FSU football: Special teams improvement is critical to upsetting Clemson
By Kelvin Hunt
One of the areas FSU football spends a great deal of time is on special teams. It’s the unit Mike Norvell referenced in his introductory speech as new head coach at FSU in December 2019.
It’s the unit he wants his team to form its identity around, and I’d have to say they have done a good job of that through the first eight weeks of 2021.
By that, I mean they have largely been inconsistent through the first half of the season but have found their stride in the last three games.
The only issue is special teams remain inconsistent, if not downright bad at times. The field goal kicking has been fine since the Syracuse game and Alex Mastromanno has had a consistent year. The issues revolve around return and coverage areas.
Clemson will present the best defense the Noles have faced all season Saturday afternoon, and this game could hinge on hidden yardage found in the areas affected by special teams.
How many times have we seen the FSU kickoff team’s returns get tackled inside the 20-yard line?
How often have we seen FSU punt returners’ fair-catch punts inside the 10 or even 5-yard line?
It’s difficult for offenses to drive 80-90 yards consistently to score touchdowns. FSU ranked No. 95 nationally in offensive field position before the UMASS game. The FSU 23-yard line is where the average
FSU offensive drive begins. Opposing offenses average drive start on their 33-yard line (No. 122 nationally). The good news is making smart decisions will help eliminate these issues. Will FSU coaches take the smart approach?