Syracuse vs. FSU: Our Interview With Chop Chat

With game day just hours away, I caught up with the kind editors of our sister site, Chop Chat, which specializes on Florida State athletics, to discuss tomorrow’s matchup against the No.1 ranked Seminoles at the Loud House.

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The following responses are courtesy of David Visser and Patrik Nohe of Chop Chat.

1. Referencing last year’s game in Boston College and last month’s outing against NC State, FSU has been prone to some slow starts on the road. Why is this?

PN: FSU runs a complicated defensive scheme that features pattern-matching and gap control responsibilities that are not typically taught in high school. Essentially the issue is this, despite its talent level FSU’s defense has been incredibly young the past two seasons.

Oct 4, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) congratulates his teammates following a touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the fourth quarter against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Doak Campbell Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 43-3. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Last year there were three seniors, this year there are none. Early in the season, you can watch players that aren’t quite comfortable playing within the system start to free-lance a little too much — as they oftentimes got away with in high school — and that in turn leaves the defense vulnerable. Suddenly there’s an unfilled gap on a run play or an end who is charged with keeping contain crashes to a QB and a lane opens. They’re small mistakes but a competent offense will exploit them.

Eventually — as happened last year — FSU’s defense will get it and stop trying to over-reach. You hear Jimbo Fisher say all the time, “the play don’t care who makes it.” When that sinks in with FSU’s defense the Seminoles will be fine. Until then, they’ll continue to have these little breakdowns.

DV: From a more abstract perspective, although those are two very different FSU teams, one common denominator is a tight Seminole squad. Florida State plays best when it takes on the personality of its leader, Jameis Winston, and plays loose. When Winston or the team start pressing, they tend to make mistakes.

This season starting in primetime, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX rather facilitated this. Instead of a homefield clobbering of a far-lesser opponent, the ‘Noles took on a P5 opponent averaging nearly 10 wins per season over the last half decade or so.

When the revamped roster didn’t cruise like last year’s team did, they instantly began pressing to recapture that magic. And as Jimbo Fisher is fond of saying (in varying ways), when you focus on results instead of the process, the former tends to evade you.

2. Although he has been impressive this season, Jameis Winston has thrown 5 interceptions so far. Is this a result of poor decision making?

DV: I think this goes right back to my previous response. Winston is the definition of competitive, and he especially enjoys the “us against the world” attitude with which the ‘Noles have played during much of his tenure.

Oct 4, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) drops back to pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the fourth quarter at Doak Campbell Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 43-3. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

That being the case, I think the nature of a road game – a hostile environment populated primarily by those hoping for your failure – serves as an apt metaphor for how Winston may well view his off-the-field issues. The chance to silence his ever-growing legions of critics may have attempting to do a bit too much, especially with regard to creating a bigger play than they defense is giving him.

PN: In some cases, yes. In other cases it’s a matter of not having a guy like Kelvin Benjamin to haul in balls thrown into tight windows. And occasionally it’s just a deflection on a pass that was otherwise OK. Keep in mind, Winston lost two of his top three receivers and both of his starting tailbacks from last year. Part of the issue is also just the rapport Winston has with his receivers. Last year if Kenny Shaw or Benjamin were coming out of a break, Winston could trust them to be where they needed to be when he let the ball go. This year, with mostly sophomores and freshman rounding out the rotation, that trust is still developing.

3. What are some strengths of the FSU defense that will make it difficult for a Terrel Hunt-less Orange offense to keep this game close?

PN: FSU’s defense is talented enough to show up without a gameplan, play just its base stuff and still beat the Orange. People are quick to point out that FSU’s pass rush doesn’t create a lot of sacks– but it’s not designed to. It’s designed to collapse the pocket, contain the QB and force quick throws. Couple that with one of the best secondaries in the country and Syracuse is going to have to rely heavily on its ground game.

Oct 4, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (15) sacks Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback John Wolford (10) for a loss during the second quarter at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

That becomes even harder if FSU’s offense can score at will. In many ways one of FSU’s best defensive assets is its offense. As soon as the ‘Noles go up a couple of scores it causes the other offense to become more one-dimensional– and that plays right into FSU’s hands.

DV: Hunt vs. the FSU defense would have been an intriguing match-up, especially considering the mobile Jacoby Brissett’s success against the Seminoles the other week in Raleigh. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen—and we’re left with a probable two-QB Orange attack.

If I’m either of those ‘Cuse QBs, I’ve got my head on a swivel. The Florida State front is beginning to gel, sparked by the emergence of 6’ 7” true freshman SAM LB Lorenzo Featherston, who announced himself last week across from the already established Mario Edwards, Jr.

The problem with a nervous, inexperienced quarterback, of course, is the FSU secondary to which Patrik alludes, which may feature the best cornerback duo in the country in Ronald Darby and P.J. Williams. The LBs have occasionally struggled in pass coverage—and that could be a successful outlet for beleaguered Orange signal-callers.

4. How do you think this game will play out?

DV: The homecoming crowd at the Dome will certainly be ready to show itself on the national stage from the onset, and Florida State could very well press if some things don’t its way early. The ‘Noles will be without their starting RB, senior Karlos Williams, too.

The problem for the Orange? His back-ups, sophomore Mario Pender and freshman Dalvin Cook, are better instinctual running backs than Williams, and this could be their coming out party. I expect those backs to open things up for FSU after Syracuse seeks to take the long ball away from Winston. 45-10, FSU.

PN: I think FSU will look a little sloppy but still win handily. I’m guessing 41-7. The back-ups will play most of the 4th quarter.