Walt Bell talks ever-changing offensive line and gives his take on double pass against Miami

Yesterday Florida State released their depth chart with yet another starting rotation on the offensive line. Early injuries up front have forced the offensive staff to use just about every combination on the line possible, and with Landon Dickerson’s continued absence, this week will be no different. Despite the constant changes up front, offensive coordinator Walt Bell has praised the unit, and Brady Scott in particular, for his work ethic in playing multiple positions along the line.

“Not only is it tough for him—and again, hats off to him and how hard that guy works, how important it is to him, and how he practices every day— but not only is it hard on him individually, it’s hard on that unit,” Bell said. “We don’t get to make those choices. There is a hand you’re dealt and you go play it. Sometimes you get an off suit three and a four and you have to go play, you have to go gamble.”

The line exceeded expectations against a Miami defensive front that no one gave them a chance against. Their success keeping quarterback Deondre Francois off the ground declined sharply in the second half, but according to Bell, they did enough in the run game.

“Absolutely, especially as well as those guys have stopped the run and continue to stop the run,” Bell said. “Especially with kind of a last minute change in the offensive line rotation again with Landon being out. I thought those guys did a really serviceable job in the run game. I think the story of last game was us not finishing the job.”

For weeks Bell and Taggart have preached the importance of running the ball and their commitment to getting that aspect of the offense going. Besides stability on the offensive line, a major key to running the ball successfully in this offense is the execution of run/pass option plays.

“That’s every week. Every week, whether there is a certain player we want to put in conflict, a certain guy we want to attack, or a certain guy we want to manage to help aide in the run game,” Bell said. “A lot of times, in terms of RPO, people make it a little bit more than it is. At the end of the day, it’s a run protection more than anything else. We’re trying to make sure that we’re even numbers in the box so we can keep this thing five on five or six on six.”

Bell finished up his availability with his take on their execution of the double pass play against Miami. As the ACC handed down their ruling that their wasn’t “indisputable evidence to review the call,” Bell’s words relay the feelings of Seminoles fans everywhere.

“Other than the fact that the football was six inches not to the referees liking? Yeah.” Bell said. “Do we wish that that ball was on the back tip of a pad as opposed to his face mask? I mean, there’s a million things that you want to just throw yourself off a building about. But, yeah, that would’ve been pretty if it counted.”