Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers Preview
by Bud Elliott on Nov 6, 2009 6:44 PM EST
in FSU Football
53 comments
Because of all the content posted throughout the week, this preview will be shorter than normal.
First we had the conversation with the Clemson experts. We also answered their questions.
Here's a good preview of FSU's offense.
Clemson's offense?
It's in the top 3rd in the country, much better than BC, USF, or UNC, but a step below NC State, Miami, and of course GTech.
What do they run? Clemson Offense: HB Power/Trap plays, TD Spiller! Pro Wing X Over, Clemson Offense: 34/35 Zone Sprint, Defensive Breakdowns against TCU: Veer Option, Clemson offense: Sprint Draw/Play-action pass.
Clemson Defense? Elite, extremely well coached:
Inside the Steele Curtain: Cover 1 Robber, Inside the Steele Curtain: Steele Philosophy and the basics of Cover 3, Inside the Steele Curtain: Cover 3 Zone Blitz, Defending the Spread with the Nickel Defense, Inside the Steele Curtain: 4-3 Under/Over Front, Stunts in the 4-3 Defense.
So we have an elite offense against an elite defense, and a good offense against one of the worst defenses in the country. Both special teams units have been good and Clemson's is close to elite. The Tigers are the 2nd best team in the ACC and I think they are one of the 15 teams in the country. In addition, Clemson is one of the toughest places to play in the country for a big game, which this is. Clemson is currently favored by 9 or 10 and considering Ponder didn't throw until yesterday, I don't think that's near enough.
I expect Clemson's C.J. Spiller to put on a Heisman-worthy show. Clemson's offense will rip off big score after big score. And I think FSU's offense will be forced to throw every down to keep up. Clemson will force 2 or 3 turnovers and Ponder will look off. Clemson will get 7.8 yards per play (550 yards if they get 70 plays). I don't buy for a second that the defense will play better because of Mickey's retirement. They need coaching, not more effort. They already play with tremendous effort. FSU will get about 5.9 per play (about 410 yards if they get 70 plays). We're gonna see one of the best defenses in the country. Clemson has an elite defensive line and a tremendous secondary. Their linebackers range from very good to above average. And even though Clemson's offense is merely good or above average, but FSU's defense is so brutal, that Clemson will score and put tremendous pressure on the Florida State offense. Without a healthy Ponder, and facing their first true road test in a hostile environment, FSU's offense, though elite, will have the best game against the Clemson defense in Death Valley. CU's defense has only yielded 14 offensive points at home this year (to TCU).
I'll say 41-27 Clemson. Chance of winning: 22%
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A little shocking
I didn’t realize how much better Clemson’s offense is compared to UNC’s. For once I would actually prefer a team to throw out of the spread than line up and run the ball out of pro-formations against us. At least if they throw there might be a chance that the quarterback misses an open receiver(like Wilson towards the end of the 4th last week).
I think if we score 24 points that should be considered success for our offense given Ponder’s ribs.
38-34 FSU
Hopefully our running backs and TE will get the ball more than usual—on intermediate routes over the middle.
I just don't see...
FSU being able to win this game. When we lined up an elite offense against an elite defense and a terrible offense against a terrible defense, we played from behind for most of the game, and were fortunate to win by 3 (Not to mention Butch Davis’s 4th and 3 GIFT to Bobby by kicking a FG instead of going for it).
Now we’ve got another elite defense, but their offense is worlds better than Carolina’s. Common sense prevails.
Clemson :45 FSU 24
ACC teams don't choke against FSU
They play the game of their lives against us.
See Marcus Haggins (Virginia quarterback) the season we won the ACC championship game. In fact see all acc teams since the start of the JB era.
Man do we need those combat edge gear now or what?
This is a good point
Clemson loves playing FSU. I can’t remember the last time we laid an egg against FSU. Even last year I thought we performed admirably, given our coaching turmoil and being on the road. Tomorrow is the biggest game at Clemson in 2 years—expect an electric atmosphere. Game to game Clemson isn’t on the same level as, say, LSU… but FSUncensored is absolutely right that a big game at Clemson is among the toughest—if not THE toughest—atmosphere in college football.
