With all due respect to The Citadel, I’m keeping this one short and sweet this week…
FSU Offense vs The Citadel Defense
The Noles will most likely use this as a bit of a glorified scrimmage to work on some things they struggled with last week and get some game action for the youngsters before Clemson comes to town in two weeks. The Citadel gave up 31 points and over 400 yards of offense to Coastal Carolina in their opener last week. I look for the Noles to focus on a few things this week. First, establishing the running game better. This should be a given against a team that is physically overmatched, but it’s still important to make the right calls, communicate, hit the holes correctly, etc. I think we’ll see more Mario Pender and see our first action from Dalvin Cook as well. In addition, getting more wide receivers evolved in the pass game will probably be a top priority, too. Just like getting Cook in the run game, I’d look for Travis Rudolph and Ermon Lane to have more of an impact in this one. Bobo Wilson also returns from his suspension and I’m sure Coach Jimbo Fisher and Jameis Winston would like to get some rapport developed in game situations between them before Clemson comes to town.
FSU Defense vs The Citadel Offense
The Citadel is an option team that ran for 358 yards in week one and only completed a single pass in eight attempts. Discipline is the name of the game for the Noles this week. Playing assignment football, getting off blocks, and not trying to make the play will be key to work on. Though they may not be playing the same style offense the rest of the year, learning that discipline and playing team defense is a trait that can carry over. Gap integrity is something that Coach Fisher has harped on this week from the Oklahoma State game and playing an option team forces you to do so. The Noles didn’t play near the number of guys on defense that they are accustomed to last week and that will change on Saturday. I’d look for Derrick Nnadi and Demarcus Christmas to make their game debuts at defensive tackle and for Justin Shanks and Keith Bryant to see their first action of the year on the interior of the line, too. With The Citadel not imposing much of a threat through the air, I wouldn’t be shocked if some of the starting defensive backs see very little action, particularly P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby who are both not 100%.
Score Prediction: FSU 58-10