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Hall of Famer [20518]
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...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 7:46 PM
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Again, longer post. Tweeters, see yourselves out. You won't like.
Just got done watching the FSU Spring Game. I am not smiling. I came away with the very distinct impression that Auburn was going to require a boatload of breaks, and for South Carolina to require a miracle on the order of the Red Sea parting, for those teams to beat Clemson.
FSU...no. They look like a legit Top-5 team...and they know it. They absolutely are gunning for the playoffs and they should be. When Clemson rolls into Doak this year it's going to be a vicious, vicious dogfight between two teams that can straight-up legit aspire to Win The Nattie (in the words of Dabo.)
What scares me this year is their QB's. Sean Maguire is dogmeat average but he was out hurt this Spring getting surgery anyhow. JJ Cosentino, their redshirt sophomore and the only other guy who's played for them, played terrible and might as well have had the letters DOA painted on his helmet. The bad news is a pair of freshmen, Deondre Francois and Malik Henry, are as talented of youngsters as I have seen this side of well, Deshaun Watson. And they are similar QB's. Deondre Francois, their redshirt frosh, looked particularly good. He's listed at 6'1" but is probably a hair shorter, but other than that he's very similar to Watson...and quite frankly, he's quicker. His release is lightning, he spins an absolutely beautiful ball, and when he takes off he's 20 yards down the field before people react. The guy can fly. Francois is going to be a no-kidding nightmare to deal with for the next two years...that being the absolute longest I see Francois sticking in college. DF did show a BIT of immaturity in throwing two picks - one of which was a frankly very poor read into what looked like quadruple coverage - but Francois is talented, people, a scant half-click below Watson on the talent meter. Malik Henry - their true frosh - is probably every bit as talented as Francois, maybe more so, and while he looks even less ready to run Jimbo Fisher's very complicated pro-style system than Francois, he's another one that looks just a whole lot like a younger Deshaun to my eyes. FSU has themselves two very young superstuds, people, and do not doubt their talent. Francois, IMHO, will push Sean Maguire out of a starting gig as fast as Deshaun Watson did with Cole Stoudt. Ball security or injury are probably the only things that could derail this guy. (Well, that or a Tally bar ho that just needs a good slappin'. On camera.)
The rest of their skill talent looks like it's roughly on a par with Clemson's. They're frankly better than us at RB - besides Dalvin Cook, who I agree with Dabo is the best RB in football - they also have Jacquez Patrick, Mario Pender, and Ryan Green, and those guys are better than Dye, Choice, and CJ Fuller. We're better at WR...but the 'Noles are still fast, athletic, and explosive, and sophomore Auden Tate looks like he's coming on huge, giving them the best big WR they've had since Kelvin Benjamin...he's 6'5", athletic in every direction, and bounds around plucking balls out of the sky. Francois in particular really likes tossing it to him. We're probably slightly better at TE but their guys, especially Izzo, are athletic and dangerous and can hurt you down the field.
They return everybody on their OL. I'll repeat that: the Seminoles return everybody at OL. Those guys did struggle some last year but they were also very young, and this FSU OL is huge and now has a boatload of starts and snaps under their belt. I think our OL is better - ours, frankly, looks the best I've seen a Clemson OL look - but FSU's will easily emerge as one of the top 2-3 in the ACC this year as well. Strangely, I'm not super-sold on their defensive line...they're athletic, as usual, but their line is not up to the standards of their championship squad of a couple years ago and they do look a bit thin at DT. If there's one huge edge Clemson has on FSU, it's defensive tackle. Clemson gashed the 'Noles in the third and fourth right up the gut by persisting with Wayne Gallman and if we're going to beat them again, especially on the road, we're going to have to do it again. Their linebackers are a little iffy by FSU standards but their secondary is huge, athletic, and talented. Their safeties, frankly, are mutants. They cover like corners and hit like linebackers. Charles Kelly may be a ween as a DC, but he has assembled one of the more physically impressive secondaries I've seen in college football. Particularly at safety.
