Hot Topics: The case for, and against, a 10-win debut for Taggart

The backfield is elite -- Florida State enters the 2018 season with arguably the nation's top stable of running backs. Led by sophomore Cam Akers, who broke FSU's freshman rushing record in 2017, the Seminoles return three tailbacks who were five-star recruits in high school (Akers, Jacques Patrick and Khalan Laborn) and two who were four-stars (Amir Rasul and Zaquandre White). They also will add four-star freshman Anthony Grant. The best part about this group's combination of talent and depth is that Taggart won't be bashful about using them. During his tenures at Oregon and USF, Taggart has produced some of the nation's most prolific rushing attacks. And he has said numerous times this offseason that he will look to get three or four of FSU's running backs on the field together. Look for several of them to get opportunities at receiver, and it would shock no one to see Akers -- a high school quarterback -- got some snaps in that role.

Experience at QB -- For the first time since Jameis Winston's second season as a starter in 2014, the Seminoles will have an experienced quarterback running the offense this season. Whether junior Deondre Francois or sophomore James Blackman wins the job, FSU should benefit from having somewhat of a proven commodity at the position. Blackman was extremely green when he took over as a true freshman in 2017, and Francois was untested when he won the job as a redshirt freshman one year earlier. While Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson did have college experience under his belt when he arrived in 2015, he had only a couple of months to learn Jimbo Fisher's offense and work on timing with the Seminoles' receivers. Both Francois and Blackman should have good chemistry with FSU's entire receiver corps, and the fact that Taggart's offense is much simpler than Fisher's should help both QBs be more decisive and aggressive.

Clemson and UF at home -- While Fisher wasn't able to win 10 regular-season games in his debut season (2010), he did put together an impressive 9-3 mark and picked up that 10th victory in the bowl game. One of the factors working in Fisher's favor that season was getting rivals Clemson and Florida at home -- something that happens in even years, like this one in 2018. Fisher was able to sweep the Tigers and Gators during three of his seven seasons (2010, '13 and '14), but the only time he was able to do it on the road was during the Seminoles' 2013 national championship season. FSU has won five straight against UF, while Clemson has won three straight against the 'Noles.

Defensive line should be dominant -- Despite losing two starters to the NFL Draft -- DT Derrick Nnadi went in the third round to Kansas City, while DE Josh Sweat went in the fourth to Philadelphia -- Florida State has a chance to be much more productive on the defensive line this fall. Defensive end Brian Burns came on strong late in his sophomore year and was dominant at times in the spring; sophomore tackle Marvin Wilson has dropped about 30 pounds and is one of the most talented players on FSU's entire roster; and senior DT Demarcus Christmas is a three-year starter. With the Seminoles scrapping the read-and-react, two-gap system used by former defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, FSU's defensive linemen are expected to be much more aggressive and productive this fall.