While we wait to find out the identity of Florida State's next head football coach, it's time for a new edition of the Warchant 3-2-1 ... a non-FSU head coaching search edition of the 3-2-1.
In this installment, managing editor Ira Schoffel offers up three observations, two questions and a prediction about Florida State football.
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Three things we've learned
1 -- This defense was bad, but it also got no help
I've always viewed Florida State's 2009 defense as the gold standard for bad defenses, at least during the couple of decades that I've covered the Seminoles.
You remember that defense, don't you? The one that made Miami fans believe Jacory Harris would be a great quarterback? The one that didn't force Georgia Tech to punt one time in an entire game inside Doak Campbell Stadium? The one that gave up 40 points to Clemson, 42 to N.C. State and 49 to Tech in the span of four weeks?
In a season of awful defensive performances, that game against the Yellow Jackets was easily the worst. Christian Ponder was brilliant that day, passing for 359 yards and five touchdowns, and the Seminoles ran the ball well, too. But the offense did get forced to punt one time, and that was the difference in the game -- a 49-44 loss.
Fast-forward 10 years, and as we watched FSU's defense wrap up this abysmal 2019 campaign on Saturday night, I couldn't help but feel that this group was just as hopeless. These Seminoles gave up 36 points to Boise State and 44 to ULM in the first two weeks of the season, and they gave up 40 in the finale to Florida. And there were more valleys than peaks along the way.
But was it really as bad as 2009?
Just on the surface, I would have thought it was a close call. This defense was better against the run than that one, but that one was better against the pass. After doing a little research, I can safely say the 2009 defense won't have to worry about its "gold standard" status being challenged just yet.
As bad as this defense was, it actually performed much better than the 2009 unit in several categories, especially when taking into consideration the much faster pace of play.
This defense gave up 28.5 points per game, while the '09 unit surrendered 30.0. The total yardage per game was essentially a dead heat, with both allowing about 435 yards.
When you take into consideration pace of play, however, this current defense actually didn't perform anywhere near as poorly. If you remember that 2009 season, you likely recall that then-offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher went to great lengths to slow the pace and shorten games. He did everything he could as an offensive play-caller to keep the Seminoles' woeful defense off the field.
