FSU DEFENSE
Florida State made headlines last Saturday as they defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide by a score of 31-17. This allowed the college football landscape to go wild as the Seminoles are considered to be one of the better teams in the country.
Let's remember that Florida State would not be competitive by some analysts (*cough* Paul Finebaum*) against Alabama. Then they wouldn't be able to guard the 18-year-old wide receiver phenom Ryan Williams.
Some realized that the Seminoles' defense was led by defensive coordinator Tony White. This was one of my favorite pickups this offseason from the coaching staff. This isn't a direct shot at previous coach Adam Fuller, but Coach White has had a top-25 unit in each of the past four seasons at Syracuse and Nebraska.
FORCING TURNOVERS
Defensive backs were not the main culprit of the Seminoles' 2-10 season last year. Position coach Patrick Surtain Sr. is considered as someone who is respected in the industry. The issue was mainly because the secondary wasn't able to force turnovers.
This was surprising since they had star Azareye'h Thomas, who was drafted by the New York Jets this past year. However, the Seminoles were only able to grab four interceptions in 2024.
Florida State had a massive victory on Saturday afternoon as they beat East Texas A&M by a score of 77-3. While I know that some will say "it is just East Texas A&M", I don't ever take wins for granted anymore.
The Seminoles managed to get two interceptions versus the Lions. The turnovers were created by defensive backs Jerry Wilson and Earl Little Jr. These are two of Florida State's best defenders. I love the way that the Seminoles' unit under Coach White is so physical and aggressive.
We are already halfway to the interception total, and I expect to get even more as the Seminoles face Kent State after this week's bye week. This defense is scary in Tallahassee, and I cannot wait to see it continue to blossom as the season progresses.