FSU football: Analyzing Adam Fuller’s defensive improvement 2021-2023

FSU football, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller received a three-year extension and raise this week after the Noles turned in one of the most dominant performances in recent FSU history.

It’s been a long road for Fuller, often drawing the ire of FSU fans early in his tenure. Much of the early woes were due to the lack of time to prepare in year one due to the pandemic.

There were also holes on the roster, a lack of overall talent, and depth. The defense improved with each successive season, culminating in the 2023 season, with FSU among the tops in the nation in several statistical categories.

I’m not going to count the stats from year one because there was no legitimate spring, summer, or fall to implement the scheme, build rapport, etc. Below are the stats over the past three seasons for the FSU defense.

Thoughts

Adam Fuller has always emphasized stopping the run, but it’s clear where they improved the most since 2021 to impact games. The improvement year over year on third downs stands out. They improved that number because they improved against the pass, which allowed more time for the pass rush to get home, evidenced by the increase in sacks and TFLs. The addition of Pat Surtain in the offseason paid off in spades.

The timing of blitzes improved drastically, which often created TFLs to help create obvious pass situations. That aspect was evident in the Louisville game. Louisville had 18 third-down opportunities and was constantly in third and 7+ situations. It’s why FSU had 14 tackles for a loss and seven sacks.

The continuity of the same scheme and many of the same players allowed for fewer busts in the secondary. Overall, the defense was better coordinated, and had, especially in the second half of games, as Fuller got a handle on what teams were trying to do.

FSU will lose a lot of firepower like Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Fabien Lovett, Renardo Green, Kalen DeLoach, Tatum Bethune, and Akeem Dent. FSU will likely look towards the portal for a few spots, but there’s a lot of young talent on the roster looking for development.

FSU will likely take a small step back in 2024, but there’s a solid understanding of the defense, and I expect the defense to be a strength for years to come.