Editor’s Roundtable: FSU vs. Clemson

Aug 30, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida State Seminoles offense in a huddle during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Florida State beat Oklahoma State 37-31. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Kelley: The FSU offensive line has looked a bit shakier than expected so far but it’s still basically the same unit that handled Clemson last year. Are you expecting a similar outcome in the trenches in this year’s game?

PN: Keep in mind the unit’s leader from last year, Bryan Stork, is now a New England Patriot. In his place is Austin Barron, who is intelligent and savvy, but not necessarily at the same level athletically as the guys on either side of him. So far Jimbo Fisher has defended Barron, but if the line continues to have issues it’s possible that it could get shuffled.

As for the outcome this weekend, Cam Erving handled Vic Beasley last year and I would imagine Beasley is going to be out for some revenge in this one. It’s tough to keep someone the caliber of Beasley out of the backfield all evening, but given the fact Erving has done it before– it’s not impossible. That being said, I think Beasley still makes a few plays on Saturday.

DV: I agree that pitching a near shutout against Beasley, again, seems quite unlikely; although Erving is the complete package, and it wouldn’t necessarily shock me either. But it’s more a numbers game at this point, and you have to figure that, sooner or later, Beasley is going to make some noise.

One of the issues in the middle, given the loss of Stork referenced by Patrik, is that the interior line has gotten caved in more often this year. Fisher is adamant about pressuring quarterbacks not just by pursuing sacks but also by collapsing the pocket in front of them and forcing sketchy throws (it’s a big reason FSU led the nation in interceptions last year). That’s happening to the Seminoles more often this year than it did last season.