Florida State is ranked highly in a lot of offensive categories. However, those numbers are a bit exaggerated. A large part of them were gained during a two-game stretch earlier in the season in which they tallied over 1,500 yards.
This Saturday, FSU will face the defense of the Virginia Tech Hokies. It hasn’t been a good year for them as they rank 14th defensively in the ACC out of 17 teams. So, the Seminoles need to take advantage and have one of their better performance of the season.
It will be the final home game of the year for Florida State, so there’s sure to be a high level of emotion involved, especially for the seniors playing their final game in Doak Campbell Stadium. Here are five keys for the Seminoles offensively.
Establish the run
Florida State runs the ball better than any team in the ACC, and Virginia Tech gives up almost 150 yards per game on the ground. They need to get Gavin Sawchuk, Ousmane Kromah, and Samuel Singleton Jr. involved right out of the gate and control the tempo of the game.
Get Tommy Castellanos in rhythm early
The best way to get Castellanos some confidence is to get him some easy completions early against Virginia Tech. Coupled with a good start in the run game, Castellanos might have a shot to hit some big throws down the field to open things up.
Keep getting Lawayne McCoy involved
McCoy is up to 17 receptions on the season for 232 yards as he’s caught a pass in seven consecutive games. He tied a season-high in receptions (4) and yards (46) against the Clemson Tigers last week, and Florida State should build on that by getting him some touches early versus Virginia Tech.
Take advantage of poor redzone defense
Virginia Tech allows just under 30 points a game defensively because once teams get close to the end zone, they usually score. The Hokies give up points on over 97% of drives that reach the red zone, which ranks 134th in the nation. FSU needs to establish some long drives that lead to points and build a lead early.
Be aggressive
Florida State doesn’t need to sit on its hands in this game. They need to attack downfield with Micahi Danzy and even Squirrel White with his speed, as well as letting their group of running backs establish their dominance. Get a lead early and make Virginia Tech one-dimensional.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Offensive keys for Florida State vs. Virginia Tech
Reporting by Matthew Lenix , FSU Wire / FSU Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
