Thoughts From the Morning After: FSU 43 Wake Forest 3

Oct 4, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (15) sacks Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback John Wolford (10) for a loss during the second quarter at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Mario Moves Inside

FSU’s defense is probably going to look a lot different in the weeks and months ahead. With Nile Lawrence-Stample out for the season and Derrick Mitchell getting the day off the Seminoles experimented a little bit with playing Mario Edwards inside.

“[When] you go to the nickel and dime package and you put Eddie [Goldman] and Mario [Edwards] inside, then you have the athleticism on the end with the size and power inside, it gives us a whole different dimension where we can be,” said Jimbo Fisher. “Mario can be a three, five or nine or seven [technique], that is the thing about him. He has a lot of versatility in what he can do.”

With the emergence Lorenzo Featherston (more on him in a minute) and Jacob Pugh, FSU can now afford to shift Edwards — who had previously spent most of his time at end — inside on passing downs. Edwards and Goldman came in together in the same recruiting class and both were considered five-star prospects. Both have lived up to that hype too.

Last week NC State head coach Dave Doeren called Goldman the best defensive tackle in the country. Edwards is a disruptive force wherever he lines up. And in passing situations — when the ends can pin their ears back a little more — FSU is going to have a fearsome pass rush with Featherston, Edwards, Goldman and either Chris Casher or Demarcus Walker coming at the quarterback.

Edwards will still play outside on early downs, his NFL future will likely be at end– but moving him inside in passing situations should really give the Seminole front four a nice spark.