Football:
You can’t dwell on lackluster performances in college football. You can learn from it and turn the page towards the next opponent which is exactly what coordinators Tim Harris and Tony White spoke about yesterday during media availability.
Harris said that the biggest takeaway was that “we did get an opportunity to see our guys play.”
“We had a chance to feel some highs and some lows in the game the other night,” he said, “and that’s gonna help us in being able to understand the areas that we gotta
continue to grow and get better. And that’s the number one focus for us moving to this next game.”
FSU’s defensive front is going to have to be much better vs. SMU on Labor Day; a 5% stuff rate and a havoc rate under ten percent from your front seven vs. New Mexico State is just not going to get it done vs. the Mustangs. It was not all bad, Sam Singleton, Jr. had 164 all-purpose yards; reminiscent of former FSU RB Jashaun Corbin who was a weapon for the ‘Noles as a runner, receiver, and returner.
164: Sam Singleton Jr.’s all-purpose yardage
A lot of well-deserved noise was thrown Ousmane Kromah’s way this offseason, but Singleton Jr. capitalized on a big camp to establish himself as a key part of FSU’s offense, earning the start on Saturday. The junior broke the rock for FSU after the win, and for good reason. He caught a career-high four passes (matching his career total), leading the team with 54 receiving yards and a touchdown, while also tacking on 42 rushing yards and a score as well as a 46-yard kickoff return.
Only three ACC teams played but Sam Singleton was named ACC Offensive Receiver of the Week:
Kevin Wynn was on a snap count as he ramps back up to full strength; LB Mikai Gbayor is someone that needs more snaps. There’s a sudden-ness to his and Chris Jones’ game that you just are not seeing from the other linebackers on the team so far or historically. One thing that is consistent across the board is that the linebackers have to get better depths in their zones as the year goes on.
It’s easy to argue that SMU is one of two potential ‘Make or Break’ games for Florida State this year:
Key games: Week 1 vs. SMU, Week 5 vs. Virginia, Week 9 vs. Clemson
An ugly Week 0 win over New Mexico State did nothing to solidify Mike Norvell’s job security at Florida State. The Seminoles have a critical Labor Day primetime game against No. 19 SMU that could build momentum … for keeping his job or getting run out of Tallahassee. FSU has a very challenging schedule — No. 13 Alabama awaits in Week 2 — and it needs to get off to a hot start to have any shot at getting into the 8-win range by the end of the season. Program insiders point to SMU as supremely important for Norvell to buy back lost goodwill from a fanbase that no longer seems to believe in him.
The boos came out after an early three and out. You can tell the fans are edge on waiting for consistently good things to happen and ready to react when they do not.
It’s a long wait until Monday but plenty of interesting if not marquee games to watch as college football is officially back.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ model has SMU winning by two:
All Sports:
FSU Soccer is back this week after the long week plus off:
Practice has moved to the Tucker Center:
Pro Noles:
Tatum Bethune played like a man on fire in the 49ers preseason finale and subsequently made the roster. It’s unusual for a NFL team to carry seven linebackers but Bethune was too good in relief of Fred Warner’s injury last year and this preseason to cut.
Kevin Knowles was a late cut from the Chiefs’ roster but is likely to be signed to their practice squad; OL Jacob Rizy and LB Cam Riley also signed to the Patriots and Dolphins’ practice squads, respectively.
