Noles' defense not coming up with turnovers

FSU has recovered one fumble, picked off three passes.

TALLAHASSEE — Despite returning nine of 11 starters and several key backups, Florida State’s defense is on pace to create the fewest number of big plays in the Jimbo Fisher era. While the Seminoles have been decent on defense overall — ranking 38th nationally in scoring defense (20.8 points per game) and 28th in total defense (330.6 yards per game) — they have been extremely unproductive when it comes to forcing turnovers and generating negative plays. Through f i ve games, Charles Kelly’s defense has just three interceptions and one fumble recovery. Their interception total ranks 103rd out of 130 FBS teams, and their fumble total is in a tie for next-to-last. The only team that has recorded fewer total turnovers than FSU’s four is Massachusetts. And the Seminoles’ average of generating 0.8 turnovers per game is by far the worst of Fisher’s tenure; none of his previous teams has created fewer than 1.15 turnovers per game. When Fisher was asked about the of lack turnovers this week, he said he believes they will come as long as the Seminoles play solid defense. “Turnovers c ome in bunches,” he said. “You’ve got to play sound play football. You can’t go play for — you start gambling, now (bad) things come. You’ve got to rush the passer, make the ball come out early, be in tight coverage. When those things happen, take advantage of the opportunities. Tackle in bunches, strip the ball. Again, creating pressure to the quarterback and different things in that nature, and then creating negative first-down plays. “Creating first- and second-down plays to get negative ... to try to create long-yardage situations to make people take chances. ... And when you get a chance to make a play on the ball, you’ve got to make a play.” While some of that dry spell could be attributed to bad “turnover luck” — the Seminoles’ ratio of three interceptions to 26 passes defended is exceptionally low — this defense also has failed to create the type of pressure on quarterbacks that Fisher said leads to turnovers. FSU ranks 87th nationally in sacks with 1.80 per game (nine in five games), and that number pales in comparison to the other defenses during Fisher’s eight seasons as head coach. The only defense to produce fewer sacks per game was the 2014 squad, which averaged 1.21; the other subsix years were stantially higher. One year ago, FSU produced more than twice as many sacks per game (3.92 to 1.80) and more than twice as many turnovers (1.77 to 0.80). “We just haven’t had ‘em,” senior linebacker Matthew Thomas said, when asked about the lack of big plays. “We’ve been in position; they just haven’t come around. We just have to keep working at it. They’re gonna come eventually.” The lack of big plays has done nothing to help the Seminoles’ young offense, which is working to overcome its own challenges. (Unlike the experienced defense, only three of FSU’s current starters on offense started at least six games last season: center Alec Eberle, tight end Ryan Izzo and right tackle Rick Leonard). Due largely to that inexperience, FSU’s offense has scored just eight touchdowns all season, which is tied for fewest in the country. It hasn’t helped that the Noles have had to drive at least 75 yards to score six of those touchdowns. Their only two short TD drives came against Wake Forest, when one was set up by a long kickoff the return and other by a shanked punt. FSU’s other six touchdown drives have been from 90, 75, 77, 75, 83 and 91 yards. Of the Seminoles’ 11 drives that ended with field goals, only two featured marches of less than 39 yards. The other nine went for 39, 44, 68, 65, 60, 47, 71, 44 and 88.