The NC State football team will head down to Tallahassee to begin ACC play in a tough matchup against the Florida State Seminoles this weekend. We spoke with FSUnews Sports Editor Blake DeVine to get some perspective on the opponent.
1) Florida State has not played in almost three weeks due to Hurricane Irma. How have they used the extra time off to prepare for this game, and do you think it will be a case of rest vs. rust?
Blake DeVine: Although many perceive the Seminoles’ 21-day layover between games as a potential advantage for health and rest purposes, I view it as a downside which prevented the team from getting into a rhythm and flow. While Hurricane Irma ripped through the entire state of Florida, FSU’s practice schedule was all over the place, as many players dealt with uncertainty regarding the safety of their impacted family members. Luckily, everyone’s family ended up relatively unscathed and the best thing moving forward for the ’Noles is getting back to playing football.
2) Obviously losing Deondre Francois for the year is a huge blow to Florida State’s offense. How will the team adjust to this? What kind of quarterback is James Blackman and what can we expect to see from him in this one?
BD: There is no debate that losing Francois for the entire season was a devastating blow for the Seminoles. However, this squad is surprisingly resilient — finished 10-3 overall without Derwin James for the majority of 2016 — and loaded with talent. Despite his inexperience, the true freshman possesses accuracy on the deep ball and the ideal height for a quarterback at 6-foot-5. Blackman has also been praised for his leadership abilities from teammates and coaches alike. Expect FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher to ease him into his first career start with a conservative approach early on before letting Blackman take a few shots down the field later in the game.
3) Obviously running the ball against the NC State D-line is a challenge, but the secondary has been an issue so far. How will Blackman and his weapons go about testing an inexperienced NC State defensive backfield?
BD: As previously mentioned, Fisher is well-known for his cautious approach with young quarterbacks. For this reason, the ’Noles will attempt to get their ground game going early while avoiding deep throws and potential interceptions. Nevertheless, if Florida State’s rushing attack significantly struggles, expect Blackman to air it out towards big play receiver Auden Tate and dynamic speedster Nyqwan Murray. Redshirt junior tight end Ryan Izzo may also play a significant role during play-action opportunities.
4) Ryan Finley has been great for NC State so far, and the team finally found a balance on offense by getting the run game going in its last game. What is the FSU defense like, and how will it go about stopping an offense that is effective at moving the ball both through the air and on the ground?
BD: With only two starters departing from last season, the Seminoles have one of the deepest units in the country. FSU totes four potential NFL first-round picks in James, defensive end Josh Sweat, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and cornerback Tarvarus McFadden. The ’Noles secondary is absolutely stacked while the defensive line prides itself on a relentless ability to get after opposing quarterbacks. With three weeks to dissect film and prepare, expect Florida State’s defense to significantly slow down NC State’s attack.
5) What is your score prediction for this one? What are the keys to the game?
BD: With the unpredictability of Florida State’s offense, this contest figures to be a tight low scoring affair in the first half. However, the Seminoles will make enough second half adjustments to eventually pull away behind the support of a boisterous home crowd.
Prediction: Florida State – 24, NC State – 10
The Wolfpack’s keys to the game will be chewing the game clock in Finley’s hands and forcing the ’Noles to throw the ball on offense. For FSU, they must get junior tailback Jacques Patrick rolling early and often while improving their special teams performance.
