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FSU Football: Proof coaching can’t overcome injuries and inexperience

By Kelvin Hunt

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 7: Florida State Seminoles line up against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half of an NCAA football game at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 7: Florida State Seminoles line up against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half of an NCAA football game at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /
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FSU football coaches took a lot of criticism for FSU’s performances on the field in 2018. We look at why good coaching can’t overcome everything.

FSU football had weaknesses on both sides of the ball in 2018. We knew the offensive line was thin and there was inexperience at linebacker as well as safety.

Those weaknesses were exposed by opponents over and over this season, yet FSU fans routinely wanted to blame the coaches for not trying new things, etc.

The fact of the matter is the coaches did try everything under the sun. There were all types of combinations of players on the offensive line.

The defense tried different things to mask those weaknesses, but sometimes it is what it is. So what I wanted to do was provide and outside of example of how good coaching can’t overcome some scenarios.

Must Read. 3 Reasons Harlon Barnett Deserves A Pass For 2018. light

I think most folk would consider Bud Foster to be one of the better defensive coordinators in the country. He’s proven it over 20 years at Virginia Tech.

Check out where his defenses have ranked over the past couple of years according to S&P metrics:

  • No. 17 (2016)
  • No. 9 (2017)
  • No. 89 (2018)

If you FSU fans remember we talked over and over about how Virginia Tech suffered a ton of unexpected attrition in the off-season. There were some NFL departures but also a rash of injuries and guys being dismissed from the program.

Notice the decline in rankings? Bud Foster didn’t forget how to coach no more than Greg Frey did the offensive line or Harlon Barnett did defense (who had the No. 4 ranked defense in 2017).

When there is a lack of depth, talent departs, injuries and inexperience there’s no amount of coaching that can offset those types of things.

We talked about how FSU needed the injury bug to stay away from the offensive line, not to mention they had unexpected departures in Josh Ball and Cory Martinez. They also lost Brock Ruble who was a graduate transfer that had experience the past few years.

Greg Frey had a guy in Arthur Williams who hadn’t played offensive line since high school actually starting after making the transition in fall camp.

We mentioned how FSU had virtually zero experience returning at linebacker with the departure of two seniors from last year’s team.

They also lost three experienced safeties from last year’s team, including Derwin James who is someone you can’t replace.

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So have patience FSU football fans. These coaches know how to coach, but they need time to get the players they need in those respective positions to produce the results we all want.

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