ATTACKING DEFENSE
One of the more underrated hires of the offseason was bringing in former Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White, who utilizes a 3-3-5 scheme.
Some of the Seminole fan base was scared off by the idea of having a 3-3-5 defense because Florida State has never really run anything like it. Florida State is used to traditional press man-to-man coverage.
Disguising coverages was something that we did not see much from previous defensive coordinator Adam Fuller. I am not one to pinpoint failures and shortcomings because we all make mistakes in our everyday lives. Plus, the defensive unit did enough to be a competent group in 2024 and was not the main reason for the 2-10 record.
However, this is not the expectation of Florida State football, and things had to change. If you witnessed the Nebraska game versus Colorado last year, you noticed that the Cornhuskers had Shedeur Sanders and the Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter struggling in all facets during the contest.
I believe that the fan base wants to see similar results (or even better) from the defensive unit now since the coaching staff has the opportunity to seize better players at Florida State.