For the third straight season, the FSU Seminoles opened ACC play with a loss. This time they lost to the SMU Mustangs 27-24 at Doak Campbell Stadium.
While SMU needed to kick a field goal with 21 seconds left to win the game, the Seminoles once again struggled on both sides of the ball. The defense forced four turnovers, but gave up 585 yards of offense and could not get off the field when needed. The offense managed just 324 yards of offense and scored seven points off turnovers.
The loss once again has FSU’s fans calling for Mike Norvell’s job, despite a hefty buyout. Norvell spoke after the game and admitted that their inability to capitalize on the turnovers were costly.
“Unfortunately, we only had seven points off takeaways, which, when you get four turnovers, you need to be able to put points on the board in those situations,” he said. “And then, we had the two turnovers on the one drive with the interception and then with the muffed kick, but, we’ve got to take advantage of those, and we did not do a good enough job of putting points on the board after turnovers. It’s good that the defense was able to create those, but we have to be better in complimenting and taking advantage there.
Norvell also addressed Ashton Daniels, the third-down defense, playing the game with limitations, and more. Here are his comments after FSU lost to SMU.
Opening Statement
To start off, obviously, congratulations to SMU, but I also appreciate all the facilities, behind the scenes. Tonight, obviously, it was a unique start with the delay and just something that was kind of uncontrollable, but, obviously, a lot of hard work went into that behind the scenes to allow us to play the game tonight. So definitely appreciate everybody in the facilities department that helped make that happen. Coming off of it, just another close game, a lot of one plays, and you think back through it, some of the explosive plays that we had, that we gave up defensively, some missed opportunities there offensively. We never really got in rhythm throwing the ball, but had some good runs. I thought Ous (Ousmane Kromah) ran the ball really hard. I thought there were some good seams there. Ashton (Daniels) as a runner did some good things and we also got to go and make plays in the passing game when opportunities present themselves. We didn’t do a great job in protecting with that. Throughout, there’s some inconsistencies there that we got to clean up and it didn’t all come all together in the passing game. And ultimately, that’s on us. We’ve got to get that corrected. We’ve got to get that improved because, we had our opportunities andit’s a shame to come up a field goal short. Special teams, I thought there were some big plays that we were able tocreate with recovering the muffed kick, Daniel (Hughes) did a good job. We knew there’s a very talented returner, we wanted to get the ball on the ground and kind of see if you’d force him into some tough decisions and you were able to create a takeaway there. With the field goal, I thought that was a good execution with our guys, you’ve been able to extend another drive. So, there were some good things that were definitely present, but, unfortunately, not enough to allow us to achieve victory against a good football team, and, they are that and they’ve got experience. The quarterback played really well, he was able to extend plays, so we gave him a couple of cheap ones that made iteasy on them at times. But, at the end of the day, they made the plays that were necessary and we came up short.
On if they expected to run so much entering the game
Some of it was a mixed. (We) had some run-pass, things that we called that we’re really going to take what they gave us in regards. We had some good runs that showed up off that, but also wanted to try to get some consistency going in the passing game, and unfortunately wasn’t able to do that to a level and be able to sustain that throughout. There were some dynamics of that. We were doing some good things in the run game and wanted to have a little bit more balance, but also wanted more production in what we’re trying to do there.
On the 3rd down defense
Well, it still comes down to overall execution of the things that are called. Have there been different issues? Yes. Unfortunately, that has showed up, but, also, you’re taking away the things that we’re supposed to be taking away, at times has cost us. Guys trying to do a little too much or being inconsistent in certain aspects of alignment. That comes down to, it’s player, it’s coach, it’s all of us that, if we’re calling it, we got to be able to go out there and execute it, and, unfortunately, it’s not happening consistently enough in big situations. And it’s in all phases. When you come up short and you don’t play to the level that I know that we’re capable of playing, we all have to take a look at that and we have to get it corrected.
On what he thinks when they were outgained but in the game until the end
I thought our guys did battle. I thought we were able to create takeaways. It’s something that we knew going into the game, it was going to be a big factor. Unfortunately, we only had seven points off takeaways, which, when you get four turnovers, you need to be able to put points on the board in those situations. And then, we had the two turnovers on the one drive with the interception and then with the muffed kick, but, we’ve got to take advantage of those, and we did not do a good enough job of putting points on the board after turnovers. It’s good that the defense was able to create those, but we have to be better in complimenting and taking advantage there.
