<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0rJUVT_0vkqqpkL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0rJUVT_0vkqqpkL00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure><p>The Florida State Seminoles (1-3, 1-2 ACC) squeaked out a 14-9 win over the previously 3-0 California Golden Bears, snapping a four-game long losing streak to taste victory for the first time since the 2023 ACC Championship. </p><p>The difference in this game was the disparity between 3rd down and Red Zone success rates. </p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4d1U0y_0vkqqpkL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4d1U0y_0vkqqpkL00" width="627" height="513" ><p>To be clear, FSU was not better at avoiding 3rd and long situations in this game than they have all season — they just happened to convert them more often, including some outrageous 3rd and 12+ situations that will be nearly impossible to replicate. </p><h2>Offensive Observations</h2><ul><li>FSU had 146 rushing yards in this game, 4.42 yards per rush, and it was easily their most of the season in both categories. Their success rate was 39 percent. </li><li>Most of FSU’s rushes were inside zone (“IZ”) and split-zone, with counter mixed in quite a bit. They are easily better at running IZ between the tackles than anything else. I even saw duo once, which was successful and they should probably run that more too. But split zone was just OK. While some of the counter runs were successful, most were not. To me, it’s just far too slow developing. I don’t think FSU has the athleticism to run GT counter or can be that effective using the TEs in counter either. </li><li>I think Richie Leonard is fine but it might be time to look for someone else at the other OG spot. I don’t think Darius Washington is healthy. Jalen Early looks promising for the other OT spot, but Jeremiah Byers being healthy would help too. </li><li>So, FSU still can’t run counter but the issue is it’s so heavily built into their play-action passing game as part of their blocking scheme that it seems to me Norvell is forced to throw plays away as he calls counter runs in order to give the PA plays a chance later. </li><li>The playcalling in this game felt like it went out of its way to make it simple for the offense. Like Norvell and Atkins were trying to give them high-percentage plays to execute. Lots of RPOs early, plus a lot of misdirection and screens, or misdirection throwbacks to the tight ends and things like that. I thought it put a strain on the offensive line and asked them to do a lot, especially all of the blocking in open space. They seemed gassed with nine minutes left in the 2nd quarter. </li><li>It doesn’t help that FSU’s receivers and tight ends very rarely gain any separation. Part of that is talent, part of it is coaching. Whatever DJU’s flaws, and there are many in his game right now, he is not in an easy situation. FSU ran a ton of jet motion with Malik Benson. </li><li>FSU’s offense should have run away with this game early, but so many mistakes in the red zone or just outside the red zone cost FSU points. </li><li>Cal blitzed a lot in certain situations to speed up DJU or crash down on the run, which has happened in every game so far.</li><li>I agree with Norvell’s statement in his press conference earlier this week that “it’s a lot of little things” that are going wrong. Very few players on offense win their assignments at a high rate. It’s rare for everything to click; when it does it looks great and easy, but most of the time everything looks like a struggle. Because they’re struggling. </li></ul><h2>DJU Observations</h2><ul><li>On rewatch, DJ Uiagalelei didn’t play as badly as I had initially thought. However, most of the time it feels very much like he is playing while underwater; everything he does is slow and/or deliberate. He does not throw with anticipation and he does not like to test tight windows, but he did on one occasion in this game to convert a 3rd and 18. </li><li>His arm is very strong and allows him to attempt throws to the far field side outside the numbers. About the only other thing FSU does well on offense besides run IZ is throw to wide receivers outside the numbers. </li><li>They run Stick a lot. I think they should incorporate some more shorter/quicker route concepts, especially with RPOs. When they do that with slants and skinny posts and it’s 1-2-3 get the ball out DJU does better. But there are a lot of slow-developing deeper pass plays to take shots. While we thought that’s what this offense was going to be, we also thought the offensive line would be better. Plus receivers can’t create any separation. So we end up with a lot of plays where DJU holds the ball forever then tries to run, or he takes a sack before the routes are finished developing. </li><li>At the same time, I think some plays would work out in FSU’s favor if he just threw the dang ball and trusted one of Jalen Brown or Hykeem Williams or Benson or Kentron to go get it. I think sometimes he waits so long that the window is closed and then he has no choice but to not throw it. </li></ul><h2>Defensive Observations</h2><ul><li>Playing younger players has definitely paid dividends for this defense. There were lots of little mistakes everywhere but they definitely played better in this game as a unit. They communicated a bit better. I wonder what it would look like if the offense took some of their talented and hungry younger players and got them on the field? </li><li>How good will this defense look at the end of the season? They won’t touch the ceiling of last year’s defense but I think they will similarly improve as the season goes on. However, there are still a lot of very talented and high-producing QBs left on the schedule, so there are going to be some rough patches. </li><li>I thought Cal’s playcalling in this game was very good. They generated a lot of explosives and should have won because of it, but they had some execution errors in critical situations where FSU played better. </li><li>FSU’s linebackers still get targeted and exposed in coverage pretty much from the