FSU football: 3 disturbing in-game trends for Noles against Clemson

By Kelvin Hunt | Oct 8, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 27: A group of Clemson Tigers defenders make a tackle for loss against Jacques Patrick #9 of the Florida State Seminoles in the third quarter of the game at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Tallahassee, Florida. Clemson won 59-10. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Field Position

We’ve documented how terrible FSU football special teams have been the past few years. That along with a terrible offense is a recipe for disaster.

Those two things almost guarantee the opposing offense is going to get the ball with guaranteed good field position.

Check this out.

FSU’s average starting field position in the 2017 contest was their own 21.53 yard line. They had seven of their 13 drives to start on their own 16 yard line or worse.

FSU’s average starting field position in the 2018 contest was their own 21.46 yard line. They had five of their 15 drives to start on their own 16 yard line or worse.

So that’s 28 drives total with 12 (43 percent) of them starting at their own 16 yard line or worse folks. Guess what, six of those 12 begin at their own 10 yard line or worse.

That’s practically giving Clemson points with allowing their offense to operate on such short fields. The Noles have done a much better job in this phase of the game in 2019 and will need to continue that to avoid getting embarrassed again.

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