Florida State’s offensive line is staring down a difficult assignment against Clemson, and coach Hand made the message plain: the Seminoles need cleaner work in pass protection.
The big problem is keeping quarterback Ashton Daniels from getting squeezed out of the pocket. Clemson has built pressure from the edges and forced offenses into uncomfortable decisions, and Hand said Florida State has to do a better job holding its ground up front.
“We got to play better in pass protection with our anchors. What I mean by that, everybody wants to cage rush our quarterback, right?
Because when Ashton gets out and he scrambles, right? He does some good things in scramble mode,” Hand said.
“I don't want him scrambling. I Like him to have a clean pocket at all times.”
That clean pocket has been hard to maintain, and the numbers show why Daniels can be such a tricky quarterback to defend. When he breaks free and scrambles, he has picked up 354 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns, which leads the ACC. But when pressure gets home, the mistakes pile up too: Daniels has thrown eight interceptions under pressure, the most in the conference.
Clemson is coming off a stretch that suggests it can make life miserable for the Seminoles’ front. Over its last two games, the Tigers have recorded 10 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, and their season total of 20 sacks is tied for third in the ACC.
Florida State has also been leaking negative plays lately. The Seminoles’ offensive line has allowed six sacks and 11 tackles for loss in its last two games, both defeats to Louisville and Miami.
One of the biggest wounds from the Miami game came on a penalty that wiped out a touchdown in overtime. Chaplin was flagged for holding, erasing a Micahi Danzy touchdown catch, and Florida State went on to lose 43-35.
Hand addressed both the technique and the penalty, saying the film review backed up what he had taught Chaplin.
“As I got on the bus and was able to sit down and watch the film because it happened late in the game and watch the film, said Hand. “X (Xavier Chaplin) was in the back of the bus and I went back to him and told him that what he did was exactly as I coached him to do.”
Clemson has also been strong against the run, especially in the last two games. Opponents have managed just 96 rushing yards in that span, with no touchdowns and only 1.35 yards per carry.
In Other News...
Florida State Clemson Week Just Got Bigger Than The Game
Florida States Halloween home date with Clemson is shaping up to be more than just a rivalry game. The school is planning themed events around the matchup, including a drone show and a Trunk or Treat, giving the night a little extra pageantry before the Seminoles even take the field. On top of the holiday atmosphere, the program will also honor Peter Warrick with an NFF College Football Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during the game, adding a nod to one of the programs most recognizable former stars.
The bigger off-field storyline, though, may be what comes next for the athletic department. Florida State president Richard McCullough said the search for a new athletic director will begin soon, an important step as the school looks to steady its leadership picture while the football program keeps moving through a pivotal stretch. With Clemson coming to town on a night packed with events and recognition, it is the kind of weekend that blends celebration, tradition and a little uncertainty in Tallahassee. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Fans Just Turned On Mike Norvell In Public
Frustration around Florida States football program has spilled beyond social media and into a public campaign aimed directly at Mike Norvell. Ahead of the upcoming game against Clemson, fans have started a GoFundMe to hire an aircraft to fly a banner over campus reading FIRE MIKE NORVELL, a stark sign of how quickly patience has worn thin as the Seminoles have struggled under the current regime.
The move also speaks to a broader sense that university leadership has not done enough to answer the programs slide, even with Norvells contract extension and buyout factors in the background. Whether the banner ever flies or not, the message is clear: a vocal segment of the fan base wants a much faster response to the on-field problems, and they are now making sure everyone inside and outside the stadium knows it. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Faces A Dangerous ACC Test With Little Room For Error
Florida State comes out of its Week 8 bye still carrying the sting of that overtime loss to Miami in Week 7, and now the Seminoles are turning their attention to a home date with Clemson in Week 9. It is the kind of ACC matchup that tends to sharpen the focus quickly, especially with the conversation around Florida State centering on quarterback Ashton Daniels and how the offense stacks up as the schedule tightens.
The broader picture is pretty straightforward: Florida State has a chance to steady itself against a conference opponent that always draws extra attention, while the discussion around the game has also spilled into odds and promotions ahead of kickoff. For the Seminoles, though, the real intrigue is less about the betting angle than whether Daniels and the rest of the roster can turn a tough stretch into a response game when Clemson comes to Tallahassee. [Read more 🡒]