It’s no secret that the No. 4 Florida State Seminoles are loaded with offensive talent and experience.
Headlined by quarterback Jordan Travis, wide receivers Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman and tight end Jaheim Bell, the Seminoles possess various playmakers that the Clemson defense will need to plan for this Saturday.
When speaking to the media on Monday, defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin gave insight into how he is preparing his unit for the upcoming matchup.
“Everything starts with stopping the run game and being dominant up front and being physical at the line of scrimmage,” Goodwin said. “That’s what they want to do is run the football and control the line of scrimmage, and that’s where everything starts this week.”
Goodwin also spoke on the problems Travis will present to them from the quarterback position.
“First of all, high character kid who has played a lot of ball and has seen a lot of different looks,” he said. “Just a really veteran guy who’s played a lot of ball, has great experience and can extend plays with his feet.”
“They can use him in the run game,” Goodwin added. “Dynamic thrower downfield as well, so he presents a lot of problems.”
To further his point, the second-year coordinator drew comparisons between Travis and Duke quarterback Riley Leonard, who gave the Tigers’ defense a hard time in Week 1.
“They’re kind of two different guys but very similar in that they can beat you with their legs. Leonard’s a great talent as well, and some of the things that we did from a rush plan standpoint carry over, but some things may not.”
When speaking on the Seminoles’ receivers, Goodwin also noted that the group’s size and athleticism will make it difficult on the defense.
“They do a nice job formationally,” Goodwin said. “Give you a multitude of formations, flavor of the week, and move their guys around based off match ups on how they want to attack you.”
While the Clemson defense has improved from week to week, the unit will have its hands full with its toughest challenge of the season so far.
“Just details, you know,” Goodwin noted. “The last two weeks, we’ve gotten better in those areas, and Week 4, hopefully we’re better than Week 1.”