On why they wanted to play the game tonight, on a common denominator in their close losses
First is, there’s a lot that goes into the opportunity to play the game. And, obviously, the safety of the players, making sure they had lights, making sure all those factors were a top priority. As long as it was going to be balanced and equal on each side, then it was adjustments to be made. There was talk of alternatives if things didn’t work out, but, it was all kind of part of it and, does it affect things? Yes, but it affects things on both sides and so yeah, it’s definitely a different situation, but, it’s how it played out. And then in regards to the close games, in those moments, I was proud of our guys for the way they battled. We were down there in the 3rd quarter, were able to tie the game up. It comes down to our play and there’s so many that you can go look back at throughout the course of the game and you can look at the 1st quarter, 4th quarter, but, whether it’s an additional stop, whether it’s an assignment that we’ve got to be on point with, whether it’s in run block, route, depth, quarterback drop, read, those things, they show up big. It’s just the consistency of that that has to improve and, ultimately, you have to go make the play when we get the opportunity to make the play. As coaches, it’s our responsibility. I make sure we’re putting our players in the best position, and that’s what I told the guys afterwards. Everybody in the program has to improve. We have to be better, because you only get so many of those opportunities. And when you’re playing a good football team, there’s certain things that we allowed to happen, it’s just sick, it’s, sick to see it. Obviously, I just wanted so bad for these players just to be able to understand what they can accomplish, understand what they can do, and then we gotta go do it too. And so at the end of the day, it’s a lot of little things. We, harp on it, we emphasize it, from communication to details, fundamentals, technique, but in that moment of truth, that’s what’s got to show up.
On if he heard fans booing during the 4th quarter, if that affects the team
You notice it, but at the end of the day, there’s always going to be outside perspective. Whether you’re at home, whether you’re on the road, you got to be able to control what you can control, and that’s a part of this game. We’re blessed and honored to be able to get to do what we get to do out there on that field. We represent a special program, we represent a special place. I can tell you that our players, our coaches, everybody within the program has the highest of expectations and we want to be successful and that’s what we work for. That’s what we work towards. The passion of this place, it’s what makes it incredible. And, it is what it is. If you don’t want to get booed, continue to play, continue to work and play better. We got booed a week ago on a 3rd down, then converted on 4th down and then cheering, it’s all part of it. That’s a part of, what we get the opportunity to do and just maintain our focus on our job and don’t get distracted by that either.
On winning the rushing battle, Kevin Jennings’ big plays
It came down to the explosive plays, you really look at it, turnovers, running the football, stopping the run, but then the explosive play we give up. You have a 50-yard touchdown at the beginning of the game that I’d like to say it was something different, but I mean, just a total bust in coverage when you saw a wrong signal, just had a bust. It’s unfortunate that you see those, but those count, and then, just the explosive plays that presented themselves. A couple of the missed opportunities that we had for some of the plays downfield, those are things that have to show up big, but, turnovers, run game, rush defense, special teams, and those explosive plays. It’s a huge factor. And so, you have to give credit to SMU for what they did and, obviously we got to improve more.
On the timeout they called ahead of the punt in the second half
We had 10 players on the field. A guy that was on the field ran off that was not supposed to. It’s unacceptable.
On how Ashton Daniels has played, if they have considered playing another quarterback
You look at all things, and we all take ownership in it. There’s a couple of really good throws that we got to finish on. There’s a couple of reads that we can be better at. There’s some protections that we need to give more time on. There’s a combination of things that showed up tonight that was not good enough for what it needs to be in our passing game. He (Ashton Daniels) did some good things, like I said, in the running game. He did put the ball in some good places with some opportunities tonight, but, at the end of the day, we evaluate all things and I believe that Ashton’s a guy that has capability. He’s shown capability throughout our preparation and all the things we’re doing, but now we’ve got to be able to carry that over to the game and it takes more than just one player to be able to execute at a high level in the passing game. He’s got a huge role in it, and I fully expect for him to grow from the experiences that we’ve had and the guys around him and all that we’re doing to get better. But, we evaluate all things and so we’ll get a chance to watch the film and break down even to a greater detail of where the mishaps were and go and improve.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: What FSU head coach Mike Norvell said after SMU loss