Saban wary of offense for 'Noles

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NoleSports

Saban wary of offense for 'Noles

By Steve Ellis

DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER

The praise doesn't match the statistics. Not yet.

Alabama coach Nick Saban could be excused in indulging in a bit of coach-speak when evaluating Florida State's offense during a Monday press conference. Saban witnessed Jimbo Fisher's success while both were at LSU, including the 2003 national championship season in which school marks were set in points and touchdown passes.

The Seminole offense has struggled in the first three games, but Saban said that in time he thought the group would be good under Fisher

I think offensively they certainly have the capabilities,” Saban said. “I know there is a new system. There is a new coordinator (in Fisher). Jimbo is a great coach. They will improve as the season goes on offensively relative to them being able to understand what they are supposed to do. Jimbo Fisher is one of the best offensive coordinators in the country. There is no doubt about it.

“I think when their players understand and execute a little bit better, they are going to be very effective because they have good players on offense. They've got good skill players, good receivers; they've got a good runner. The quarterback has experience. A little young up front in the offensive line, but they certainly have a significant number of players who can make plays.”

The FSU offense has struggled in the Seminoles' first three games - especially early. The Seminoles (2-1) have scored a total of just three points in the first quarter in games against Clemson, UAB and Colorado. FSU has converted 23 percent of its third-down attempts and parlayed trips into the red zone into touchdowns just 42 percent of the time.

None of that changes the high regard that Saban, in his first year at Alabama, has for Fisher.

“Jimbo is a bright guy, a great play-caller,” said Saban, whose team is 3-1. “He's got a great understanding of the game on both sides of the ball. I think he's a great motivator with the players, a very inspirational guy. I don't really know of any weakness that he has. He did a fantastic job for me.

“From a (systems) standpoint, this will be as challenging as anybody that we played. They use a lot of personnel groups - run the ball, run some option with it, some zone-option stuff like West Virginia, which I'm sure is coach (Rick) Trickett's influence to some degree although we did that with some of the quarterbacks at LSU when Jimbo was there. They do four wideout; they're in three wideout. They do a lot of bunch passes. They do a lot of pro-style things that players don't always get exposed to. And they have balance in their offense in terms of they are going to try to run it and make it work.

“You have to be able to adjust to the game. But I think the multiples are the things they do and how you've got to prepare for it are the most difficult challenge.”

FSU ranks 89th in total offense and 86th in scoring offense in NCAA Division 1-A. FSU's defense has fared much better, thanks in part to a solid game against Colorado before taking a week off.

FSU's defense, after surrendering 24 points to Clemson and 17 to UAB, held Colorado to six points. And with each game, FSU has significantly decreased missed tackles - down to just nine against the Buffaloes. That hasn't gone unnoticed to Saban, who has long been associated with being a great defensive mind.

FSU ranks 12th nationally in rushing defense and 23rd in total defense.

“They've got a great defensive football team,” Saban said. "They are very aggressive. They've got tremendous team speed on defense. This team runs as well and plays as well in space as anybody that we've played.

“I think this is probably the best run defense we've played so far. They have an outstanding front seven. Physical up front. Fast. Run well, get off of blocks quickly and play a lot of one-gap stuff and do a lot of penetrating. Linebackers can run. Great space tacklers and very instinctive guys. And I think this will be the biggest challenge from that standpoint all year.”