Nolecast: End of season review

Bud Elliott and Ingram Smith return with a Nolecast breaking down FSU’s season. The Nolecast is the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles podcast.

Listen in the player below this article, or on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Stitcher, or Google Play Music

-Here are our show notes, as have been requested by many.

• Exit interviews … what happens in those?
• Lots of questions about progress: Progress is not linear.
• Players saying on social media that they won’t let this happen again and why Bud doesn’t buy it. FSU doesn’t need guys who want to win. It needs guys who will get on other guys when they screw up. It’s not cool to call out your teammates, but it needs to be. Some of your leaders were your worst players.
• Floor v. Ceiling players and striking the balance.
• The hilarious final OL grades
• The decision to play for a bowl game, was it the right one?
• Pre-season expectation: What if Willie had said what we did, which was “if we get hurt on the offensive line, this season could be a disaster, start counting up the losses?” What is the maximum thing he could have said? Can you say a Scott Frost thing at FSU?
• Did guys fool Willie? Clean slate right thing to do, but what do you do when they reveal their true self?
• Can you clean house mid-season? Once you’ve already decided to go bowling?
• Man does this fanbase need a season with some fun past September. 16: Promise notes, blowouts to Louisville, 17: Francois goes down, 18: Just happened

Questions

• Knowing what we know now with how the season played out, would you rather Landon Dickerson rested the additional week vs Louisville and played against Miami (of FL)?

If he could only play 1 more game before his ankle self-destructed anyway, is his Value Above Replacement enough for a possible win vs the Still Not Backs? I, for one, would gladly trade a win over Louisville for beating the Big East Champs.

While I recognize that #AllWinsMatter, particularly when there are only 5 to be had on the season, it seems to me like beating Louisville is like eating at the Olive Garden: sure, I guess technically you are eating food, but wouldn’t you rather go to Madison Social??

• Unlike the great taste of Louisiana hot sauce I was left with a very different flavor in my mouth after this season. While listening to another podcast. It was discussed about the lack of discipline of the team specifically in regards to practice and pregame activities. It was said that practice didn’t appear as crisp or organized as any other FBS football teams. As for pregame it was reported Players were playing around a lot. For example wide receivers attempting field goals and a qb playing cb as close as 90 minutes prior to game time. Although I didn’t play D1 football, I see this as a lack of concentration and preparation. I have been a witness to such tendencies regarding players having too much control. If there aren’t any strong leaders, this often goes sideways. Do you all think this was an issue? If so, do you think Willie can right the ship? Leadership can be challenging there is a dichotomy of being too easy going and too strict. I know Willie wanted to be different then the previous coach. I just hope he recognizes this if this was the case and he makes the appropriate changes moving forward. I’m a huge fan of him and I want him to be successful! Thank you as always for keeping us well informed and telling it like it is.
• Bud and Ingram, how would you compare FSU’s lost year(s) of development to the state Clemson was in circa 2010. I remember the talk being that Clemson’s S&C program wasn’t modernized and it was really evident along the line of scrimmage. Is FSU’s current problem due to the system or S&C programming, or just due to the lack of accountability to follow the system in previous years? At this point in the season, I’m left to wonder how to feel about the roster and coaching staff. Is the issue more on coaching because they haven’t fixed the mental errors through a full season or is it that the team has more bad apples/selfish players/whatever that the just aren’t disciplined no matter that CWT and the staff tried? As with most things I’d assume it in the middle but would like to hear the conversation around this.

-Recruiting chatter