Florida State started its Week 3 against Alabama and looked poised to repeat what happened last year. The Noles took an early 21-6 lead. However, a lightning delay killed FSU’s momentum. The rest of the game followed a familiar script under Mike Norvell. The defense leaked points while the offense tried to stay in the game.
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While the defeat has put more pressure on Mike Norvell’s position at the program, defensive coordinator Tony White has also come under fire. FSU surrendered 50 points in Tuscaloosa. To make it worse, Alabama scored on nine consecutive drives during the game. On his part, White took accountability for his unit’s performance against the Tide.
“It starts with me first. It’s my fault, and I should have stayed aggressive,” Tony White said during a press conference on September 21. “I’ve just got to be really critical of myself.”
Florida State entered Tuscaloosa as an underdog and left the home crowd’s jaws wide open in the early moments. Quarterback Ashton Daniels was locked in. He launched deep strikes down the sideline to wide receiver Duce Robinson, who caught 6 passes for 135 yards.
FSU built a commanding 21-6 lead in the second quarter. They made it look like they were about to pull off a monumental upset on the road. However, during the final three minutes of the second quarter, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell took the game in his hands. He pulled off an unbelievable 5-snap sequence, going 5-for-5 for 140 yards. Russell threw three rapid-fire touchdowns in under three minutes.
This also included a massive 46-yard bomb to Ryan Coleman-Williams and a strike to Kaleb Edwards with just 22 seconds left on the clock. The second half was a similar story for the Tide. The offense continued to respond despite the Noles taking a 28-26 lead at the start of the third quarter.
The story of FSU’s defensive performance can be told by just mentioning the number of big plays Tony White’s unit conceded. Florida State gave up passing plays of 21, 46, 40, and 21 yards. It’s not like the run defense was any better. Alabama had run plays that went for 20, 29, 20, and 57 yards.
After three games of the ongoing campaign, FSU’s total defense is averaging 490 yards/game. The pass defense is at 340 yards/game, while the Noles are conceding 31.3 points/game. There is not a single defensive metric that Florida State ranks in the top 50 at the moment. A lot of it has to do with White’s scheme.
With the 3-3-5 scheme, the defensive line struggled heavily to apply simple pressure against the Tide without blitzing. This left the backfield exposed as Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw comfortably all game. He completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.
While the defensive coordinator is facing a lot of backlash, Mike Norvell’s job security is at an all-time low. The massive $48 million buyout is the only shield keeping him on board. Norvell signed a contract extension that runs through December 2031. Even University President Richard McCullough has publicly stated before that “nobody wants to win more than Mike Norvell.”
The Florida State will be returning home to Tallahassee to face off against the Central Arkansas Bears. This can be an opportunity for them to bounce back and fix their flaws.