Today there are numerous references to culture and Culture Wars. Yesterday we witnessed a win that can only be attributed to the culture of Mike Norvell's Florida State football program. FSU was on the road; had lost 7 straight to CU. Clemson had won 25 straight ACC games at home. The crowd was a sellout and Dabo had them prepared. Both teams were missing starters, but FSU's main weapon, Travis Jordan, was hurt in the last game. Clemson out gained us in total yards. Kept the lead for ~27 minutes and never was behind in regulation. Our bread and butter running game was held to 22 net yards for the game. If not for Travis' arm and Wilson's, Coleman's, Benson's hands, and all of DeLoach's head, arms, and legs, we're not even in the game. Wilson was great accounting for 94 yards and 5 first downs by my count. Coleman scored 2 TD's and battered Jordan Travis accounted for 3 TDs, was 21 of 37 for 289 yards while breaking the school record for TDs accounted for at 82 scores. All this while our RBs produced 22 total net yards on the ground. 31-24 FSU wins? How'd they do that?
Their RBs absolutely manhandled us. Shipley is one stud runner. He ran over Thomas. He ran through Lundy. He ran around Payton. There were times he was carrying Verse and Bethune on his back. He had 151 yards of T/O. Mafah had 101. And their rookie QB played lights out. He completed 9 straight passes in the second quarter and finished 25 of 38 for 283 yards. He certainly came into his own and I'm not looking forward to seeing him for another 2 years. Their so-called depleted receiving core out muscled us repeatedly. Cypress played small. Green played big, but also got out physicaled more than once. But when it counted the most, it was Renardo Green that stopped that third down WR screen in overtime. Green might be the poster child of the FSU culture that produced that win yesterday. Earlier he was called for pass interference where the CU receiver had actually initiated contact with him and had his arm around Green when the back judge from ~15 yards away called the foul. So many players getting that kind of call will lose their focus and maybe their temper. Green just played the next play, broke up passes and made 2 key tackles in the fourth quarter, plus a sack. Of course the epitome of the FSU culture of always having an unconquered spirit is Jordan Travis. He was hit several times hard after releasing the ball. He was sacked twice and tackled in the field play. Yet he engineered a TD drive in less that 2 minutes left in the second quarter to bring us within 3 of the lead. Sweeney said he thought that drive w/ Travis willing himself into the end zone was the key to our win. Then he led us on a FG drive to start the third quarter and tie the lead. And of course, threw the perfect pass for Keon in OT. Kept laser focus while much was going wrong and he was hurting.
This culture accepts adversity. I don' think it welcomes it. But what Mike Norvell teaches about doing everything you do well is fully embraced; even by players who have only been on campus for maybe 90 days. And it shows up in places like ST. I learned of an interesting stat. yesterday. FSU leads the country in net punting by allowing ~3 yards/return. Didn't see Williamson catch a pass? Watch him be first on the punt returner. Keon seems like he grew up at FSU; didn't catch any of the 3 balls thrown his way at BC and scored 2 TDs yesterday. Knowles was abused on the message boards, but he kept playing and played well yesterday. Fritz was close to a basket case less than a year ago. Now he delivers a 48 yard FG, 7 critical points and keeps the ball out of Shipley's hands on KOs. The list goes on. Wilson was doubted after those 4 drops against BC. Caught almost everything thrown his way yesterday. Benson couldn't get anything going on the ground yesterday. So how does he respond? Was he mopping? No. He was targeted 3 times by Travis. Caught all 3 for 50 yards and ended up w/ 75 yards of T/O. Norvell has built an Unconquered Culture.
FSU is on a 10 game winning streak. We are 20-6 all time when ranked at #4. We are 100-6 against unranked ACC opponents when we are ranked in the top 5. Clemson was unranked.
Now let's heal up; do some course correcting in the down week and refocus on establishing our running game; then scalp the hokies.
Their RBs absolutely manhandled us. Shipley is one stud runner. He ran over Thomas. He ran through Lundy. He ran around Payton. There were times he was carrying Verse and Bethune on his back. He had 151 yards of T/O. Mafah had 101. And their rookie QB played lights out. He completed 9 straight passes in the second quarter and finished 25 of 38 for 283 yards. He certainly came into his own and I'm not looking forward to seeing him for another 2 years. Their so-called depleted receiving core out muscled us repeatedly. Cypress played small. Green played big, but also got out physicaled more than once. But when it counted the most, it was Renardo Green that stopped that third down WR screen in overtime. Green might be the poster child of the FSU culture that produced that win yesterday. Earlier he was called for pass interference where the CU receiver had actually initiated contact with him and had his arm around Green when the back judge from ~15 yards away called the foul. So many players getting that kind of call will lose their focus and maybe their temper. Green just played the next play, broke up passes and made 2 key tackles in the fourth quarter, plus a sack. Of course the epitome of the FSU culture of always having an unconquered spirit is Jordan Travis. He was hit several times hard after releasing the ball. He was sacked twice and tackled in the field play. Yet he engineered a TD drive in less that 2 minutes left in the second quarter to bring us within 3 of the lead. Sweeney said he thought that drive w/ Travis willing himself into the end zone was the key to our win. Then he led us on a FG drive to start the third quarter and tie the lead. And of course, threw the perfect pass for Keon in OT. Kept laser focus while much was going wrong and he was hurting.
This culture accepts adversity. I don' think it welcomes it. But what Mike Norvell teaches about doing everything you do well is fully embraced; even by players who have only been on campus for maybe 90 days. And it shows up in places like ST. I learned of an interesting stat. yesterday. FSU leads the country in net punting by allowing ~3 yards/return. Didn't see Williamson catch a pass? Watch him be first on the punt returner. Keon seems like he grew up at FSU; didn't catch any of the 3 balls thrown his way at BC and scored 2 TDs yesterday. Knowles was abused on the message boards, but he kept playing and played well yesterday. Fritz was close to a basket case less than a year ago. Now he delivers a 48 yard FG, 7 critical points and keeps the ball out of Shipley's hands on KOs. The list goes on. Wilson was doubted after those 4 drops against BC. Caught almost everything thrown his way yesterday. Benson couldn't get anything going on the ground yesterday. So how does he respond? Was he mopping? No. He was targeted 3 times by Travis. Caught all 3 for 50 yards and ended up w/ 75 yards of T/O. Norvell has built an Unconquered Culture.
FSU is on a 10 game winning streak. We are 20-6 all time when ranked at #4. We are 100-6 against unranked ACC opponents when we are ranked in the top 5. Clemson was unranked.
Now let's heal up; do some course correcting in the down week and refocus on establishing our running game; then scalp the hokies.
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