Florida State’s defense is being built with a clear identity in mind: hit hard, play fast, and leave a mark.
That was the message from defensive coordinator Tony White after practice, where he had plenty to say about linebacker Chris Jones and the Desir twins, Mandrell and Darryll. White didn’t bother with soft language when describing what those three bring to the Seminoles.
“Chris Jones wants to knock the soul out of you,” White said. “He is trying to hit you to hurt you.
The Desir twins play hard as hell, and they are trying to hurt you when they hit you. They know the defense, they have taking thousand of reps in the off-season, so they know more where they are, more instinctually, and not thinking about stuff, so they are playing faster.”
Florida State returns six starters to a defense that finished in the top 30 nationally in total defense and gave up 22 points per game. The Seminoles also lost DT Darrell Jackson Jr. to the New York Jets, their only draft pick this past April.
White believes the group has a different edge to it now, and he singled out several players who fit that mold.
“We’ve got some edgy dudes. The (Desir) twins have always been edgy, but now they know.
You bring in Chris Jones. You bring in CJ Richard, that dude is edgy as they come on the back end.
Ash (Rover Ashlynd Barker) has a different king of edginess. He’s like I’m quiet, but I’m gonna hit you for a tackle for loss, and I’m gonna be back here to intercept this post route you’re trying to get on me right now,” said White.
Barker is shifting to the rover spot after finishing second on the team with 48 tackles, along with five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two pass breakups.
The numbers back up the physical profile White is describing. Mandrell Desir had 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one quarterback pressure and a forced fumble.
Darryll Desir added 23 stops and four quarterback pressures. Jones, a transfer from Southern Miss, piled up 135 total tackles and ranked No. 7 nationally with 10 tackles per game.
He had eight double-digit tackle performances, including two games with 15 stops, and earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
White compared that kind of defensive mentality to the old “Wrecking Crew” units at Texas A&M, and the point was hard to miss. Florida State wants opponents to feel the pressure snap by snap, not just play against them.
That matters because last season the Seminoles too often let games slip away. They allowed 300 or more yards of total offense four times and gave up 400 or more yards three times. They also dropped four games by single digits.
The losses told the story. Virginia beat Florida State 46-38 in overtime.
Pitt was tied with the Seminoles heading into the fourth quarter before Florida State gave up 13 points and fell 34-31. Miami managed only three first-half points from Florida State, but the Seminoles’ late 19-0 fourth-quarter surge came too late.
Stanford led the entire game, and Florida State finished with a late field goal in a seven-point loss.
For this team, the job is bigger than just playing well in stretches. Florida State has to close games, hold leads and do it in a way that wears teams down. If White’s defense becomes what he’s describing, the Seminoles could turn those close calls into something far more convincing.
And if they come out of the tunnel at Doak Campbell Stadium with that kind of attitude, New Mexico State may have a long night ahead.
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