FSU Football: Impact of Trey Marshall missing first half of Alabama game

FSU football will be without starting safety Trey Marshall during the first half of the Alabama game. We look at the impact of his absence from the defense.

Trey Marshall missing the first half of the Alabama game isn’t new news as it was expected after he was ejected for targeting during the Orange Bowl against Michigan.

However, 247Sports.com confirmed Marshall would serve the first half suspension against Alabama:

"He will,” Fisher said when asked if Marshall would miss the first half. “And we’re trying to vote on that too [at the ACC Spring Meetings]. I think that’s crazy. No other sport, I don’t know a sport, you have those red cards in soccer, they don’t follow you year-to-year. But it is what the rule is now.”The rule of a half-long suspension carrying over to the following season is, according to Fisher, not thought out well. He said that the ACC is looking to bring up the rule to be reviewed by the NCAA Football Rules Committee"

That’s the play that has resulted in the suspension and it was weaksauce then and still is weaksauce now.

Impact of Marshall’s absence

Listen, anytime you lose a starter it’s a blow to the defense, but FSU is in a better spot against Alabama than last year when Marshall missed time against Clemson for targeting.

FSU had a huge lead at the time Marshall exited the game, but Clemson routinely exploited the void in the second half as part of their comeback win (along with help from phantom ref calls).

However, at least FSU knows Marshall will be out and will have time to prep for his absence. There are a number players they can insert to that spot who now have experience in the system.

That wasn’t the case last season.

Also, Jalen Hurts isn’t Deshaun Watson when it come to passing, and he’s not going to improve that much from last season until September.

Next: FSU Touchdown Underdog Against Alabama

It’s a loss for sure, but certainly a manageable loss for the first half.