The FSU Seminoles are 1-0, beating New Mexico State 34-17 in Week 0.
Florida State's fans were hoping to start the season with an emphatic win over the Aggies, who the Seminoles paid $1.4 million to come to Doak Campbell Stadium. While they got the win, it was far closer than expected and had fans concerned about the season.
Despite the team's struggles, several players, especially at running back, where Samuel Singleton Jr. and Ousmane Kromah both went off. That was not the case everywhere, as several position groups left a lot to be desired and will have to be better to accomplish their goals this season.
Here is our report card for FSU's Week 0 win over New Mexico State.
Ashton Daniels: B-
Daniels had an inconsistent debut for the Seminoles. The veteran made several
nice plays, showcasing his mobility to set up their first touchdown and to avoid pressure throughout the night. He also made a costly mistake, trying to fit in a ball while on the run and throwing his first interception of the season. Daniels also held onto the ball too long at times.
Overall, he finished the night 17-27 passing for 202 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also rushed for 30 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.
Running Backs: A+
The running backs stole the show in the game, and it could have been a very different outcome without Singleton Jr. and Kromah. Singleton showed his explosiveness and versatility, finishing with 42 yards rushing and 54 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. Kromah led the offense with 115 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
The duo was as good as advertised and looked like two players that the Seminoles can lean on moving forward. Quintrevion Wisner was also effective, rushing for 34 yards on four carries.
Wide Receivers & Tight Ends: B
As expected, Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy led the receivers and looked dynamic. Robinson had just three catches, but racked up 50 yards and had a crucial fourth-down conversion. Danzy caught all four of his targets for 51 yards, including a 44-yard gain on 3rd down that set up their field goal.
Boggs was the only other receiver to catch a pass, snagging one pass for 25 yards. Landen Thomas was the only tight end to catch a pass, snagging one for 11 yards.
Offensive Line: D
FSU's new offensive line had an extremely concerning performance, struggling to protect Daniels as he was frequently forced out of the pocket to avoid sacks. The Aggies finished with just one sack, but they easily could have had more, finishing with five quarterback hurries.
While the running backs were effective, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, it felt like the running backs were doing the majority of the work and not taking advantage of holes created by the offensive line. They will have to be better moving forward.
Defensive Line: D
The defensive line was key in FSU's ability to stop the run, but they also struggled to generate any pass rush. This forced the Seminoles to have to blitz, which led to several explosive gains for the Aggies. The group will need to be better as they start facing better offensive lines and quarterbacks.
Linebackers: B-
FSU's linebackers have struggled for years, and while they were not perfect, they showed signs of improvement. Chris Jones and Mikai Gbayor led the way, combining for 10 tackles, with Gbayor getting a sack. The group could have been better against the pass, with New Mexico State doing a good job of attacking the middle of the field.
Defensive Backs: C
FSU's defensive backs made some good plays, but they also struggled at times. New Mexico State quarterback Trey Hedden finished the game 26-of-42 passing for 272 yards with two touchdowns and one interception
Quindarrius Jones had an excellent opening drive, breaking up a pass before ending the drive with an interception at the goal line. Ashlynd Barker was good in his debut as FSU's rover, recording a team-high eight tackles.
Ja'Bril Rawls entered the season looking to be one of the top cornerbacks in the ACC, but struggled in his first game. He was beat on a double-move for a long touchdown and was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Special Teams: B
Florida State's only blemish on special teams was the penalties, with an illegal substitution being declined in the second quarter on a made field goal, a holding on a kick return in the fourth quarter, and another illegal substitution on a punt, which allowed New Mexico State to go for it on fourth quarter. While they did not change this game, the Seminoles need to clean them up.
The kicking by Gabe Panikowski and Conor McAneney was perfect, with Panikowski making both field goals and all four extra points and six of McAneney's seven kickoffs resulting in touchbacks. Conor Hughes had two solid punts, pinning one inside the 20-yard line.
Singleton had one explosive return, bringing a kickoff 46 yards to get the Seminoles excellent field position, which set up a touchdown. Jasen Lopez did not return a punt, but did not have any costly mistakes in his first action.
Coaching: C
The offensive game plan was very conservative, with Norvell seemingly keeping things hidden for their matchup with the SMU Mustangs next week. He was aggressive on one fourth down, but the Seminoles picked up the 4th and 5th at New Mexico State's 45-yard line, with the drive ultimately ending in a touchdown.
Tony White was once again forced to dial up blitzes to generate pressure, which left the secondary exposed in pass coverage, something the Aggies punished them for. While the defense allowed just two touchdowns, it should have been three, and they have plenty to clean up as the schedule gets tougher.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU football report card for New Mexico State game
