Florida State had their best outing as a team against the Virginia Cavaliers last week. Offensively, they dominated with the run game as they logged a season-high 281 yards while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
It was fueled by quarterback Ashton Daniels, who led the team with 136 yards on 17 carries, setting an FSU record with five rushing touchdowns. Running back Ousmane Kromah added another 80 yards on 17 rushes, and Quintrevion Wisner gained 60 yards on just two carries.
On Friday night, the Seminoles travel to face the Louisville Cardinals. Defensively, they haven't had a good season so far, and Florida State needs to take advantage. Here are five keys for them offensively.
Ashton Daniels needs to have a good game throwing the ball
Louisville may have an explosive offense, but they're ranked 125th
in total defense, and specifically, they're 130th against the pass. With Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy plus Jayvan Boggs, Daniels needs to let it rip against the Cardinals' secondary, which will assist the running game and keep FSU balanced on offense.
Find a way to be good on third down
This is one area that Louisville's defense has performed well in. Opposing offenses have converted just 26 third downs on 72 tries. Florida State needs to get good chunks of yardage on first and second down to give themselves the best chance of being efficient when third downs come about.
Establish the run early and often
In addition to not being good versus the pass, Louisville is 90th against the run defensively. FSU amasses 194 yards a game on the ground, led by Kormah, who puts up over 95 yards each week. Sprinkle in Wisner, who is getting more involved now that Samuel Singleton Jr. is out, plus Daniels and his ability to run, the Seminoles should have a good night running the football.
Be efficient in the red zone
When the opportunities come in the red zone, Florida State must take advantage and score touchdowns. That's because their defense will have a tough task stopping a Louisville offense that averages over 38 points a game. This means that head coach Mike Norvell needs to be on point with his play calling in these situations.
Don't turn the ball over
As mentioned, Louisville can put up a lot of points. The last thing FSU can afford to do is give an offense like theirs easier chances to score with short fields. So, Daniels has to put an emphasis on protecting the ball when he's on the field, and he also needs to make sure that his unit cashes in as often as possible.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Florida State's offensive keys vs Louisville
