The Florida State football team held its second preseason scrimmage of 2020 on Saturday inside Doak Campbell Stadium, and that means we're ready for a new edition of the Warchant 3-2-1, where we offer three observations, two questions and a prediction.
In this edition, we'll discuss FSU's best recipe for success this fall, the importance of leadership on offense and defense, a somewhat surprising position battle on the defensive line and more.
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Three things we've learned
1 -- There's a clear recipe for success for FSU in 2020
Many of us came into the preseason believing Florida State's defense had a chance to be very good in 2020. The Seminoles return a slew of starters and key backups from last season, and they brought in a number of very good transfers from other FBS schools. With improved coaching, which that group is now getting, there is absolutely no reason to believe the Seminoles won't have a stout defense this fall.
After two weeks of preseason camp, including Saturday's second scrimmage, the evidence is mounting that that will be the case. And if it is, then the Seminoles have a very clear recipe for success in Mike Norvell's first season -- with or without a highly effective offense.
If FSU can be dominant on defense and good on special teams -- both of which certainly seem likely -- the Seminoles should be in position to beat most of their opponents in 2020, provided they do one key thing on offense:
Don't give the game away.
That's not to say that the Seminoles have to be ultra-conservative on offense. That is not in Norvell's nature, and there are enough dynamic weapons on this offense that FSU can put up some points against most defenses. But they'll need to pick their spots. If the defense or special teams set them up with a short field, then by all means, go for the jugular. But in general, it's going to be more important for this offense to take care of the football and win field position than it is to race up and down the field.
With that in mind, there was one very positive development in an otherwise disappointing performance by the offense in Saturday's scrimmage. They only turned the ball over one time while running more than 100 plays, and that came on a dropped pass that was picked off by safety Travis Jay. That's very good news.
FSU's greatest advantage in most games this season will be when the defense is on the field. So it will be very important that the offense not put that unit in position to fail.
And if the offense turns into a highly productive unit at some point during the season, that will be gravy.
2 -- Emerging leadership at linebacker is promising
It has been a long time since Florida State has seen quality linebacker play. And while we're not quite ready to say this group is going to remind anyone of the great linebacking segments of the past, we are becoming bullish about its chances to be a very solid unit.
