I'm in the process of getting a master's degree from Notre Dame and I've become friends with two football players. Both are on the defensive side of the ball. One started in the secondary in Tallahassee and the other is a ST/reserve player who also played a good amount against FSU. Anyways, naturally I interrogate them often concerning their experience at FSU. Here are some highlights:
The environment at FSU was the craziest either had experienced (both are RS seniors now), outside of the national championship game of course
Jameis Winston was the most complete and intelligent QB they ever watched on film. Their DC also made this observation
The game plan going in was to take away O'Leary and Greene, while trying to exploit the center of our line with blitzes. They wanted to force Jameis to go to his check-down receivers as much as possible
On two instances, one where a 3rd down LB blitzer got to Jameis untouched but he still made a perfect pass to Rudolph and the other where Jameis was being pursued and falling down but still made a perfect throw to Greene along the sideline in the red-zone, the secondary player said he came to the sideline and his coaches just put their hands up in the air like "There's nothing else we can do to stop him." He said the secondary and defense in general was especially disheartened after that Greene reception
I asked him about Golson and he said he thinks he'll win the Heisman at FSU and that "he's lucky to play for a coach like Jimbo who will have his back no matter what happens." He didn't go any further than that but he was certainly insinuating something regarding his own coach...
Of course they both believe it was a bad flag and they should have won the game
They were also extremely impressed with the girls in the stands
Nothing groundbreaking I'd say but pretty neat to hear about FSU from the perspective of opposing players. The Jimbo comment made me realize how lucky we are to have him. Go Noles!
