With Florida State a 13.5 point underdog to the Miami Hurricanes, there are certain things that need to be done to give the Seminoles a chance to win this game. Many people are clamoring for throwing the ball every down, which I simply do not believe is feasible. No team should ever abandon the run game, no matter how bad it gets. In point of fact, FSU’s run/pass percentage in the Louisville game were 44/56 – we passed more than we ran. However, one thing FSU can definitely do to have success against the Hurricanes is to throw more often on first down. Today’s article is going to be short (but efficient – like our first down throws), but will give you an idea of why Florida State should throw on first down.
First Down Passing Efficiency
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Deondre Francois First Down Passing
- 6/8 Passing – 2 Incompletions
- 129 Passing Yards
- 2 Touchdowns
- ~16 Yards/Attempt (compared to 7.87 on the season)
Of the 8 passes, 3 were straight dropback passes, and 5 were either play action or quick-game passes. Both touchdowns came off of play action. The end of the game dictated 2 of these passes, as FSU needed yards quickly and had to throw with Louisville in dime coverage. The other attempts were thrown with either 6 or 7 in the box for Louisville, which helped to simplify reads to the receivers. None of the attempts went to runningbacks, and the one pass to a tight end came off a wheel route, which still was an outside read.
What does this tell us? While first down passing is important, it’s still imperative to establish the running game – even at a 2-3 yard clip – in order for the first down passing game to work to its full potential. This isn’t an either-or scenario, but a both-and. Coach Taggart should aim to work both runs and passes into his first down arsenal to keep the U’s defensive speed from getting too comfortable on first down.
And just for fun – let’s look again at that beautiful bomb to Terry. I mean, can you resist?
(Give ESPN hate for the terrible content during this 55 yard touchdown)
Let us know in the comments what you think – should FSU pass more on first down, or keep trying to gain yards on the ground in this situation?
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