What to Watch For: FSU vs. Notre Dame

Oct 11, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (15) defends as Syracuse Orange quarterback AJ Long (4) drops back to pass during the fourth quarter at the Carrier Dome. Florida State defeated Syracuse 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

4.) Defensive Discipline

At times this season Florida State has struggled with gap control and eye discipline– against Notre Dame’s Everett Golson, those mistakes could be fatal. FSU’s defense is not simple, it requires players on the front end to maintain specific responsibilities while the secondary uses the offense’s alignment and the situation to play an elaborate pattern-matching scheme.

Against a pocket-passer that’s a lot easier to do. Against a quarterback like Everett Golson — who can make plays with his legs and his arm — it gets a lot more challenging.

Specifically that becomes a problem because Golson can escape pressure if FSU’s pass rush doesn’t stay in its lanes. When a pass rusher shakes his blocker or gains penetration, there’s more to it than just heading straight for the quarterback. If a D-lineman just crashes to the QB every time it potentially opens up a lane for the QB to escape out of and when you have your DB’s and linebackers running in coverage, the potential for a big play is there. Instead the pass rushers are taught to contain and collapse the pocket against a mobile QB. As much as Florida State wants sacks the scheme is actually more geared towards forcing a quick throw– something that favors FSU’s talented secondary.

The problem is that’s counter-intuitive to most young players when they enter college. If you’re a talented pass-rusher at the high school level the coaching you get in most cases — not all — is to beat your blocker and head after the QB. You’re not worried about leverage or lanes, you’re going straight for the passer.

In college, that doesn’t work anymore– especially not in this scheme.

If that hasn’t clicked for Florida State’s young defensive front by Saturday, it could be in trouble.