How FSU's offensive line got to this point
Willie Taggart’s first year as Florida State’s head coach hasn’t been anything to write home about. The Seminoles are off to a lackluster 3-3 start, with the offensive line taking the lion's share of the blame. The situation up front has gotten so rough that there have been six different starting combinations in six games.
No matter who has lined up, the results have generally been the same – FSU has been dominated in the trenches, and those shortcomings have severely impeded the offense’s ability to move the football.
How bad is it?
The Seminoles’ offensive line certainly doesn’t pass the eyeball test, and the numbers clearly back up the observations. Florida State ranks in the bottom 20 percent nationally in six of the eight major offensive statistics for FBS schools. Only passing offense (51) and passing efficiency (74) are above No. 100 in the national rankings.
A deeper dive into the numbers -- ones that more directly reflect the offensive line's performance -- paint an even gloomier picture. When it comes to pass protection, FSU has surrendered 20 sacks and ranks No. 120 in this category, giving up 3.4 sacks per game. And when it comes to running the football, the numbers are downright scary -- the ‘Noles rank No. 128 nationally, averaging just 2.5 yards per rushing attempt, which is last among all Power 5 schools. The fact that FSU has surrendered a whopping 55 tackles for loss in six games certainly hasn’t helped this average.
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