Travis leads a top-10 scoring offense but constantly seeking improvement - TheOsceola: Florida State Seminoles Football & Basketball Recruiting

Published Oct 18, 2023

Travis leads a top-10 scoring offense but constantly seeking improvement

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Florida State had been perfect in the red zone going into the Syracuse game. And the Seminoles were 3 of 4 on Saturday in a 41-3 rout.

Jordan Travis’ reaction to a missed opportunity, one where the Seminoles were gifted a possession (courtesy of Joshua Farmer's strip sack) at the Syracuse 5 but couldn't score on four plays, was one of frustration when given an oh-so-close-chance to put the ball in the end zone.

“I feel like every drive, I want to score,” Travis said on Wednesday. “I feel like when we don’t score, I put it on myself. But it’s never going to affect the next drive. That’s just who I am.”

Travis and the Seminoles have a 12-game winning streak, one that dates almost a calendar year to the victory over Georgia Tech last October. Coupled with it, the Seminoles have scored 30 or more points in all 12 games and feature the nation’s No. 7 scoring offense (42.2 points).

From coach Mike Norvell down to the Seminoles, there is a sense of just how good the personnel on the offense are and what they can accomplish on the field. When they talk through the reasons for the frustrations, it’s not finger-pointing but a discussion of self-reflection — how a player can improve — and also how it makes the offense better the next time the Seminoles are on the field.

“(Travis) can continue to bring that energy because even though you see maybe a visibly upset guy, it's encouraging to our team when a guy comes over, if it's him or something that he sees, he's taking ownership of it,” Norvell said. “ ‘Hey, we'll be better in this. I'll do this.’ ”

There have been injuries along the offensive line, receiver and even to Travis. There have been four starting offensive line groups due to injury, too. And a running game that has been hot, cold and now hot again.

But through it, one constant — FSU is able to put up points on the scoreboard. Syracuse had the No. 30 scoring defense coming into Saturday, and the Seminoles not only put up 41 points but also 535 offensive yards.

“We have not reached even close to our potential yet, which is crazy,” Travis said. “We have not had even close to our best game. Once we put everything together, who knows who can stop us? I don’t think there’s many teams that can stop us. We have talent across the field.”

That talent has been on display throughout the season, notably receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson (who has looked quite good in practice and is set to make his return after missing the Syracuse game). There has been some questioning of personnel use and ball distribution, impacted considerably by preseason injuries to Kentron Poitier and Ja’Khi Douglas and the development of freshmen, but Travis has just one interception in 182 throws and has had more options in the passing game the last few weeks.

He has connected with eight pass-catchers (receiver, tight end or running back) against Syracuse and eight vs. Virginia Tech.

“If a guy gets 15 targets a game, the next game he gets one, that’s where the ball takes me,” Travis said. “The receivers know, a bunch of selfless guys. I have reads every single week. I go through my reads and obviously there’s some reads I wish I could have back. But, yeah, that’s my job as a quarterback to go through my reads.

“Obviously, I would love to spit the ball around to every single body. But sometimes the game plan doesn’t call for that and the guys understand that. That’s my favorite thing about the football team, the receivers that we have, all they want to do is win. When you have guys like that a team is going to be successful.”

The challenge is significant each week for FSU, which is in position to play in the ACC title game and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. But the battle is even tougher on Saturday as FSU faces (statistically speaking) the toughest defense of the year in Duke, which is allowing 9.8 points per game (fourth in the FBS) and 164.7 yards per game (eighth).

“I’m very excited,” Travis said. “Obviously a ranked opponent, really talented team that is very disciplined. But it’s another opportunity to go out and show what we do. It’s always about us and will forever be about us.”

And FSU’s red-zone streak? The Seminoles are 23 of 24 going into the Duke game, with 18 touchdowns. FSU will be back at it on Saturday, seeking to finish drives and finish against one of the nation’s best defenses: Duke has allowed just seven scores in 14 red-zone drives.