Florida State’s safety room has taken some early punches from injuries, but Evan Cooper isn’t interested in using that as a blanket excuse. The Seminoles’ safeties coach says the group has to clean up its execution, because the defense hasn’t been good enough against power conference opponents and the problems have shown up all over the back end.
Through losses to SMU and Alabama, Florida State has allowed 576 yards per game in those matchups, and Cooper’s unit has been in the middle of the mess. Missed coverages against the Mustangs and shaky angles in Tuscaloosa have made the safeties a major part of the issue.
The injury list has complicated things. Starting rover Ashlynd Barker has been playing with a cast after what Cooper described as “broken bone in his wrist, or in his forearm,” and his top backup, K.J.
Kirkland, missed the Seminoles’ second game. Senior Donny Hiebert has also been out the last two.
“We had some injuries, like K.J. and Donny, in the first game and the second game, so I had to play Ash a lot more than I would have liked,” Cooper said. “But as we start getting players back, I would like to have a good rotation.”
Barker was one of Florida State’s best defensive players in the opening two weeks, even making a leaping interception against SMU with the cast on his right hand. But the Alabama game told a different story. He was limited to 24 snaps, while CJ Richard Jr. played 44 and Ma'Khi Jones logged 35.
“He's a warrior,” Cooper said of Barker. Still, he made clear the Seminoles need more from him.
“I need him to play better. I need him to be who I know he is.
He's gotta just suck it up and be the guy, and I would like to have a good rotation, so I don't wear those guys down.”
Cooper said he can see the room trending the right way overall. The results have bounced around from week to week, but he believes the group is moving on a “steady incline,” with more intentionality showing up in the film.
Early in the season, he thought his safeties were pressing to make plays instead of trusting them to come naturally.
“Sometimes, when you try too hard, you get mixed results,” Cooper said. “But I think we've been consistently getting better.
Leverage, eye progression, that kind of stuff. I think we've been doing a decent job tackling, finishing tackles.
That's something I've been pleased with.”
Richard has been one of the brighter spots. He leads the team with 29 tackles after piling up 20 over the last two games, and Cooper believes he’s settling into the role the right way.
“I think he's kind of settled into who he is and the role and executing at a higher level,” Cooper said. “Starting to show he's a fantastic player. I expect him to be one of the best guys that we have.”
Richard was also part of the early breakdown against SMU, when he missed his zone assignment and Kevin Jennings found Jalen Cooper for a 50-yard touchdown. Cooper said that sort of mistake still has to get cleaned up, even if he’s seen progress since then.
“I think it's an execution sport,” Cooper said. “I think it's an 11-on-the-same-page sport.
It's a communication and effort sport. Odd progression sport.
So we need to do those things better. Whatever Coach [Tony] White calls, we have to execute it, and at least execute the lines in the playbook.
We've been working on that. I think the group, at least the safeties, we settled down a little bit and just taking it day-by-day, play-by-play.”
Virginia is next, and Cooper knows the challenge waiting in Tallahassee. The Cavaliers ended last season’s early buzz by beating Florida State in double overtime in Charlottesville, and quarterback Beau Pribula’s running ability will be part of the test. Even so, Cooper says the answer for his group is the same as always: do the job on Saturday and handle the assignments in front of them.
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