FSU Football: The book is not written on the 2019 Seminoles

FSU football opened their third straight season with an opening game loss, but it’s not all bad things coming out of Doak Campbell Stadium this season.

(Editor’s note: This article was written by Chop Chat writer Holton Graham)

Let me preface this whole thing by saying I am just as mad and upset as the next FSU football fan. I get the angst and understand the frustrations. Trust me, I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to compose a “Come-to-Jesus” article; but here we are, having to face some harsh realities about this football team, just a few days into September. While some “fans” are already pulling the plug on this season and writing off this squad, my outlook is not as bleak.

What I saw on Saturday wasn’t a bad football team. Far from it actually. What I saw was a team who has clearly forgotten how to win games and finish the deal. This can’t be surprising given last season’s results. While this is obviously not a good trait for a football team, there is a distinct difference between not being able to close a game and not being able to be competitive.

Last year, this team struggled to compete most every Saturday and it showed. Though a short sample size, I don’t see that being an issue with the 2019 version of the Seminoles. To me, this team looks like they have plenty of fight and hunger to turn this program around. They’ve just got to develop a winning mentality later in games. T

hat means hopping on a fumble and covering it up and not trying to return it; it means taking the 5 yard check down throw to keep the drive moving instead of looking for the homerun down field; it means seizing victory when it’s there for you to take. Boise State did plenty enough to win the game, but FSU did everything to lose it.

Florida State Seminoles Football

After a debacle of a season last year, we as a fan base are desperate for any positive outcome on the field. Clinging on to any shred of hope we can find. After such a positive and productive offseason, it seemed as if we were headed in the right direction early in the first half. With each glorious touchdown we scored, you could feel the excitement start to build and the energy in the stadium start to turn.

It was as if this interminable off season was slowly being expunged with each first down we got. For most of the first half, it seemed as if the ‘Noles has righted the ship. Boy did things come crashing down.

Hard.

But, as disappointing as the final outcome was, I think there are still  plenty of positives to draw from Saturday’s game. The offensive line, for starters, didn’t look like the worst unit in football. Cam Akers looked to be returning to his freshman year form. Kendal Briles is definitely as good as advertised. So is Scary Terry and Big Marv.

The Special Teams looked wildly improved from last season. The defense seems to have  a ton of talented young guys who are going to contribute this year. Even Ricky Aguayo got it done when his number was called.

Look, I’m not trying to drown out what happened Saturday with blind optimism. I watched the same game and saw the same flaws as everyone else.  I just think this team has more to prove as this season goes on; and I was actually pretty encouraged by SOME of the things I saw on the field Saturday.

This is a far cry from how I felt after the Virginia Tech opener last season. This team isn’t lightyears away from being a competent football squad and I think a lot of the issues we saw Saturday will work themselves out in the film room and on the practice field. I think as the coaches learn more about what they have in each player and players starts finding their roles, a lot of these issues will naturally work themselves out. It was the first game of the season after all.

Obviously I wish the outcome had been different, but this season isn’t “over.” This team was never going to win a national championship or even be in the conversation. This probably won’t be our last loss if we’re being real here. The struggles were always going to be there and the margins for error were always going to be razor thin for this squad. That part still hasn’t changed.

But, there is no reason this team can’t still go on and win some games and have a “successful” season. Boise State is a pretty good team, one that will probably go on to win 10 or so games;and it was game one week one under some incredible circumstances. We got eleven more of these things to play (twelve including a bowl game god willing).

The Seminoles will have a chance to bounce back next weekend. This is way easier said than done, obviously; but I don’t see this team throwing in the towel, so I think the fans should follow suit.

Quick side note: Huge shoutout to all of the gameday staff that made the game possible. It was labeled a “logistical impossibly” to try and move the game from Jacksonville to Tallahassee. The grounds crew had the field looking fantastic, the parking crews, concessions workers, ticket scanners all did a great job and the countless law enforcement officers on duty…ALL ON TWO DAYS NOTICE.

But you wouldn’t have known based on the game-day experience.  I was extremely skeptical about how the atmosphere would be under these unique circumstances but I have to say, as a fan, I was blown away at the turn out and greatly impressed at how seamless the staff made the transition. Huge thank you to all who made it possible!  Y’all the real MVP’s.