Bottom line is this is a very dangerous FSU team, that is probably very close to dead-even with Clemson in terms of talent. The good news, IMHO, is that if we can beat this Florida State team, especially down in Doak, we can almost certainly beat anybody else we play, since I do not see anybody else in the nation this year having this particular combo of QB talent, athleticism, and size...no, not even Alabama.
Circle this game, IMHO. It's by a country mile the toughest game on the schedule this year. To be honest, if Francois turns out to be as good as he might be (the picks could hold him back; Jimbo does hate turnovers), I wonder if Clemson/FSU might actually be the two most-talented teams top to bottom in the country this year.
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CU Guru [1512]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 7:52 PM
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Wow! Sounds like you just found out that our big game this year is against FSU! you left one critical thing out: they don't got number 4 and we do so that's where my money goes. If their DL is a little weak we will cram it down their throat and then finish them off with our passing game.I liked your assessment but believe your'e really going them far too much credit.
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Rock Defender [53]
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Great analysis from somebody that didn't watch the FSU
Apr 10, 2016, 8:21 PM
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spring game and made a judgement simply based on the fact that you disagreed with someone who did. Pull your pants up, your presuppositions are showing.
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Varsity [235]
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Re: Great analysis from somebody that didn't watch the FSU
Apr 10, 2016, 9:34 PM
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Scout Team [193]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 7:59 PM
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Good breakdown, hoping one of their 2 young QBs transfer. Both teams should make the playoffs if they don't have any slip ups. I would love to see a rematch in the championship game. I like our chances this year but FSU is not going away.
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All-TigerNet [10185]
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They do not have DW or Mike Williams...we win by 17***
Apr 10, 2016, 8:25 PM
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Legend [15506]
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Re: They do not have DW or Mike Williams...we win by 17***
Apr 10, 2016, 10:13 PM
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I don't know about the 17 pt spread, but I am not the least bit afraid of FSU this year. We match up with anybody around as we showed in the Natty, and that won't change anytime soon.
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Legend [17249]
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Did not watch the Noles spring game. Thanks for analysis...
Apr 10, 2016, 8:49 PM
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But just looking at their recruiting and coaching, kind of figured that they would be loaded, well coached and a huge challenge on the road.
Any Clemson fan thinking otherwise is not fully informed or unwilling to recognize opposing team's capabilities.
BTW Jimbo is an excellent FB coach, albeit a tad sleazy.
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Legend [15506]
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Re: Did not watch the Noles spring game. Thanks for analysis...
Apr 10, 2016, 10:14 PM
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A tad? Ya think?
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Oculus Spirit [93618]
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I'm confident...
Apr 10, 2016, 9:11 PM
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our D line will put enough pressure on their QB(s) to scramble their young brains. Although, this is another one of those years when I wish we had them early in the season before their guys settle in.
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110%er [5572]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 9:14 PM
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Great analysis.
It sounds like Clemson is going to have its hands-full in Doak Campbell this year. I had no idea back in January that their QB situation behind McGuire was so talented. I thought they would be a legit Top 5 team, but didn't have a clue about their Freshmen QB's.
Still think Clemson or FSU could be our NChamp next year. They might be the 2 best teams in the country at the end of the season. It might not pan out that way, but they both have realistic chances of winning it all.
FSU is going to be a tough game. They are probably going to be as good, or better than anybody else in the country..and I don't mean LSU, Ole Miss, or UGA good (for the SEC sycophants). I mean better than Alabama good.
This series might be starting down the same road that the LSU/Bama or FSU/UF games back in the 90's did. This year's game is going to be epic.
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Hall of Famer [24056]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 9:20 PM
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Crap, should've waited a few more minutes, read your post and then just wrote:
DITTO!!!
????
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Hall of Famer [24056]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 9:17 PM
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Figured everything pretty much as you observe(d), but wasn't expecting the qb play to be as good/advanced.
