Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for NoleGameday's Dustin Lewis
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program might have ended the regular season on a low note, but they have a chance to make history before their bowl game, as they are set to face Florida State in their first ever appearance in the ACC Championship Game.
Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Report sat down with Dustin Lewis of NoleGameday to find out more about the Seminoles.
1. How does losing QB Jordan Travis impact what the FSU can offense can do, and what does QB Tate Rodemaker bring to the table in his place?
It’s a massive blow to Florida State’s offense at the stretch run of the season. Even worse, there’s really been no time to ease Tate Rodemaker into his new role. He’s been thrown right into the fire after playing in front of over 90,000 fans in Gainesville and now entering the ACC Championship game against Louisville. It wasn’t pretty for Rodemaker last week but he made enough high-level throws to help the Seminoles pull out the win.
There’s no question that FSU’s offense has lost some juice without the playmaking and reliability of Jordan Travis. At the same, it does help that Rodemaker has been with the program for four years and previously led the Seminoles to comeback wins against Louisville and North Alabama. The coaching staff is confident that he can make all of the throws and reads required in the system. I think another week of Rodemaker knowing he’s the starter is a benefit going into this game.
2. What makes RB Trey Benson such a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands?
Well, Trey Benson doesn’t hold the nickname ‘Brick’ for no reason. He’s a massive running back, standing at 6-foot-1, 223 pounds, who possesses more than his fair share of athleticism. Benson has hit the 20+ mile per hour mark on multiple runs this season and has become the only player in FSU history with an 80+ yard rushing touchdown and an 80+ yard receiving touchdown. Benson also has the ability to bounce off of tacklers, evidenced by his tough running in a rivalry win last week where he tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns. He’s been up and down throughout the season but when he’s in a rhythm, he’s extremely fun to watch. The Seminoles will need another strong performance out of him against a battle-tested Louisville defense.
3. As it pertains to FSU’s two top wide receivers, how difficult has been if been for opposing defenses to scheme against the speed of Keon Coleman or the size of Johnny Wilson?
Florida State hasn’t had a pair of wide receivers like this in a long time. Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson are both legitimate impact players at the college level and each of them will probably have a longer future in the NFL. One of the best aspects about the duo is that they are unselfish and understand their number of targets and catches can vary depending on the matchup.
Opposing defenses have found ways to limit one or the other but rarely have we seen both wide receivers fail to make a big play in the same game. Plus, when Coleman and Wilson are being keyed on, that normally opens up avenues for tight end Jaheim Bell or the running backs to get involved in the passing attack.
Coleman’s production speaks for itself as he leads the ACC in touchdown catches (11). Wilson hasn’t been as effective as last year while dealing with injuries but he’s still averaging 15.3 yards per catch.
4. What has been the key to success behind an FSU secondary that is statistically one of the best against the pass in the nation?
The Seminoles only made one change to their on-field coaching staff over the offseason and that was adding defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr. into the fold after former position coach Marcus Woodson left for Arkansas. For whatever reason, Surtain Sr. is meshing better with defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, leading to fewer communication issues across the secondary. He’s also made it a point for his unit to focus on the fundamentals such as getting their head back around to the football while creating more takeaways.
If you look at the cornerbacks, Florida State is relying on a group of veterans outside of sophomore Azareye’h Thomas. Redshirt senior Renardo Green, redshirt senior Jarrian Jones, redshirt junior Fentrell Cypress II, and redshirt junior Greedy Vance are all experienced players who have garnered a ton of snaps across the ACC.
The Seminoles are younger at safety with redshirt sophomore Shyheim Brown starting opposite of redshirt senior Akeem Dent. With that being said, Brown is in the midst of a breakout campaign, and true freshman Conrad Hussey has displayed some positive signs as well.
As a unit, the defensive backfield plays together and prides itself on shutting down opposing offenses. They’ll throw out a variety of looks to try and confuse as well as bait quarterbacks into poor throws. It’s been a successful strategy as the Seminoles are the only team forcing more incompletions than completions in college football.
5. What is the one thing that Florida State must avoid doing in order to prevent an upset? What is something that Louisville must take advantage of if they have any hopes of pulling off the upset?
Focusing on offense, I think it will be imperative for the Seminoles to avoid turnovers in this game. The Cardinals have forced 19 turnovers this season but 18 of those came in their ten victories. In two losses, Louisville has only been able to come up with one total turnover. Florida State has given away the ball just five times this season, the best mark in the entire country.
On the other hand, one area of the game where I think the Cardinals can find an advantage is against Florida State’s offensive line. The Seminoles are pretty bruised up front and have had multiple starters miss time throughout the campaign. There were some struggles last week as the offense only averaged 2.9 yards per rush while surrendering seven tackles for loss and three sacks. If Louisville can set the tone at the line of scrimmage, it provides a path to an upset in Charlotte.
(Photo of Trey Benson: Matt Pendleton - Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK)
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