I’ve been a Clemson fan for some time, and believe me that I’ve learned my lesson as far as thinking “this is our year.” But if we do slip up, I’d agree that it’ll more likely be vs. NCSU or UVA.
FSU can win this game. If y’all do, you’ll have earned it.
I don't think we can even earn it.
It’s going to take Clemson to had us the game. When I say Clemson I mean Dabo. I saw the Miami game and was not impressed with the erratic use of the spread. You guys had a decisive advantage against Miami in the spread formation and underutilized it. You should have a much better offensive product than what is being fielded. Steele will be on top of his game.
Barring Dabo doing some weird play calling, which is not out of the realm of possibilities like a 20% chance, the tigers should win.
Biggest game at Clemson in 2 years?
Playing a .500 FSU team whose defense is arguably the worst in the country? I know that we’re still FSU, but damn man. USF and Boston College handled this team, and we almost dropped a game to a D-II school.
A bit of a slap in the face to your other ACC opponents, IMO
They suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome.
They do not see our current status.
They associate FSU with stuff like this
resulting in
It certainly is a slap in the face of other ACC opponents
but consider also what we have on the line. We are in the driver’s seat for the division title for the first time since our LAST big night game—BC two years ago.
that would be 2000
total bellyflop
Shakinthesouthland.com-Clemson football analysis
by DrB on Nov 7, 2009 2:57 AM EST up reply actions
Well Im not guessing but never know.
Might shut them out my bad thoought we were talking about UF vs vandy.
Why is the sky blue? Because, God Loves the Infantry
How long will Clemson's first scoring drive on offense take?
I’m thinking 1:55-2:35
My guess is
Under 2 minutes, no more than 5 plays.
zero chance
Clemson is going to roll.
When I start sucking at my job I will find something else to do and won't keep ruining peoples' lives by sucking at my job.
Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but...
our D will either stay the same (atrocious) or it will improve its performance (b/c it can’t get any worse). Improved performance might be nothing more than getting a couple of turnovers as we had in the BYU game.
Given that the D is a constant, no one has beaten FSU by two touchdowns this year. For those who believe in the FEI gospel, both GT and Miami have higher team FEIs than Clemson. As you know, the GT and Miami games went to the wire. Granted the Noles were playing at home, but they’ve been playing better on the road than they play at home.
As for big games and hostile crowds, I seem to recall the Noles travelling across the country and going into Provo to face a BYU team that many were thinking could play in the BCS championship game if they could only get by FSU and that hadn’t lost a home game in how many years? Despite the altitude, someone got blown out and it wasn’t the Seminoles.
I suppose there is a first time for everything, and Clemson could win by two touchdowns or more. But for that to happen, either Ponder will have to get knocked out of the game, or the offense will have to shoot itself in the foot with penalties and fumbles. Trickett has the OL playing better and more disciplined with each passing week, so hopefully it won’t be the penalties that kill us. After BC & USF, I’d be willing to bet the offensive coaches worked on having the receivers protect the ball better. Hopefully this will not be Fumble Bowl III. If Ponder stays in and the WRs don’t put the ball on the ground, then the Noles should be right there in the end with Ponder having a chance to win it.
NoleLaw
I see your points.
@ Clemson is totally different from @ BYU, and I did predict a win @ BYU. Plus, we had a healthy Christian for BYU, Miami, and GTech. Clemson is louder than the swamp when they do it right.
I don’t think Ponder has to get knocked out, we just have to be a little shell shocked and Ponder has to be hurt, which he is.
I know I might eat crow, but...