I think DW4 will be the difference in the game - ala the natty - but with better results for us.
Gonna try to get tix for Auburn and this game. Opener because I am SO ready to see the Tigers back on the field. And FSU because I think it will be: 1) 'for' the natty; 2) it will be my first game ever at Doak Campbell; and 3) It's going to be epic!
Thanks for sharing your assessment (AGAIN!).
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All-In [26326]
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Francois will be the man. It will be a shootout. The kid
Apr 10, 2016, 9:31 PM
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is really really good. Need to get to him early and often.
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CU Guru [1046]
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Agreed
Apr 10, 2016, 9:37 PM
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Unfortunately
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Orange Blooded [3510]
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We'll find out how good
Apr 10, 2016, 9:38 PM
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They are pretty early as they start the season off against Ole Miss and in the first 6 games they have Miss, UNC, Louisville, and Miami. I know none of those teams will likely be as good as Clemson but their schedule is pretty stout early.
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All-In [38422]
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Re: We'll find out how good
Apr 10, 2016, 9:54 PM
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Not a conferencialist, but I am hoping FSU beats the brakes off of Ole Mi$$ .
Who's with me ?
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Hall of Famer [24056]
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Re: We'll find out how good ESPECIALLY if
Apr 11, 2016, 7:49 AM
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WE can 'beat the brakes off' Auburn, too!
????
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Legend [15506]
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Orange Blooded [4854]
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Call me crazy
Apr 10, 2016, 9:47 PM
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but I think the U and Mark Richt give the Noles fits this year and not in a close losing effort kind of way. Canes break the drought against the Noles this year with the W.
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Legend [17529]
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That I will - not a one year turnaround. FSU is legit***
Apr 10, 2016, 9:59 PM
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Orange Blooded [4854]
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Rival game that has went one way, way too long
Apr 10, 2016, 10:14 PM
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The U always plays the Noles tight or at least better than they should.
It is not like Richt has to make lemonade with a bunch of lemons.
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Legend [17529]
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A healthy Deshaun trumps FSU if Clemson ST & D play avg
Apr 10, 2016, 9:58 PM
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In other words, 2016 big games again will be all about Deshaun. And unlike in the Bammer game, he needs some support. A win in the FSU game will require Clemson ST's and DB's to be all in.
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CU Guru [1806]
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Great insight. While you aren't really saying anything that
Apr 10, 2016, 10:17 PM
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I didn't already expect, I appreciate the breakdown. This game will be a war and must watch television. Our ticket to Tampa will be stamped in Tallahassee this year and I really hope we can steal a win down there.
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110%er [6280]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 10, 2016, 10:20 PM
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Thank you for that!! We know their O will be good and they are as talented as any team in the country. That being said I believe we get some TOs and DW4 will pick them apart as he will any team. It isn't going to be easy but we out played them the last 2 games and I fully expect the same this year with around a 10 point win. Going to be fun if both can make it there with zero Ls.
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All-In [44000]
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Thanks so much for the great write-up and analysis.***
Apr 10, 2016, 10:25 PM
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Scout Team [179]
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There's a reason why an ESPN analyst projected both FSU and Clemson in the playoff...
Apr 10, 2016, 11:04 PM
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FSU essentially brings everyone back minus Ramsey.
And Clemson's widely considered to be a top 3 team in the in the country, returning it's entire (highly talented) National Chanpionship offense back, plus Cain and Williams.
I don't see how either could be left out if one is undefeated and the other's only loss is to said undefeated team, especially if Herbstreit has his way this year and the ACTUAL 4 best teams are included in the final mix.
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CU Guru [1703]
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Houston Cougars says "hi"
Apr 10, 2016, 11:39 PM
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Did you watch their spring game?
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Associate AD [804]
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Re: ...also just finished watching FSU Spring Game
Apr 11, 2016, 12:42 AM
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yeah!!!!!!! SPRING GAME national champions!
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