FSU Football: New atmosphere, attitude shows after spring game success

FSU football is under new leadership and has a new attitude – both things that were on display big time in the garnet and gold game this weekend.

From the second the gates opened at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday for the annual garnet and gold spring game, you could tell that something was different with the FSU football program. The tightness and anxiousness from the past few seasons was replaced with a new found breath of fresh air that was placed into the program.

Once inside, the smiling from fans and alumni was something that hadn’t been seen inside the home of the Seminoles since maybe the Miami game from the 2015 season (with one exception being the finale last season in what became a deserved love fest for longtime assistant coach Odell Haggins). The Noles were back and it showed.

Almost 61,000 people made their way inside the home of FSU football for a game that doesn’t count – a program record and the biggest crowd for a game so far in the 2018 spring season. The music was different, the coaching staff of Willie Taggart and his assistants was different and even the way the team played was different.

Sure, you had the big plays from the running backs like Cam Akers and a breakthrough day from Khalan Laborn – but you also had a wide receiver pass from Deonte Sheffield to Jacques Patrick that got the scoring going for the gold team. You had defensive backs who weren’t afraid to lay the wood and coaches who weren’t afraid to think outside of the box.

In short, it’s a new day for the Seminoles – and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Now, I’m hesitant like many to put all my chips in on an ACC title and playoff run after just one inter-squad game – for all we know, the Noles could be bad on defense or offense and just made the other side look good. I don’t think that’s correct, but we won’t know for certain until September 3rd when FSU football host Virginia Tech.

But, for now, those of us who rep the garnet and gold like there is no tomorrow can rest easy in the thought that FSU football is heading in the correct direction. Taggart and his assistants have brought a much faster game into the program and it showed on Saturday. If it can stay that way in four and a half months when the Hokies come to town, the Noles will be in good shape.

Next: FSU Football in-depth game recap: 2018 Spring Game

Football is a game where you can’t play scared and afraid to lose – there is no room for fear in football. Right now, FSU football has no fear about what the future will hold for the program.