TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State comes out of its open week with a little more health and a lot to prove. Coach Mike Norvell said Monday in Tallahassee that his team is eager to face Clemson on Saturday night, while admitting the Seminoles’ record is not where anyone wants it.
Norvell said the off week gave his staff a chance to step back and study seven games of film for patterns, then use a stretch of hard practices to give backups extra snaps. Players also got a few days to rest, and he said they returned Sunday night full of energy.
The injury report is the bigger worry. Linebacker Blake Nichelson is not likely to play this week, though Norvell expects most of the other linebackers who were hurt to be back, barring setbacks. Defensive back Jordan Crutchfield is trending toward a return in the secondary after minor injuries, and Devin Carter is in line for more work. Norvell also singled out Jasen Lopez, who made a big catch against Miami.
Clemson’s defense will test the Seminoles up front. Norvell said the Tigers send extra rushers about half the time and play a lot of man coverage, and he called cornerback Ashton Hampton the best corner FSU has seen this season. He noted Clemson piled up six sacks and 10 tackles for loss last week.
Norvell also said he had a productive talk with the league’s officiating chief, Gary Patterson, after raising concerns about calls. On the move toward a 24-team College Football Playoff, he said he sees value in giving more teams a shot, though there will always be debate about who just misses the cut.
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