Hokies crush ’Noles
Va Tech defense dominates FSU in Taggart’s debut
TALLAHASSEE — No. 19 Florida State endured a bumpy start to the Willie Taggart era.
The Seminoles (0-1, 0-1 ACC) struggled to move the ball against No. 20 Virginia Tech’s bruising defense, falling 24-3 to the Hokies (1-0, 1-0 ACC) Monday at Doak Campbell Stadium during Taggart’s first game leading the Seminoles.
FSU’s defense delivered a spirited effort during the second half, but the Seminoles repeatedly stalled in the red zone and couldn’t overcome an early Virginia Tech lead.
The Hokies’ offense started off hot, racing out to a 10-0 advantage that quieted the home crowd. Virginia Tech quarterback Josh Jackson was 16-of-26 passing for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Virginia Tech had to recover several fumbles, but the offense never lost possession of the ball to the Seminoles.
Virginia Tech’s young and inexperienced defense was supposed to be tested by Taggart’s new Gulf Coast offense, but the Seminoles’ offensive line struggled to match the power and speed of the Hokies’ defensive front. It put extensive pressure on quarterback Deondre Francois, making his first start since suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2017 opener against Alabama.
“The stage wasn’t too big for them. I’m proud of them,” Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said of his young defense during a postgame interview on ESPN.
Hokie Caleb Farley, a lifelong FSU fan who returned from a torn ACL and was coping with the death of his mother earlier this year, made it a nightmare return to the field for Francois. Farley finished the game with two interceptions that thwarted two key Seminoles drives.
Francois was 22-of-35 passing for 233 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Taggart was frustrated by the early miscues that put his team behind 17-3 at halftime, telling ESPN’s Maria Taylor, “I want to execute. There’s too many mental mistakes. Too many things we’re doing to ourselves. We’ve got to execute.”
The defense got the message, but the offense couldn’t match the improved play.
FSU rushed for -3 yards in the third quarter, but the Seminoles’ defense delivered four consecutive stops in its own territory during a stretch that spanned the third quarter and the early portion of the fourth.
The relentless effort kept the Seminoles’ faint hopes of comeback alive.
FSU had just 15 rushing yards before sophomore tailback Cam Akers broke free for an 86-yard run at the 11:46 mark in the fourth quarter.
Akers brushed off tacklers but was pulled down at the Hokies’ 5-yard line by Bryce Watts, who sprinted the length of the field to deny the Seminoles a touchdown that could have altered momentum.
After getting stuffed twice for no gain, the Seminoles took a timeout and Taggart dialed up a trick play with a direct snap to Akers. The running back fumbled a handoff, but the offensive line already failed to hold back the Hokies and Virginia Tech would have broken up the play no matter what Akers did. Nonetheless, the Hokies recovered the fumble at their 15-yard line.
Facing a winded Florida State defense, Virginia Tech put together a swift scoring drive and shut down any hope of a Seminoles rally.
Taggart is backing up his affectionate praise of the Seminoles with a major donation.
Taggart and his wife pledged to donate $1 million to the university’s $100 million “Unconquered Campaign,” a fundraising drive designed to enhance just about every facility within the FSU athletics program.
“Taneshia and I would like to invest in the studentathlete and continue our rich tradition here at Florida State University,” Taggart said Sunday night, earning a roar of applause from Seminoles Boosters members in attendance. “We would like to donate $1 million to the campaign.”
FSU President John Thrasher was one of many in attendance who said he could not believe Taggart’s plan to invest so much money in FSU athletics.
“It’s incredible,” Thrasher said. “He didn’t have to do that. But I think it sends a message to everybody else that we’re going to be serious about this campaign and that’s he’s serious about it. And that he’s serious about making sure that our student-athletes have the best opportunity they can have here at Florida State.”
The five-year campaign aims to raise money for construction of a football-only complex, athlete scholarship endowments, assistance for women’s athletics and renovations to the Don Veller Seminole Golf Course, the Coyle E. Moore Athletic Center, Dick Howser Stadium and Tucker Center.
Seminoles Boosters, the private fundraising group that supports the FSU athletics department, will lead the push to raise money for the projects.