Gus Malzhan Gotta Get Back To Running The Ball
This wasn’t that much of a factor in the Virginia game because FSU ran the ball with great success, although Thomas Castellanos was second on the team in rushing attempts. He led the Noles in rushing attempts against Miami, and that’s something that has to change.
Some of it is on Castellanos playing hero ball and taking off from the pocket way too early, trying to make something happen. The other part is Gus Malzahn got away from the running game way too early in the Miami game.
Gavin Sawchuk has 11 carries, and Ousmane Kromah had six. The fumble likely cost Kromah some playing time, but Malzahn started going to the reverse and other trick plays way too early without setting anything up like he did in the Alabama game. It’s like he got impatient and tried to hit too many home run shots instead of leaning on Miami’s run defense and setting those plays up.
Castellanos isn’t a pocket passer, and asking him to complete passes on third and long consistently is a disaster waiting to happen. FSU must get back to its bread and butter, running the ball downhill and relying on good success rates to convert third downs at a high-rate. Ironically, they converted 44 percent of their third downs against Miami(though some of that was in garbage time).
If they consistently run the ball with success, that will set up all of the trick plays and play action stuff.