Seminoles eager to start defensive resurgence at Wake Forest

WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. -- For the second year in a row, Florida State’s defensive players are being hounded with early season questions about their lackluster performance.

This time, they’re hoping to begin their turnaround much sooner.

“There’s still more football to be played,” FSU sophomore safety Derwin James said this week as the Seminoles prepared to face Wake Forest today at 3:30 p.m. (ABC). “My teammates ain’t quitting, and I’m not quitting on this season.”

In 2016, the Seminoles’ defense struggled mightily in early losses to Louisville and North Carolina -- even in wins against Ole Miss and South Florida -- before finding some solid footing in the second half of the season. The biggest issues during those struggles seemed to be breakdowns in communication, which led to wide-open receivers; a lack of physicality when it came to setting the edge on run defense; and at times a lack of effort.

With heat from fans and media intensifying on defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, the Seminoles finally figured things out after stumbling to a 3-2 start. In their final seven regular-season games, they allowed only one team to score more than 20 points, and that was eventual national champion Clemson.

Now, after giving up 27 points this past Saturday in a home loss to N.C. State, which dropped them to 0-2 on the season, Kelly’s players insist they can bounce back again.

“We’ll be fine,” junior defensive end Josh Sweat said. “Last year we fell short, we always bounce back. … We’ll be back.”

The problems on defense this season seem similar in some regards, but different in others.

In each of the first two games, there have been coverage breakdowns leading to long touchdown passes. Against Alabama in the season opener, confusion between the Seminoles’ safeties led to a 53-yard touchdown reception for the Tide’s Calvin Ridley. Then in the N.C. State loss, FSU safeties Nate Andrews and James both got beat on a 71-yard touchdown strike to Jakobi Meyers.

There also have been issues with players not getting lined up correctly and leaving their gaps. And after a solid tackling performance against Alabama, the Seminoles tackled poorly in several instances against N.C. State.