Deep Dive: A look at Florida State, LSU’s first 2022 opponent

The highly anticipated debut for Brian Kelly at LSU involves a familiar opponent for him but not so much for his new Tigers.

Kelly’s last Notre Dame squad barely slipped past Florida State, 41-38, in last year’s season opener. Oddsmakers expect a similar close contest with his new team this season. LSU is currently a 3-point favorite.

As for series history, it’s been awhile since the programs have met. LSU and Florida State have faced off nine times with the ‘Noles winning seven mostly during legendary Bobby Bowden’s tenure. The programs have not met since 1991.

Kelly holds a 3-2 advantage in head-to-head battles against the ‘Noles, including three straight victories.

The Seminoles, who have faltered to a 25-33 record over the past five seasons, had 28 players leave via the transfer portal while adding 12 imports during the offseason. Seven of those dozen arrivals are expected starters. By contrast, LSU lost 16 through the portal and adding that same number.

Now we’ll take a closer look at FSU, a team which will have an opportunity to sharpen their skills before their Louisiana visit with a game against Duquesne this Saturday.

Head coach Mike Norvell is in his third campaign. He needs results in 2022. His 8-13 record in Tallahassee is not what was required to satisfy a six-year, $26.5 million contract. A loss to the favored Tigers at the Caesars Superdome could see Norvell’s coaching seat heat up.

Alex Adkins, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, was promoted to OC role back on December 21. He previously was OC at Charlotte and, before that, Tulane (2016-’18) where he served as run game coordinator and assistant head coach.

FSU led the ACC and ranked seventh nationally in scoring touchdowns last season, with a 73.8% success rate in the redzone.

Defensively, the defensive coordinator’s job is shared. Randy Shannon, also the linebackers coach, was the head coach at Miami from 2007 to 2010. He played for the Hurricanes under Jimmy Johnson on the 1987 National Championship team. However, Adam Fuller will call the defensive alignments. He has been a defensive coordinator at Memphis, Michigan and Chattanooga. Fuller runs an aggressive, attacking style defense that strives to force turnovers.

Florida State fans are predicting a defense which could resemble the days of Mickey Andrews and Jeremy Pruitt.

The offense is where the ‘Noles have room for the most improvement. FSU was horrible in third down conversion rate the past two seasons. Adkins want to play up tempo so expect the Seminoles to run 80-85 plays per game provided pass protection allows for it. The ‘Noles suffered 36 sacks in 2021.

We now look at players by position:

QB

Jordan Travis (6-1, 201), a redshirt junior transfer out of Louisville, threw for 1,539 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions for FSU last season, completing 62.9% of his throws. He added 530 yards and seven scores as a capable runner with a season-high 131 yards on the ground versus Syracuse. He can make things happen when plays break down, potentially critical in this contest.

In 22 games at FSU, Travis has 2,674 passing yards with 21 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,317 yards and seven more scores (5.1 yard per rush average). He is the only Seminole QB in school history to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing and to throw three TD passes and run for two scores in a single game (vs. North Carolina in 2021).

Backups Tate Rodemaker and freshman A.J. Duffy have little to no experience.

RB

Trey Benson (6-1, 215, Soph.), transfer from Oregon, is powerful. He flashed potential in spring drills. Benson missed 2020 with a knee injury and played in just two games in ’21.

Treshaun Ward (5-10, 189, Soph.), a former walk-on, tallied 757 all-purpose yards last season including 515 yards and four scores with a 6.4 yard average on the ground. Lawrence Toafili (6-0, 187, Soph.) totaled 163 yards and a score in 2021. You might see 2022 signee Rodney Hill (5-10, 189) as well.

WR

Ja’Khi Douglas (5-9, 193, Soph.), a product of Terrebonne High, has 4.45 speed. He is a playmaker in the slot. His 60-yard touchdown against Notre Dame in 2020 was one example. Douglas, who averages 18 yards per catch, was a four-star signee in 2020 after accumulating 5,800 yards and 66 touchdowns during his three seasons at Terrebonne. The Houma product has 90 yards receivin last year against Miami, including a 59-yard catch in the 31-28 Florida State win.

At the “Z” receiver spot is junior Mycah Pittman (5-11, 201), another Oregon transfer. In three seasons, he has 38 grabs for 547 yards and two scores. Pittman has developed a role on offense as a very physical target. Malik McClain shares time at “Z” where the 6-foot-4, 201-pound sophomore excels at generating yards after the catch. He also turned heads at camp.

At the ‘X” receiver is Ontario Wilson (6-0, 171, Sr.) who had 23 catches for 382 yards and five touchdowns last year. Johnny Wilson (6-7, 235), an intriguing sophomore transfer from Arizona State with rare length at receiver, snared 11 balls for 132 yards for the Sun Devils.

TE

Cameron McDonald (6-4, 240, Sr.) managed 24 catches for 243 yards and two touchdowns last fall. He is valued on special teams. Backup Wyatt Rector (6-2, 232, Jr.) is a transfer from Western Michigan.

OL

Note: Totally revamped, the unit has three new starters up front.

RT

Bless Harris (6-5, 315, Jr.), a product of St. Augustine in New Orleans, is a transfer from Lamar where he made seven starts. A good pass blocker, he can be vulnerable to bull rushers. Harris has been a pleasant surprise since his arrival.

RG

Darius Washington (6-4, 294, Soph.), who has made 13 starts at left tackle and seven at right tackle, is very athletic and underrated. Considered an “iron man” up front, he is very consistent and grades out high as pass blocker.

