FanPost

FSU is broken...

2018 is gone. It's over. It's done. And after the close of bowl season, and being able to take a step back and fully look at the college football landscape, I've come to the sad conclusion. FSU is broken. Now I'm willing to admit that I'm naturally pessimistic by nature, however keeping that in mind, I truly think it's an objective observation. Clemson, the clear kings of the ACC, dominated what was once the NCAA's Apex Predator, Alabama and I finished that game with the clear understanding that FSU isn't anywhere near competing at the level of those 2 programs. It's not even close. And it's not trending upward either. Consider this. FSU will lose it's best defensive player to the draft and he's not a guaranteed 1st round pick. What makes that astounding fact even more shocking is there isn't a clear successor to step in and replace him. And on the offensive side of the ball? There are a couple definite locks in my opinion (Akers, Terry, Harrison) but if those are your only bullets you are not going to beat Clemson. Or even Syracuse at this point. Clemson has athletes and depth and while FSU has SOME athletes, it has NO depth and the few it does will be rendered null and void by the biggest position of concern, what we all know is the offensive line. This was what was striking in watching Alabama v Clemson. Clemson's line consistently gave Trevor Lawrence time. I think I saw Eberle give up another sack during a commercial break. And while he's moved on, again, where is the clear cut replacement AND improvement at that position?

A review of those offensive line issues leads you to the root of the problem. FSU's core, it's foundation has been hollowed out. Jimbo Fisher did it. It didn't happen overnight and it actually took place over about 7 seasons. What we're seeing is that rotten tree finally bearing fruit. Kind of like the trees in Stranger Things that have been eaten away as the Upside Down seeped into the real world. Lack of blue chip line recruits, and a multitude of "project" recruits along the line, combined with a stubborn loyalty to an offensive line coach and a rushing scheme that didn't match said coach has brought us to this point. 2018 and through the early signing period of 2019 has demonstrated that lethal stubbornness still exists. The desire to establish a running game, and to lead with that is an admirable aim. It's a futile one without a line. The spread was created to do several things, limit qb reads, put athletes in space and keep minimal numbers in the box. If Taggart didn't suffer from the same stubbornness as Fisher he would have recognized the teams strength early and built on them instead of completely forcing his system with players not built to run it. Not to say FSU didn't throw enough, but I would have liked Taggart to say, "we want to be a run first team, but our team isn't currently built for it. Our strengths are at wide out and qb right now and we've got to do some things to cover up for our other deficiencies, until we can get the kind of production up front to be a run first team." THAT admission, publicly, or the lack of it early, is why I believe FSU is broken. The honest, accurate, PUBLIC assessment of strengths and weaknesses, regardless of wishes and desires should be the starting point and needed to be the moment Taggart took control in the spring of 2017. D12 would not have been the starter. Terry and Laborn (who in the brand new scheme were BOTH dominant in the spring game) should have been the focus from day 1. Hockman or JB1 should have been the starter. Francois should have been 3rd string until his athleticism was fully recovered (You can't run an RPO offense without the R) and tempo should have been used strategically, NOT at the expense of your only true solid unit-the defense.

As it stands we just finished a period where 3 high profile, possibly sure fire winners at the QB position were looking for new homes, and Florida State, a once 300 lb Silverback Gorilla in the NCCA room, was never truly in the running for any of them. On top of that, the 1 proven team player in the QB room is now testing the transfer waters. That's telling. FSU doesnt need anymore DB's. FSU doesn't need a drop back passer running this offense. FSU doesn't even truly need LB's as a focus. FSU needs monsters in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Average DB's become all stars when opposing QB's are under constant pressure. Average RB's become heisman trophy candidates behind dominant road graders. Honest self-evaluation and commitment to winning at the expense of personal feelings is what is needed. Consider this. Clemson benched a QB who was 16-2 for a true freshman because he gave the offense a chance to be able to run AND pass thus giving them the best chance to win a title. That is loyalty to WINNING, and not to any one player. And until that becomes the theme at FSU, it will continue to be broken.

****On a side note, I do believe there's some insight into how Clemson matched Alabama's strength upfront with the failed tests of Wilkins and the 2 other nondescript players. I am NOT claiming there's any proof, but I do KNOW how D1 programs get around performance enhancement issues. I'ld be willing to bet, having picked up a few assistants from Alabama, Dabo learned a few extra tricks of the trade. I believe Wilkins failed test WAS a mistake but not in what was IN the sample, but that his name was actually ATTACHED to his sample. I took multiple drug tests my true freshman year when I was red-shirting. Re-read that sentence again and you can figure it out.

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