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Friday, October 31, 2008
View from Tallahassee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To keep its ACC title hopes alive, Georgia Tech must beat Florida State. The Seminoles are ranked No. 15 in the BCS, and they’re the first ranked team Tech has faced all season. The Jackets, coming off their first home loss, are a slight 2 1/2 point favorite.
Corey Clark, of the Tallahassee Democrat, answered six questions in advance of Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Bobby Dodd Stadium:
What’s the biggest difference between this year’s FSU team and the mediocre versions of the past few years? Is FSU back?
They’re winning close games. That’s the bottom line. Of the 17 losses Florida State had in the previous three years, 15 of them were decided in the fourth quarter. When the game was on the line and the outcome was in doubt, the Seminoles just weren’t making those clutch, late-game plays that good teams make. Now they are. During this current winning streak, FSU has put together big drives in the fourth quarter to either win games or cement them. Quarterback Christian Ponder isn’t the next Charlie Ward or Chris Weinke, but he has shown an uncanny ability to play his best when it matters the most.
As far as FSU being back? Slow down, big guy. I don’t think the Seminoles are close to where they were in the late 1990s, but this program is definitely on the upswing again. After 17 losses in three years, the players are starting to believe they are supposed to win again. And that’s huge for a team with so many underclassmen.
Can the Seminoles’ young offensive line handle Tech’s strength, a D-line featuring ends Michael Johnson and Derrick Morgan?
Probably not. There’s no shame in that, though. I don’t know if the 49ers could handle that front four. What FSU will have to do is move Ponder around and not just let him sit back in the pocket as a bunch of true freshmen try to block guys that will be playing on Sundays next year.
I think Ponder’s mobility will be a key. He ran for 144 yards against Miami’s defense and has made big plays with his feet all year. If he can make a couple of long runs early in the game, that might slow down Tech’s pass rush just enough for the Seminoles to make some plays downfield in the passing game.
What is RB Antone Smith’s status for the game and is he the key to FSU’s offense?
Antone Smith plans on playing. He injured his elbow and his ribs in the win over Virginia Tech, but said he expects to be ready to go by Saturday. And they’ll need him because he is playing, by far, the best football of his career. He is running harder than he ever has and seems to have an extra burst through the line of scrimmage - provided there is a hole. He’s not going to bounce off people like Jonathan Dwyer will, but he has enough speed to run by anyone on the field. I don’t know if he’s the key to the offense or not, but it might not be a coincidence that the one game FSU lost this season (12-3 to Wake Forest) was the game in which Smith had just eight carries for 24 yards.
There’s been talk that FSU’s speedy, aggressive defense could get caught overpursuing and be burned by the triple option at times. Is that a real concern?
Honestly, I think the biggest concern is the interior of FSU’s line being able to slow down Dwyer. I think FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews will have his linebackers and D-ends coached up well enough that they’ll stay with their assignements and not be too aggressive. But the interior of FSU’s line was gashed in the first half against NC State and also gave up a couple of big runs to Virginia Tech. If the Seminoles’ D-tackles can’t get a push at the line of scrimmage, then Dwyer could have a very big afternoon.
Talk about Ponder’s development and whether you expect D’Vontrey Richardson to play some as well.
Ponder is coming along. He’s not a great passer yet by any means. But he also seems to make big throws when it counts - it doesn’t hurt to have a 6-foot-6 Greg Carr at wide receiver either. When in doubt, he can just drop back, loft a pass down the sideline and say “go get it big fella.” And the big fella usually does. What’s been most encouraging for FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is the fact that Ponder hasn’t thrown an interception in either of the last two games - after throwing six combined against Wake, Colorado and Miami.
As for Richardson, I’m not sure he’ll play or not. They might have him come in for a play or two like they did against Virginia Tech (he finished with four rushes for 21 yards), but I don’t think he’ll get any extended time unless Ponder gets banged up.
Who has been most responsible for FSU’s incredible third-down defensive stats? CPJ was blown away by that stat.
Yeah, what they’ve been doing is pretty amazing. I don’t remember a team, at any level, allowing just 17 percent on third-down conversions halfway through the season. It’s unreal. Virginia Tech was struggling so much in the second half last week, I half expected them to start punting on third downs. It would’ve saved time anyway. As for why FSU is so good on third down, I’m just not real sure quite frankly. Andrews does like to blitz, which obviously hurries everything. But I think the biggest thing is what they do on first and second downs. The FSU defense is always one of the leaders in the nation in tackles for loss and that can put intense pressure on an offense when it’s facing third-and-11 or third-and-14.
