From his introductory press conference at Florida State, Mike Norvell manufactured it crystal clear that distinctive teams would be a major aim of his football team.
By his 1st two seasons with the Seminoles, having said that, that has not nevertheless materialized.
There was a noteworthy improvement in Norvell’s first season as FSU jumped from 80th in 2019 to 51st in 2020 in the specific groups FEI scores, which combine kickoff return, kickoff, punt return, punt, and subject goal performance into one particular over-all ranking.
In 2021, although, that took a main phase back again as FSU concluded with an FEI rating of adverse .47, ranking 106th out of 130 FBS teams and next-worst in the ACC.
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FSU does return its placekicker and punter from past year’s team, each individual of whom took a step forward in 2021. The Seminoles’ problems arrived in other regions of special teams, both equally returning kicks/punts and masking them.
With so lots of games on FSU’s timetable anticipated to be very near, some enhancement in these parts could turn the tide of a few games this period and significantly change the Seminoles’ 2022 history.
We are closing out our preview of FSU football’s roster with a search at the Seminoles’ particular teams, the most significant power and the issues about the unit that will need to be dealt with.
Most important power
Despite the fact that Alex Mastromanno experienced negligible football experience when he moved from his native Australia to enroll at FSU ahead of the 2020 time, he is tested to be a organic.
Mastromanno has averaged about 42.7 yards for every punt in each individual of his initially two seasons with the Seminoles. Even additional impressively, he is experienced just one career touchback on nearly 100 career punts.
That touchback arrived in his initially sport against Ga Tech in 2020, which means Mastromanno enters the 2022 time having gone 20 games and over 90 punts given that his final touchback.
Whilst FSU has dropped the hidden yardage fight in a handful of other particular teams parts, Mastromanno has aided salvage this some for the Seminoles. His punting quantities have been FSU’s specific groups power every of the past two seasons.
If the FSU offense usually takes the step ahead many are anticipating this period, it will be interesting to see how that affects the redshirt sophomore. He’s punted frequently more than his 1st two seasons — averaging 4.57 punts for each game. If that variety shrinks, how he responds will be an intriguing and crucial query.
Largest issue
The return activity of both the kickoff and punt range have been the Seminoles’ greatest specific groups weak spot by way of the early portion of Norvell’s tenure.
7 diverse Seminoles have returned kickoffs in excess of the last two seasons, but have not but identified that surefire choice back deep nevertheless. FSU has averaged involving 20 and 21 yards for every return every of the very last two seasons, landing in the center of the FBS pack.
The Seminoles still don’t have a kickoff return landing because Kermit Whitfield in the 2014 national championship recreation vs. Auburn.
Punt returns have been an even even larger concern for the Seminoles. In 2021, FSU averaged 4.18 yards per punt return, 118th in the region and 2nd-worst in the ACC. That isn’t going to even component in the issue FSU experienced with fielding punts, frequently allowing for them to hit the floor and roll for very a little bit of further concealed yardage.
In addition to addressing its other requires this offseason, FSU has uncovered a several likely remedies to these issues.
West Virginia broad receiver transfer Winston Wright Jr. has two vocation kick return touchdowns in excess of 3 seasons with the Mountaineers. In 2021, his 26.65 yards per kick return was the 20th-ideal normal in the place.
Wright’s status is a little bit unclear soon after he experienced a serious leg injury in a motor vehicle incident in the spring. If he is healthy at some position as predicted, he could be a key asset in the return sport.
On the punt return side, Oregon huge receiver transfer Mycah Pittman could be the answer to the Seminoles’ challenge. Past calendar year with the Ducks, he persistently caught the punts and returned 10 of them for 151 complete yards.
That average of 10.07 yards for each punt return would rank in the leading 15 nationally experienced he appeared in a person far more video game.
You will find no denying how remarkable equally Wright and Pittman’s monitor records are in this article. So extended as they carry that above to FSU, it should really respond to a person of the Seminoles’ most significant concerns.
Wild card
As a substitute of a prediction for a device that is genuinely a number of individual models, let’s address the key particular teams location that has not been talked about but. The kicking activity.
Ryan Fitzgerald took whole manage of the placekicking duties previous time right after splitting them with Parker Grothaus in 2020. That continuity seemed to improve his self confidence as he produced 10 of his 13 field aims (76.9%), the very best field aim proportion for the Seminoles due to the fact Ricky Aguayo in 2017.
This following he tried just seven area ambitions and manufactured just four of them as a redshirt freshman in 2020.
Grothaus is now at West Virginia and the kicking occupation is completely Fitzgerald’s. If he exhibits that his strong 2021 demonstrating was not an anomaly and proceeds to establish in the suitable course, it could be a coup for an FSU crew which could see rather a couple of game titles on its agenda occur down to which crew will make its area ambitions.
Far more FSU soccer placement previews
Quarterbacks
Working backs
Extensive receivers
Limited finishes
Offensive line
Defensive finishes
Defensive tackles
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Access Curt Weiler at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter @CurtMWeiler.
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