FSU Football: Time has come for Jimbo to consider coaching staff changes

FSU football sneaked out a last second win over Wake Forest – further proof that is time for some assistants to be shown the door by the head coach.

As the final seconds ticked away and FSU football escaped Winston-Salem with a win over Wake Forest for their first victory of 2017, several things were pretty evident for the Seminoles: first, this is going to be a long season – and second, the time has come for there to be changes on the coaching staff of head coach Jimbo Fisher.

During his first seasons with the program, there was considerable turnover in the coaching staff on both sides of the ball with names like Eddie Gran, Mark Stoops, James Coley and Dameyune Craig leaving for another locations (in Craig’s case, before making a return back to Tallahassee). OF late, the unit of assistants has seemed to be the same names – and that might not be the best thing.

Quite frankly, there are several FSU football assistants who Fisher should really take a close look at and consider moving on from.

The first name, and it’s one that plenty of Seminoles fans have been screaming at for years now, is offensive line coach Rick Trickett. Like several of his counterparts in Tallahassee, Trickett has ben living on borrowed time thanks to what was a tremendous group of players that made up the 2013 offensive line that helped lead the Seminoles to a national title.

The problem with that is what has taken place since then. The unit has been letting quarterbacks like Everett Golson, Sean Maguire, Deondre Francois and now James Blackman get abused like they stole something for years now with no change. If the players keep changing but the results stay the same (amount of sacks), there comes a time when you have to look at the sideline.

Apologist for Trickett will point out the success that Jameis Winston had with the line issues in 2014 and Dalvin Cook’s success over the last three seasons – to that I would say the success was because of how good of an athlete both those men were. Imagine what Cook could have done if he had a line that actually knew what it was doing.

It’s not just Trickett who needs to be examined – basically, an argument could be made for every assistant with the exception of DT coach Odell Haggins, DE coach Brad Lawing and TE coach and recruiting coordinator Tim Brewster being on the hot seat.

Names like WR coach and “co-offensive coordinator” Lawrence Dawsey, QB coach and “co-offensive coordinator” Randy Sanders, RB coach Jay Graham and defensive coordinator and DB coach Charles Kelly are among those living off borrowed time from that 2013 title team – while linebacker coach Bill Miller  is living off success from other spots.

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The argument of “letting the season” play out doesn’t work when you’re dealing with issues that have been around for much of the last three and a quarter seasons. If there isn’t a sudden and drastic change in the way things go, Fisher must take a hard look at things to keep FSU football from a downhill spiral.