OC

Kayden Lyles (6-3, 323, graduate transfer) comes into the mix from Wisconsin where he lined up at center and left guard. He also played defensive end at times for the Badgers. Lyles considered entering last spring’s NFL Draft but pulled out at the last minute. He has beaten out someone who had 17 starts at center.

LG

Dillan Gibbons (6-5, 326, graduate transfer from Notre Dame) played for Brian Kelly. He has improved FSU’s line play since he arrived befoe last season. He made 11 starts for the ‘Noles in 2021. While with the Irish, Gibbons played in 29 contests with one start, playing mostly special teams.

LT

Robert Scott (6-5, 315, Redshirt Soph.) has 18 starts to his credit in two seasons at both tackle spots. He is a potential high draft pick.

Now on to the Florida State defense. Last season, the unit itercepted 14 passes and recorded 33 sacks.

Their base looks are 4-3 or 4-2-5 alignments and they employ a “Fox” defensive end to set the edge, be used on run stunts and drop into coverage. Most times this role features as a pass rusher with a hand in the dirt. Both defensive ends will also be used to drop into coverage. One stunt used is when the Fox will loop inside, while the three-tech tackle loops outside.

FSU’s plan is to be aggressive in early downs and get the opposition behind the chains.

Their MIKE linebacker will align over the guard and the WILL will be inside of the tackle, overseeing the “A” gap. In quarters coverage, the linebackers will drop underneath the safeties.

A linebacker/safety hybrid called the “stud” is part of the scheme. Jammie Robinson fills that role. He is also adept at blitzing.

Fuller uses safeties in an assortment of ways, covering run alleys outside the tackles.

Here is the likely ‘Noles defense, position-by-position:

“Fox” DE

Jared Verse (6-4, 251), a redshirt sophomore transfer from Albany, recorded 21.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and 15 hurries the previous two seasons. He is an elite pass rusher with potential to be a high draft pick in 2023. They will seek mismatches, moving him around to take advantage.

Wearing No. 5, Verse has big shoes to fill, replacing ACC Defensive Player of Year Jermaine Johnson, a 2022 1st round pick by the Jets who had 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

DT

Fabien Lovett (6-4, 306, Jr.), a transfer from Mississippi State, had 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. You can’t miss him in his No. 00 jersey.

Robert Cooper (6-2, 325, Sr.) will place the nose tackle role. He had 39 tackles with 4.5 for loss in 2021. He takes on and even beats double team blocks.
DE

Derrick McLendon (6-4, 240, Soph.) managed 16 tackles including 4.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks in ’21.

MLB

Tatum Bethune (6-1, 230, Jr.), transfer from UCF, had 16 career starts with 185 tackles for the Knights. Highly intelligent, he is an instinctive playmaker.

Will LB

Kalen DeLoach (6-1, 211, Jr.) can play either linebacker or safety as a hybrid. He had 69 tackles last season along with 6.5 tackles for loss and one sack. The backup is Amari Gainer (6-2, 223, Jr.) who had 59 stops, 5.5 for loss and a sack last season.

Nickel

Kevin Knowles (5-11, 185, Soph.) was the Seminoles’ freshman of the year with seven start,. He shares time with former Edna Karr standout Greedy Vance (5-11, 171), a sophomore transfer from Louisville. While at Karr, Vance was part of a powerhouse that posted a 42-5 record while capturing three state titles.

BCB

Omarion Cooper (6-0. 187, Soph.) is considered a rising star. The squad’s best cover man pulled down a pair of interceptions last season.

FCB

Renardo Green (6-0, 187, Jr.) will split time with 2022 signee Azareye’h Thomas (6-2, 182).

FS

Akeem Dent (6-1, 186, Jr.) is a ‘Noles mainstay with 28 career starts in the secondary. He made 44 stops in ’21.

SS

Jammie Robinson (5-11, 203, Redshirt Jr.) is considered the best player on the unit. He totaled 85 tackles last season (seven for loss) and four interceptions. The transfer from South Carolina ranges from sideline to sideline.

BACK TO THE BOOT

We’ve already mentioned some Louisiana connections on FSU’s roster and staff but here are others surely looking forward to their trip to the ‘Dome.

Sidney Williams, redshirt sophomore defensive back, was born in New Orleans but played high school ball in Vigor, Alabama.

Byron “Boogie” Turner (6-4, 234), redshirt freshman out of St. Augustine, was a four-star prospect in ’21. He had 102 tackles with 29 for loss and 13 sacks as a junior with the Purple Knights.

Gabe Fertitta joined Florida State’s staff in February as an offensive analyst. He spent the 2021 season at Louisville as a quality control coach. Prior to that, his four seasons as head coach at Catholic-Baton Rouge resulted in a pair of state championships (2018, 2019) and a 43-8 overall mark. All 4 of Fertitta’s Bears teams played in the Division I state title game.

Connecting Fertitta to LSU, his time at St. Stanislaus (Miss.) as head coach starting in 2011 included the development of former LSU quarterback Myles Brennan.

David Johnson, running backs coach, is an alum of J.F. Kennedy and former head coach at St. Augustine (2009-’11). He was Tulane’s running backs coach for four seasons (2012-’15). Johnson rans programs at his prep alma mater and O.P. Walker (now L.B. Landry) where he coach former LSU wide receiver and NFL first round pick Craig “Buster” Davis.