I think FSU wins this game. I know many feel like this is the best defense we have faced, but I still don’t believe they can stop our offense. The most comparable defense that we’ve faced next to Clemson is UNC. Clemson’s DBs are better, but their Dline is not quite as good, and will either be w/o Bowers, or he will not be at 100%. Given more time, I think Ponder can pick apart any secondary in America. We already know were not likely to start playing defense ourselves, so it comes down to execution/turnovers. In 3 road games we’ve had a total of 5 turnovers, while forcing 9. Meanwhile, Clemson has turned the ball over 3 times in three different games. The only thing our defense has been able to do (other than provide an escort for opp offenses to the endzone) is produce turnovers. I think both teams have 9 drives with the expectation that Clemson will be able to score quick. I expect Clemson to find the endzone on 6 of 9 drives, with 3 ending in turnovers. FSU should find the endzone in 6 of 9 drives, and will kick a field goal on another, with 1 turnover and one punt. Final score 45-42 FSU…
"If lessons were learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education." -Murray Warmath
I can't help it, it's the same script every weel, lol...
Kinda like almost every Greenday song….different, yet eerily similar…
"If lessons were learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education." -Murray Warmath
Alot will depend on Ponder’s health and how that will affect him. If EJ has to come in we will be in real trouble IMO.
Ameica, Land of the free and home to the entitled.
Your right that he isn't healthy but,
If he was in bad shape I don’t think he would be playing. And if that is the case then we would definitely lose
Is this a BB call?
Is BB calling for CP to play and jepordizing the the rest of our winnable games, while giving us the best shot to beat Clemson in order to punish two programs that fired two of his sons?
I am a little surprised there wasn't much mention of Clemson QB
Parker is the worst QB we have faced all season long I think that will play a factor in tonights game. He did have a career game against Miami but is a QB like him able to do it again. In other words our defense will be awful but it may not show with poor QB play by clemson.
Parker is better than his numbers indicate
Not a great QB by any means, but he’s an average QB who will show flashes.
Do y'all play man?
He probably has the strongest arm you’ll face this year, but he gets confused against zone.
Remember
the USF game where it was a freshman’s 1st start, on the road?? And torched our secondary a couple times.
You can take the worst FCS QB and put him up against our secondary and he’ll have a field day.
The key to stopping Clemson, containing CJ Spiller…. which I don’t think is going to happen.
He bleeds Garnet and Gold, She bleeds Crimson and White. AND THEY BOTH HATE ORANGE! GO NOLES!! ROLL TIDE!!
by gonolesrolltide on Nov 7, 2009 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
These are Clemson’s stats against conference opponents. I show only the offense because we already now how amazing their defense is. It is displayed value (conf rank)
Clemson
Offense
Total Offense: 341 (8)
Average Score: 30.2 (4)
Average Passing Yards: 213(7)
Average Rushing Yards: 127.2 (6)
Yards per play: 5 (8)
Average First downs: 16.8 (7)
3rd Down Conversion: 34.18% (9)
Red-Zone TD :46.67 (9)
Red-Zone trips: 15(7)
Turnover margin: 0.2(5)
Time of Possession: 29:27.60 (5)
Sacks Allowed: 13 (9)
Average TFL allowed per game: 7.6 (11)
It seems to me that Clemson takes advantage of a very good defense and very good speacial teams. If we are able to put some good drives together early I don’t see Clemson capable to of putting together long drives.
MICKEY
Needs to sit Mangum, and then pull in all his DL’s and say:
“Gentlemen, I have had the priviledge to say this to many truly great football players over the years. Players who have gone on to become legends not only here at FSU, but in the NFL as well. You are the last group that will hear these words, so obey them like you would obey God himself if he ordered you to do so.
“Look down at the name in the front of these jerseys, embody those who have brought this program to greatness, and make them proud. DO NOT STOP until that clock says 00:00, and most importantly, make this day the worst day of Kyle Parker’s life.”
Now get out there and kick some ASS!!!!
It’s gameday, gentleman…Go NOLES
by DamonH on Nov 7, 2009 10:47 AM EST via mobile reply actions
bobby will cover that in his pregame speech
assuming he remembers to show up – “defense, make tackles”
we’re good, FSU wins on cruise control
Miami's Offense...
..if they can put up 37 against Clemson we should be able to at least match that. With that being said if our defense can hold Clemson to 40 points we should win. (not likely)
QBs running the zone read have owned Clemson...
Manuel might not the command of the offense Ponder has, but I’m sure he can do that…
"If lessons were learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education." -Murray Warmath
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