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No Tamorrion Terry. No Jordan Travis. No Devontay Love-Taylor.
True first-year quarterback Chubba Purdy made the first start of his young career tonight, and did so with just five fellows available (Helton, Williamson, Wilson, Thompson, Poitier). Purdy’s debut also marked first time since 1985 that FSU started four quarterbacks in one season.
Could an exhausted Seminole team do the unthinkable and topple an enemy of the Conference on the road?
The answer is a categorical no, as they just aren’t a competitive team at the moment.
Notes and observations of the offensive unit:
Strategist: Only scholarship QBs available were Purdy and Tate Rodemaker. Purdy is clearly still very raw at the post. Just paying attention to how these staff treat them with this game plan, he’s clearly lagging behind in learning offense. They don’t challenge him or ask him to do something difficult. All the fast throws with schematized open receivers, nothing deep, all below. In addition, liberal use of the wildcat with RBs. Quite disappointing but not surprising. This whole team needs another full offseason. Rodemaker was an early entry so he probably has a much better understanding of the offense. Sadly, bringing him in so you can open the offense also opens you up to more risk, because what you were running with Purdy was so safe. Legitimate questions about Rodemaker’s arm strength, let alone his ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes. This attack just can’t move the ball without Travis’ legs right now, and Travis can’t stay healthy.
Competence position: Only five fellows at WR, a position that has been a huge disappointment this year? Yikes. Jashaun Corbin debuted at RB, not La’Damian Webb or Lawrance Toafili, which is scratching my head. Although Corbin is a good zone runner. Warren Thompson continues to disappoint. He’s a good blocker but he just can’t catch. Reports indicate TE Cam McDonald was primarily in special teams, although he saw more of the pitch in the second half. In the niche? The WR room needs to be rebuilt. Webb played more in the second half, his balance is really good.
Offensive line: The FSU’s starting offensive line was Darius Washington, true rookie Thomas Shrader in his first start, Mo Smith, Baveon Johnson and Robert Scott. Dontae Lucas was available but did not start. The quick-throw game plan also has a little to do with the offensive line, which has taken a notable step backwards with Love-Taylor’s unfortunate season-ending injury. Rolling the pocket helps with pass protection. Johnson with another procedural penalty and playing just overall badly. Lucas played but had a horrific personal foul penalty that killed FSU’s first practice in the second half. Lucas and Baveon are both huge responsibilities with their penalties. The offensive line didn’t play badly in this game, but it wasn’t good either. Smith’s shots were poor, just too many slow shots tonight.
Driving Notes and Diagram Observations:
FSU is generally very good and accurate on scripted readers. But not this time around, as another procedural false start penalty killed the reader. The Play Call hasn’t tested or challenged Purdy’s abilities, but maybe Mike Norvell will open it up as the game unfolds. As we have seen most of the season, FSU has used unbalanced formations.
Recovering his own 10-yard line after a fourth defense stoppage, Norvell chooses to lead Purdy, which is interesting. Maybe to calm him down. Darius Washington is injured, which is devastating – FSU cannot afford to lose his two starting OTs. Brady Scott enters. Norvell takes Purdy out of his pocket, still using a lot of off-balance formations. Use Corbin in Wildcat ZR to upgrade to Ja’Khi Douglas. Seminoles do it on their own 31-yard line on 4th and 1st and Corbin at Wildcat can’t. I would have liked another RB with more power there.
FSU goes a lot with Wildcat. What does this say about faith in Purdy? When Purdy is in, it’s a ton of quick throws, all under it, a very watered down and streamlined attack. Don’t ask Purdy to do anything up front. You’d think Purdy would perform the same offense as Travis, but that’s not the case. You have to think that Purdy is still way behind in learning about the offense. The offense ended up stalling, aided by a fall from Warren Thompson, and FSU kicked 3. Again a lot of Wildcat and quick throws, trying to schedule the guys for easy reads. At least there won’t be a shutout.
Performing digs for the WRs over and over again throughout the first half gives Purdy some quick throws. But they don’t work and FSU comes out 3 & out.
A last record with 90 seconds before half-time. Purdy is replaced by Rodemaker. Rodemaker with similar quick short passes, but takes off for a first try. Washington descends but leaves on its own. Shrader is whipped for a sack, then the 2nd and 17th Rodemaker is intercepted as a defender reads his eyes and skips the pass.
At halftime, FSU’s offense went 98 total yards to an abysmal 3.5 yards per play and 2/7 on third downs. Purdy is 5/8 for 29 yards and Rodemaker is 3/5 for 19 yards.
HALF TIME
Purdy begins the second half. Takes a shot down the sideline but just out of bounds, but the attempt itself is remarkable. Lucas is flagged with a personal foul that kills the player on a play that Purdy would otherwise have had a first try on a scrum. Three 3 & outs in six possessions. FSU just can’t move the ball without Travis’ legs and Travis can’t stay healthy. Yet this drive ended because of Lucas.
Webb starts this series. FSU is 2/9 on the third down, but FSU starts over on the fourth down on his own 42-yard line. They convert on a deployment pass. Unfortunately, on the next series, FSU reached the 4th and 5th places. Purdy looks more comfortable on this drive, and they ask a bit more of him, but are generally safe. They hit another 4th and 1, and come out in a lopsided formation in the wildcat with Corbin and Corbin hitting the inside zone for a 29-yard rush for a touchdown. FSU goes for two with the throwing motion flood concept with Rodemaker at QB on a rolling pocket, but turns into a throwback that ends up being incomplete and nearly intercepted. So FSU takes a time out at kickoff?
I took a look at Purdy’s ability to scramble, but he holds the ball very low when he runs and he fumbles in a 4th on 1. Corbin converts again on a 4th and a 1. FSU is 2/12 on the third but 5/6 on the 4th down. At the start of the fourth quarter, Webb escapes. FSU tries a deep shooter with Purdy, but NC State gets a cover bag. On the third, long Purdy jostles and is very short. In the 4th down, Purdy unbalances him on his back foot despite a clean pocket and FSU turns him over on the downs.
Down 35-9 Purdy finally connects on a long 69-yard pass to Ontaria Wilson. With trips to the border, FSU executes a vertical switch through receivers # 1 and 2 on that side with an overall set of 4 verticals and Wilson finds himself wide open as the Wolfpack breaks cover. Purdy sees Wilson and hits him for the big score. Sadly, it’s far too little too late to make a difference in this one, but it’s only the seventh second-half touchdown this season, so it’s worth something. It is also FSU’s seventh touchdown pass this season.
Purdy much faster to just put it away and run with the game timer slowing down and picking up huge chunks of rushing yards. With a defensive penalty, FSU enters the red zone and scores from a fade to Thompson. A two point conversion fails.
Final statistics:
FSU finishes with 350 yards of attack with 150 of those rushing averaging 4.3 yards. Purdy and Rodemaker were an 18/28 combined for 11.1 yards per completion. Overall, the offense was 5.6 yards per play which isn’t great but is sufficient in conference play. However, they were 3/14 on the third down and 5/7 on the fourth down. Not surprisingly when you face a third average distance of over 9 meters.
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