Josh Sweat said. “We gave up way too many third downs and we could have stopped them.”
Only once during NC State’s five ensuing drives after FSU scored did the Seminoles force a threeand
“When defense would get going, offense couldn't finish off a drive; offense would get going, defense couldn't get the next stop,” Fisher said.
On a play-by-play basis, the FSU defense neutralized what the Wolfpack were able to accomplish offensively. But, as was the case with Alabama, a few big plays made all the difference.
The biggest of those, a 71-yard touchdown pass from NC State quarterback Ryan Finley to Jakobi Meyers, came at the least opportune time, right after FSU missed a field goal that would have tied the game at 10.
James accepts blame for his missed tackle on the touchdown.
“I personally have to be better because that was a turning point in the game,” James said. “It’s a play that I should make 10 out of 10 times.”
A potential explanation for what could have caused the apparent rust the defense showed Saturday could be that it was the Seminoles’ first game in 21 days.
The team was quick to knock down this theory.
“No, I feel like we were ready this game,” sophomore defensive end Brian Burns said, dismissing the potential adverse impact of the layoff. “We just didn’t execute plays the way we should have.”
FSU’s defensive performance against NC State brings up many questions about team’s capabilities this season.
After all, the Seminoles followed up one of their best games under defensive coordinator Charles Kelly with an underwhelming performance against an offense theywere expected to stifle.
Still, confidence remains high within the program.
“We know what kind of team we have the potential to be,” James said.