FSU football: Grading our 5 keys to defeating LSU segment

Don’t Settle for Field Goals

Here’s an excerpt from my original post:

"The expectation is the game will be low-scoring, which translates to FSU potentially not having many opportunities in the red zone. If that is the case? FSU can’t settle for chip-shot field goals. I would go into this contest with the intent to play four-down ball once I got inside the LSU 40-yard line. That means if it’s third and seven, call the game knowing you’re going to go for it on fourth and short if the first down isn’t made. I don’t trust FSU kicker Ryan Fitzgerald past 40-yards. It would depend on the score and flow of the game, but the only time I’d settle for a field goal would be on fourth and long."

I didn’t like how the first FSU drive ended to settle for the 47-yard field goal that Ryan Fitzgerald missed. I felt Mike Norvell should have taken the approach above because of my lack of trust in Fitzgerald, and I was ultimately right.

However, I like that Mike Norvell went for it on fourth and two instead of kicking the field goal before the half. I didn’t like the play call on fourth down because I would have gone to Johnny Wilson on that route instead of Mycah Pittman, or I would have allowed Jordan Travis to run for those two yards somehow.

I was fine with the 25-yard field goal Fitzgerald made since it gave FSU a touchdown lead and it was fourth and goal from the seven.

Grade-B