What to Watch For: FSU vs. Wake Forest

Aug 30, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (90) on the line of scrimmage against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Florida State beat Oklahoma State 37-31. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

3.) Defensive Discipline

With Wake’s offense being what it is, Florida State could actually play a bad defensive game today and get away with it. That’s why it will be important to watch FSU’s defenders closely — particularly in the defensive front — in order to gauge how the unit is playing from a discipline standpoint. Because that’s been one of the biggest problems so far this season.

In particular, gap discipline.

Watch how FSU plays the blocks at the point of attack and watch how it fills the gaps. Watch the pass-rush and whether the players get by their blocks and collapse the pocket or just go uncontrolled at the QB. Take your eyes off the ball and just watch how the defense moves.

You hear players talk all the times about, “let the play come to you.” You’ve likely heard Jimbo Fisher say, “the play don’t care who makes it.”

That’s basically an allusion to gap control, which, if done correctly, ensures there’s a player in every possible lane ready to take the ball-carrier down. Fans love to get enamored with massive tackle statistics, but in a defensive system like this one– that’s not always a good thing. It can mean a guy is free-lancing, or it can mean a lot of tackles are getting missed.

Either way, that’s not indicative of a defense playing the way it should be playing.