Florida State’s defense is walking into Saturday with a problem it can’t ignore: Boston College wants to run the ball, and the Seminoles have spent the last three games getting gashed on the ground.
That’s the challenge now facing interim defensive coordinator Ernie Sims, who described the job after Tony White’s firing as “drinking water from a fire hydrant.” Sims and interim head coach Rick Stockstill are moving fast to steady things before Florida State heads to Boston College.
The Eagles bring a clear identity into the matchup. Boston College ranks No. 5 in the ACC with 168 rushing yards per game and has scored 13 touchdowns on the ground through eight games. They’ve topped 100 rushing yards in seven of those eight contests, including a huge day against Georgia Tech when they piled up 399 yards, scored five times, and averaged 8.49 yards per carry.
They also showed the other side of that formula last Saturday in a 47-2 loss to Duke, when the Eagles managed just 78 rushing yards, no touchdowns, and only two yards per carry.
Florida State, meanwhile, has been vulnerable to explosive runs. Since holding Virginia to 37 rushing yards, the Seminoles have given up 816 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and a 6.25 yards per carry average against Louisville, Miami and Clemson.
The damage has come in chunks. Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds ripped off a 79-yard touchdown run in Florida State’s 36-24 home loss.
Miami forced a second overtime in a 43-35 double-overtime win with a 25-yard game-tying touchdown run by Javian Mallory in the first overtime. And Louisville’s Isaac Brown broke loose for a 97-yard touchdown sprint in the Seminoles’ loss.
Sims now has to get that linebacker mindset across to the rest of the defense. Florida State still has something to play for, with a winning season and a bowl berth still on the table.
In Other News...
Florida State Just Entered A Defining Stretch It Can't Afford To Miss
Florida States football future suddenly sits at the center of a much larger institutional test. The university has moved on from Mike Norvell, and now the Seminoles are trying to line up a new athletic director and a new head coach while carrying a financial burden that was already well over $430 million before the buyout hit the books.
The timing only makes the challenge sharper, with the early signing period looming and a recruiting calendar that does not slow down for administrative turnover. Florida State has to make a hire that stabilizes the program quickly, but it also has to do it while weighing debt, leadership structure and the kind of long-term commitment that can keep the next coach from walking into another crisis before he even gets started. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States Rebuilt Roster Already Looks Ahead Of Schedule
Florida States mens basketball team wasted little time showing how far along this rebuilt roster might be, rolling past Florida A&M in its regular season opener, 112-69. Sebastian Rancik led the way with 25 points, Marcis Ponder added a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Anthony Robinson II chipped in 16 points as the Seminoles backed up the promise they had already flashed in exhibitions.
For Luke Loucks, now in his second season, the early returns are encouraging because this group was assembled through a mix of transfers and recruits and already looks comfortable playing together. One game does not define a season, but Florida States blend of production and pace in the opener suggested a roster that may be ahead of schedule as it settles into the year. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Offense Just Lost A Weapon It Couldnt Afford To Lose
Florida States offense took another hit Saturday when wide receiver Duce Robinson went down against Clemson and was later confirmed to have suffered a season-ending ACL tear. It is the kind of injury that changes the shape of an offense, especially for a Seminoles team that was already juggling multiple injuries and trying to patch together production at running back.
Robinsons absence leaves a noticeable void in the passing game and forces Florida State to adjust on the fly. One possible answer is a heavier dose of tight ends, who may need to become a bigger part of the plan as the Seminoles look for reliable targets and a way to keep the offense moving without one of its most important weapons. [Read more 🡒]