opening snap, but going to some younger players like Blake Nichelson and getting Justin Cryer in there has helped. Cam Riley played better in this game too and had some good stops. Not sure why it took so many games to figure out who your best LBs were. </li><li>Quindarrius Jones has length and is very twitchy even for a DB. He’s going to draw some flags but man I hope he continues to develop, he could be fun. I like him a lot opposite Azareye’h Thomas. Edwin Joseph also had a great interception. </li><li>Joshua Farmer played like an NFL contract was on the line. He was explosive and disruptive all night. Patrick Payton continues to rack up TFLs. </li><li>FSU’s defensive ends still refuse to defend the edge — FSU can’t run counter but it also somehow can’t stop it either. Every offense FSU faces will run it. </li><li>Cal’s HC said he thinks FSU has four NFL players on their defense — can you name them? </li></ul><h2>Whiteboard Plays</h2><p>1st Q 9:55, 2nd &amp; 9: </p><p>Call walks a safety down and has seven in the box and sends seven. FSU runs an RPO that I believe is supposed to look something like split-zone and DJU pulls the ball and hits Jalen Brown for the 1st down. </p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1IyTTB_0vkqqpkL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1IyTTB_0vkqqpkL00" width="999" height="534" ><p>1st Q 7:06: </p><p>Cal has the ball now. Several times early Cal attacked FSU’s linebackers in coverage. They either lined up in Twins to the boundary or they motioned the second receiver into Twins. Then they flexed the tight end out wide to the field. Nichelson follows him, matched up 1v1 with all that space. Nichelson does a good job staying with the TE in coverage downfield but he can’t really contest the catch. I included this as an example of an interesting and creative wrinkle on how opponents are attacking FSU. On this particular play Shyheim Brown wasn’t sure if he was supposed to follow the tight end out, but once he sees Nichelson going Brown stays put. Then has to turn and spring to catch up to the throw but is no where near it. </p><p>2nd Q 0:27 4th &amp; 7:</p><p>This is after the Joseph interception to give FSU the ball with FSU at Cal’s 41-yard line. Pretty much everyone thought Norvell should have had Fitzgerald attempt a field goal here. </p><p>FSU lines up in 11 personnel with Morlock split out wide as part of the trips to the field with Ja’Khi Douglas in the slot. FSU runs the same play they ran a couple times earlier this year with Jaylin Lucas that was very successful for huge chunks of yards and it’s again open. </p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4fEJwJ_0vkqqpkL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4fEJwJ_0vkqqpkL00" width="1021" height="536" ><p>Morlock basically creates a pick and Lucas/Douglas runs a drag underneath it. Except this time Cal has a nice blitz design and gets a free rusher. It at first looks like they send seven but they end up only sending five. However, this confuses FSU up front and a linebacker comes untouched up the A gap. DJU is forced off his spot and drifts to his right. The route goes from right to left and the angle is too much to complete it. I probably still would have kicked but hard to fault a play call that worked, just a better defense by Cal. </p><p>3rd Q 10:31 3rd &amp; 10:</p><p>Cal is at FSU’s 13-yard line and should have scored on the play before. Here they open up in 11 personnel. This time Adam Fuller brings a nice delayed blitz, which he loves to do. </p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=20m8e2_0vkqqpkL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=20m8e2_0vkqqpkL00" width="1021" height="545" ><p>I loved this defensive call because it probably saved the game for FSU, and it was fun. FSU comes out in two-high. Farmer lines up at edge, with Sione Lolohea on the other side. Payton is standing up just behind Darrell Jackson Jr and acts like a spy on Cal QB Fernando Mendoza. Farmer whips the left tackle immediately. Mendoza senses pressure (and also sees Lolohea coming through) and bails the pocket to the right. Payton triggers and comes after Mendoza. Meanwhile, Fuller has safety Conrad Hussey coming down almost immediately, meaning FSU is playing some version of Cover 1 with man coverage on the back end. Very gutsy. Payton and Hussey meet at Mendoza for the sack. This play was the second-most impactful of the game from an expected points perspective. </p><p>On 4th down Cal missed the chip-shot FG. </p><p>4th Q 11:14 3rd &amp; 8:</p><p>FSU’s go-ahead score. DJU had already missed a wide-open touchdown to Malik Benson. Morlock had dropped another huge gain earlier in the game. But on this play everything was executed well. For it Mike Norvell went to an old staple that he’s been running with Douglas since 2021 — the slot fade. </p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0QvWvz_0vkqqpkL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0QvWvz_0vkqqpkL00" width="1023" height="531" ><p>FSU is in the same formation they were in earlier, with 11 personnel trips to the field with Morlock out next to Douglas in the slot. Douglas is a small receiver which demands greater accuracy from your quarterback but he is fast and knows how to get open. This time DJU delivers with great timing accuracy — easily his best ball all year and probably in a few years — and that’s all she wrote. DJU also had Lawrance Toafili wide open on the wheel who would have walked in to the end zone too, but Hykeem didn’t even really try to run a route so while the pick works it easily could have been called for offensive pass interference. In end end, didn’t matter. </p></div></body>

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Whiteboard Review: FSU does just enough to notch first win of the season

The Florida State Seminoles (1-3, 1-2 ACC) squeaked out a 14-9 win over the previously 3-0 California Golden Bears, snapping a four-game long losing streak to taste victory for the first time since the 2023 ACC Championship. The difference in this game was the disparity between 3rd down and Red...