Now that the spring game -- and four weeks of spring practice -- are in the books, it's time to take a closer look at Florida State Football with another edition of the Warchant 3-2-1: Where we offer 3 things we've learned, 2 questions we're asking and 1 prediction.
Three things we've learned
1 -- Taggart is much more comfortable with this offensive staff
It’s always difficult to gauge the relevance of what we’re seeing in a spring game.
When the passing attack is successful, as it was on Saturday, it’s impossible to not wonder what’s going on with the defense. When a defensive lineman bursts into the backfield and records a sack, any excitement about the big play is immediately tempered by concerns about the pass protection.
That’s just how these things go. It’s the nature of the spring game beast.
But if you were paying close attention to the play on the field -- and the words of Willie Taggart and several players after Saturday's spring game -- I think you would be justified in feeling optimistic about the Seminoles' offense heading into the 2019 season.
As Corey Clark wrote immediately after the game, the offense seemed to operate much more efficiently on Saturday than it did at any point last season. The wide receivers got lined up correctly. The offensive line didn’t have many of those head-scratching lapses, where they just turned defensive linemen loose for free shots on the quarterback. And the quarterbacks and skill players seemed to have a much better understanding of what they were trying to accomplish.
But the most telling aspects of all might have been comments from Taggart and players after the game was over.
At least four different times, Taggart made statements about the offensive staff and players all “being on the same page” and how significant of a change that has been. He said it has been essential in not only creating big plays, but avoiding the mistakes that plagued the Seminoles one year ago.
On the surface, that would seem to be a bit of a shot at former offensive coordinator Walt Bell and perhaps former offensive line coach Greg Frey. Suggesting that they were not on the “same page” with Taggart, with each other, or both. And I’m guessing that wouldn't be a shocking revelation to anyone who watched Florida State’s offense in action last season. No one would have watched that team operate and thought, “Well, that is one well-coordinated offense.”
By bringing in new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and new offensive line coach Randy Clements, the Seminoles appear to have solved the bulk of those issues. Briles and Clements have worked together for years, and each has a clear understanding of what the other expects -- and needs -- for this offense to go. If it doesn’t work this year, it won’t be because they’re “not on the same page.”
And while it’s too early to know just how improved the offense will be -- I wouldn’t get too carried away with the gaudy passing statistics from Saturday -- I do think there were reasons for encouragement in the words of several players.
Whether it was wide receiver D.J. Matthews explaining how he has learned to trust this coaching staff, or center Baveon Johnson discussing how Clements’ arrival was desperately needed, or James Blackman and others talking about how much confidence they have in Briles’ offense, there seemed to be one common refrain from all parties involved -- there is a shared belief on that side of the ball right now that did not exist in 2018.
You could see it in the way the players communicated with each other between plays, and you could see it in the ease with which they operated the no-huddle at different stages. There were only one or two instances the entire game where you could sense confusion before the snap.
That was a pretty regular -- and frustrating -- occurrence in 2018.
Will this offense become anywhere near as productive as fans had hoped when Taggart was hired nearly 18 months ago? That’s to be determined. But an offense has no chance to succeed if the coaches aren’t on the same page and the players don’t believe in what they’re doing.
