FSU football fans: Direct your anger accordingly

Listen— we understand. We watch the same Florida State games that y’all do. And we do so more than once, as much as we may not want to. So we totally get how frustrating it is to see the Seminoles squander multi-score leads through the first two weeks of the 2019 season.

We also read your comments. And because one of our main goals here at Tomahawk Nation is to foster a community, this simply needs saying: a lot of people are misdirecting their anger at the wrong parts of FSU football.

Actually, check that— perhaps a better way of putting this is that so many of you seem to be so angry that you’re kinda lashing out at anything and everything. But the numbers show that’s not entirely fair.

Let’s start with the defense, which is entirely deserving of your scorn. Last year, FSU’s defense finished 37th among all 130 FBS teams in defense, per S&P+ rankings that adjust for opponents. So far this season, the ’Noles are 109th. There’s no way around it: the defense has been completely disappointing, and you’re right to complain about it. That’s why I penned this piece about its linebackers after FSU’s narrow escape against UL-Monroe.

But sentiments about Florida State just being worse — or even bad — across the board: those are simply unfounded.

Last year, the Seminoles’ offense finished 97th in S&P+ stats. Right now, the ’Noles are 9th. That’s not just an improvement, not just better— that’s freaking elite, and frankly amazing, given this offensive line, one that played three quarters vs. ULM without its starting left tackle.

And let’s not forget special teams, the equally atrocious unit that cost FSU so many yards in field position last year. They’re currently 18th, after finishing 2018 96th.

Those are, objectively, massive jumps at two of the game’s three facets, in which the ’Noles now boast top-20 ranks. So while there’s plenty of frustration to be issued, let’s direct it appropriately. The defense has let this program down— the offense and special teams have bounced back admirably, and they really don’t deserve the blame they’re receiving under umbrella indictments.

There are several reasons to be upset about the product you’ve seen on the field. But let’s be mad for the right reasons.