What we learned on special teams from FSU football’s loss to NC State

The last time Florida State played a game, special teams were disastrous. A blocked punt, blocked field goal and fumbled kickoff return were a huge reason why Alabama was able to find success in Atlanta.

On Saturday, FSU played once again, after nearly three weeks off due to the effects of Hurricane Irma. In a 27-21 loss to NC State, special teams had a better performance.

It started with Logan Tyler. The sophomore punter averaged 47.2 yards per punt with a long of 54-yards, easily among his career best. After a tough game versus Alabama, it was nice to see him bounce back and have a good performance. With a true freshman quarterback on offense, Tyler’s performance this season will be critical.

The punt block unit took a leaf from Alabama’s book when Brian Burns blocked an NC State punt late in the fourth quarter. It lead to a Ricky Aguayo field goal to cut it to a one possession game.

Speaking of Aguayo, his struggles continued in this game. The sophomore kicker missed his first field goal from 30-yards out. However, he made his next four attempts. Similar to Tyler, Aguayo’s performance will be crucial to FSU’s success, especially if the ’Noles continue to struggle in the red zone.

The return game also took a step forward in this matchup. After struggling with the initial kickoff to begin the game, Florida State had some good returns over the course of the day. Keith Gavin and George Campbell each had solid returns, while Derwin James busted a 49-yard return late in the game when the offense desperately needed a spark.

After the disaster in the Alabama game, a good performance from the special teams unit was a welcome sight.