Tony White praises an edgy unit anchored by transfer Chris Jones, promising a violent, instinctual brand of football designed to traumatize opponents and secure late-game leads.
The late, great announcer Keith Jackson would describe a particularly violent tackler as one who “brings a load when he hits ya!” Florida State defensive coordinator Tony White echoed and expanded on that description when talking about his linebacker Chris Jones and the Desir twins, defensive linemen Mandrell and Darryll, at a post-practice press conference covered by warchant.com.
“Chris Jones wants to knock the soul out of you,” White said. “He is trying to hit you to hurt you. The Desir twins play hard as hell, and they are trying to hurt you when they hit you. They know the defense, they have taking thousand of reps in the off-season, so they know more where they are, more instinctually, and not thinking about stuff, so they are playing faster.”
The Seminoles return six starters to a unit that ranked in the top 30 nationally in total defense and allowed 22 points per game. Florida State lost DT Darrell Jackson Jr. to the New York Jets, the Seminoles only draft pick this past April.
“We’ve got some edgy dudes. The (Desir) twins have always been edgy, but now they know. You bring in Chris Jones. You bring in CJ Richard, that dude is edgy as they come on the back end. Ash (Rover Ashlynd Barker) has a different king of edginess. He’s like I’m quiet, but I’m gonna hit you for a tackle for loss, and I’m gonna be back here to intercept this post route you’re trying to get on me right now,” said White.
Barker will move to the rover position after being No. 2 on the team with 48 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two pass breakups.
Mandrell Desir recorded 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one quarterback pressure and a forced fumble. His brother, Darryll, posted 23 stops and four quarterback pressures.
Jones, a Southern Miss transfer, ranked No. 7 nationally in tackles per game at 10 per contest, racking up 135 total tackles. He posted eight games of double-digit tackles, including a season-high 15 stops on two occasions. Jones earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
R.C. Slocum, former Texas A&M head coach, likened his “Wrecking Crew” defenses of the late 80s and early 90s as “pulling the pin on a hand grenade.” White’s description of his defenders that will take the field implies a sense of Dred cast over the opposition, leaving them traumatized and defeated.
That would be a welcome result to Seminoles fans. Last season, Florida State allowed 300 or more yards of total offense four times, and gave up 400 or more yards three times.
The Seminoles must get better at keeping opponents out of the end zone and taking and holding leads, which will help take the pressure off the offense.
Last season, the Seminoles lost four games by single-digits. Against Virginia, they lost in overtime 46-38. In the Pitt game, the Seminoles and Panthers were tied going into the fourth quarter. Florida State promptly gave up 13 points in the final period and lost the game 34-31.
Against Miami, the Seminoles scored only three points in the first half, then outscored the Hurricanes 19-0 in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late. Florida State trailed Stanford for the entire game and scored a field goal late to lose by seven points.
Florida State needs to win the games they are supposed to and do so in a dominating and bruising fashion. The Seminoles must leave their opponents stacked like cord wood, battered and beaten. That is the legacy of Florida State football of the past and exactly what is needed here and now.
If the Seminoles exit the tunnel of Doak Campbell Stadium with the evil demeanor described above, then New Mexico State should be shaking in their cleats.
