GO 1-0 EVERY WEEK
Florida State is currently on a two-game losing skid against Virginia and Miami. This has been a difficult period for the Seminole fan base to endure after the excitement from the Alabama season opener. The "sky is falling" mentality after a 2-10 season is justifiable. However, this looks to be a squad that wants to find that success again.
The same team that performed on August 30th is still in there somewhere, but will Florida State be able to put that on display as they welcome Pittsburgh to Doak Campbell Stadium today at noon. ?
This is the golden question that I believe everyone is wondering.
THE OFFENSE GOES WHERE CASTELLANOS GOES
Whether it is a good or bad thing, the Seminoles are fully dependent on what quarterback Thomas Castellanos does. The signal-caller is the most pivotal position on the entire football team.
Castellanos has had struggles at times against Virginia and Miami, where he has had a combined four interceptions and been sacked four times. In the first three games versus Alabama, East Texas A&M, and Kent State, the former UCF and Boston College transfer looked to have command of the offense.
Castellanos looks to be doing too much at times, where "hero ball" is on display. Through the first three games, he has attempted 38 throws. I understand that East Texas A&M and Kent State were blowouts, but in the last two contests, he has thrown 77 passes.
The ideal sweet spot for Castellanos would likely be 15-20 pass attempts, where he is being a factor with his legs and then throwing the occasional deep shot to keep opposing defenders on their toes. Pittsburgh's defense is aggressive and is top five in tackles for loss and fewest rushing yards allowed per game, so Florida State will have to keep the chains moving and not be in obvious pass situations.
This is a situation where the hope is that the Seminoles can get back to their bread and butter of being a physical offense that emphasizes the inside ground game.