FSU GAME REVIEW
Wake Forest won the turnover battle (4-3) and either matched, or came close to matching, Florida State in a number of other categories like explosive plays (tied 4-4), positive rushing yards (FSUs advantage was only 164-129) and penalties (Wake had 5 to FSUs 4).
The deciding factors were:
#1 – Wake’s inability to move the ball through the air. FSU had 11 receptions of ten yards or more. Going into the last minute of the game, when the game was effectively over, Wake had completed just four passes of ten yards or more. Wolford was 3-for-4 in the first nine minutes of the first quarter, and was 3-for-6 in garbage time (the final minute of the game). In the 50 minutes in between, he was just 10-for-24 for 123 yards and 2 INTs.
#2 – Red zone efficiency. FSU had 3 red zone opportunities and came away with two touchdowns and a field goal. Wake also had 3 red zone opportunities, but came away with only two field goals.
#3 – The botched punt that led directly to FSU’s first touchdown.
#4 – The kickoff return touchdown that wasn’t. I’m eager to hear what others saw on this play. First of all, I think they made a mistake by identifying #32 (Argenzio) as the player guilty of the hold when I believe they really flagged #23 (Strnad). But I don’t think that Strnad was holding either. From behind, the FSU player blocked by Strnad reacts like he was being held, but another replay angle appeared to show the FSU player simply lost his balance when he tried to change direction to make a play on Armstrong. Did others find a hold on that play?
OTHER STATS
Total Yards - Offense: 252 (worst output other than Tulane)
FSU’s Total Yards: 442 (only Indiana and NCSU gained more yards)
% of RB carries that were 3 yards or more: 63% (best result this season)
Disruptive plays by the DL: 3.5 (third worst this season)
WAKE’S EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
Wolford to Cortez Lewis for receptions of 32, 31 and 21 yards
Wolford to Tabari Hines for 20 yards (in garbage time)
FSUs DEFENSE
FSUs defense used some aggressive formations on first and second down. Like Tulane, FSU opted for only a single high safety on early downs. This, combined with the CBs in tight press coverage, is technically the same “Cover-1” (I think) that Tulane played. However, FSU often lined up with either a five man front or a six man front. In addition to pressuring the QB, having so many players on the line of scrimmage appeared to be designed to take away the running lanes, frustrate the read option, and put traffic into the sight lines of Wake’s undersized QB.
PASS TARGETS
Here is how Wolford spread the ball around with Cam Serigne unable to play:
Cortez Lewis: 6 receptions on 11 targets
Tabari Hines: 4 receptions on 8 targets
Chuck Wade: 3 receptions on 4 targets
Scotty Washington: 0 receptions on 3 targets
Pike and Claude had two pass targets apiece.
Carney, Bachman and Freudenthal each had one pass target.
OTHER NOTES
Essang Bassey was the surprise starter at corner when Amari Henderson had to sit out with injury. I didn’t see Dionte Austin until Bassey had to briefly leave the field with an injury.
Preferred walk-on Dayton Diemel replaced Garrett Wilson as the long snapper part way through the game.
Tyler Bell is again becoming a presence on passing downs. When Cade Carney is in the game, there is a good chance it’s a run play. When Tyler Bell is in the game, there is a good chance that it is a pass play.
Duke Ejiofor had another really good game. Next to the Duke game, this might have been his best.
The first fumble that Wake forced was a terrific open field play by Josh Banks.
Wolford’s second INT came on a pass to Scotty Washington that was underthrown. I checked to see if Wolford’s arm was hit on the play. I don’t think that it was, but I do think that he altered his throwing motion because of the pass pressure.
Wake Forest won the turnover battle (4-3) and either matched, or came close to matching, Florida State in a number of other categories like explosive plays (tied 4-4), positive rushing yards (FSUs advantage was only 164-129) and penalties (Wake had 5 to FSUs 4).
The deciding factors were:
#1 – Wake’s inability to move the ball through the air. FSU had 11 receptions of ten yards or more. Going into the last minute of the game, when the game was effectively over, Wake had completed just four passes of ten yards or more. Wolford was 3-for-4 in the first nine minutes of the first quarter, and was 3-for-6 in garbage time (the final minute of the game). In the 50 minutes in between, he was just 10-for-24 for 123 yards and 2 INTs.
#2 – Red zone efficiency. FSU had 3 red zone opportunities and came away with two touchdowns and a field goal. Wake also had 3 red zone opportunities, but came away with only two field goals.
#3 – The botched punt that led directly to FSU’s first touchdown.
#4 – The kickoff return touchdown that wasn’t. I’m eager to hear what others saw on this play. First of all, I think they made a mistake by identifying #32 (Argenzio) as the player guilty of the hold when I believe they really flagged #23 (Strnad). But I don’t think that Strnad was holding either. From behind, the FSU player blocked by Strnad reacts like he was being held, but another replay angle appeared to show the FSU player simply lost his balance when he tried to change direction to make a play on Armstrong. Did others find a hold on that play?
OTHER STATS
Total Yards - Offense: 252 (worst output other than Tulane)
FSU’s Total Yards: 442 (only Indiana and NCSU gained more yards)
% of RB carries that were 3 yards or more: 63% (best result this season)
Disruptive plays by the DL: 3.5 (third worst this season)
WAKE’S EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
Wolford to Cortez Lewis for receptions of 32, 31 and 21 yards
Wolford to Tabari Hines for 20 yards (in garbage time)
FSUs DEFENSE
FSUs defense used some aggressive formations on first and second down. Like Tulane, FSU opted for only a single high safety on early downs. This, combined with the CBs in tight press coverage, is technically the same “Cover-1” (I think) that Tulane played. However, FSU often lined up with either a five man front or a six man front. In addition to pressuring the QB, having so many players on the line of scrimmage appeared to be designed to take away the running lanes, frustrate the read option, and put traffic into the sight lines of Wake’s undersized QB.
PASS TARGETS
Here is how Wolford spread the ball around with Cam Serigne unable to play:
Cortez Lewis: 6 receptions on 11 targets
Tabari Hines: 4 receptions on 8 targets
Chuck Wade: 3 receptions on 4 targets
Scotty Washington: 0 receptions on 3 targets
Pike and Claude had two pass targets apiece.
Carney, Bachman and Freudenthal each had one pass target.
OTHER NOTES
Essang Bassey was the surprise starter at corner when Amari Henderson had to sit out with injury. I didn’t see Dionte Austin until Bassey had to briefly leave the field with an injury.
Preferred walk-on Dayton Diemel replaced Garrett Wilson as the long snapper part way through the game.
Tyler Bell is again becoming a presence on passing downs. When Cade Carney is in the game, there is a good chance it’s a run play. When Tyler Bell is in the game, there is a good chance that it is a pass play.
Duke Ejiofor had another really good game. Next to the Duke game, this might have been his best.
The first fumble that Wake forced was a terrific open field play by Josh Banks.
Wolford’s second INT came on a pass to Scotty Washington that was underthrown. I checked to see if Wolford’s arm was hit on the play. I don’t think that it was, but I do think that he altered his throwing motion because of the pass pressure.
