For the second straight year and the fourth time since Mike Norvell took over in 2020, the Florida State Seminoles are entering the season hoping to wash the bad taste of a losing record out of their mouth. And this time could be Norvell’s last chance.
To that end, a Week 0 matchup with New Mexico State on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET inside Doak Campbell Stadium may provide a measure of catharsis. The Noles are more than a four-touchdown favorite and should easily cruise to 1-0.
However, with No. 19 SMU looming as FSU’s Week 1 opponent in Tallahassee, Week 0 can’t simply be about running up the score on a Conference USA foe to the delight of the fans in attendance. Norvell needs to use this opportunity to work out any kinks, and it should start to answer any lingering offseason questions.
If Norvell is going to pull off the type of turnaround he needs this year to hold onto his job, then these are the things he’s going to want to see on Saturday, and what trepidatious FSU fans should keep an eye out for as they adjust their belief-barometer for this year’s team.
3. Tony White’s defense having some real pass-rush juice
This could extend to the entire defense needing to look more comfortable in the second year under White, but upgrades at the second level with transfer linebackers Chris Jones Jr. and Mikai Gbayor should improve everything from communication to tackling with better, more experienced players in that spot.
What’s more important is this defensive line proving it has pass rushers who can take advantage of one-on-ones, especially against a Conference USA offensive line. White’s relatively amorphous 3-3-5 structure and aggressive approach are designed to create those opportunities with overloads, sim pressures, and straight-up blitzes.
But last year, there wasn’t a player, particularly on the edge, as James Williams labored to a pedestrian 13.8% pass-rush win rate, who could consistently take advantage. Mandrell and Darryll Desir both showed promise as interior rushers, which is why bringing them back was a priority, so they and new JACK linebackers Rylan Kennedy and Jalen Anderson will be worth keeping a close eye on.
If FSU’s D-line isn’t winning consistently against New Mexico State, that’s bad news for the ACC slate.
2. Ashton Daniels protecting the football
Ashton Daniels is a veteran quarterback with 23 college starts under his belt, including three in the SEC last season. However, that experience doesn’t inspire an overwhelming amount of confidence, considering his 22 career interceptions to 24 touchdowns.
With Norvell back on the headset, it’s going to be a heavy-personnel, run-first approach for the Seminoles this season, and Daniels fits that well with great athleticism at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds. However, that approach calls for long, methodical drives and playing from a positive game script. Neither thing is possible if his turnover troubles persist.
Other position groups will play a role in protecting the football, including a rebuilt offensive line that deserves scrutiny on Saturday, but a new QB is always one of the top stories, and it’s easy to make a Week 0 to-do list for one with such a glaring weakness.
1. Ousmane Kromah with another gear
Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner missed most of fall camp with an injury, so even in what was expected to be a crowded backfield, it’s become clear that sophomore Ousmane Kromah is going to get a shot as the workhorse for FSU. The question is, does the former four-star deserve that high volume of carries with Wisner and Samuel Singleton Jr. also in the mix, and can he start to create explosive plays with those additional touches?
Last season, Kromah ran for 408 yards on 72 carries (5.7 ypc), but his longest run of the season was just 23 yards, and only 31.9% of his production came on breakaway runs (per PFF). His combination of great size, quick feet, and solid vision lends itself to a high success rate, but to keep pace as a run-heavy offense, you need to generate explosives on the ground.
So in Year 2, can Kromah start tapping into that next gear and become a real difference-maker in the backfield who can carry the offense? A few breakaway runs in Week 0, granted against lesser athletes in the second and third levels of the NMSU defense, would begin to answer that question and assuage any lingering concerns.
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