Talking Florida State vs Boston College Football with Tomahawk Nation’s Perry Kostidakis

It’s practically time for BC’s first sport of the season. On Monday, they’ll have a shot of beating Florida State and handing the Seminoles their second lack of the 12 months. Enormous thanks to Perry Kostidakis of Tomahawk Nation for answering a number of of our questions on FSU!

Final weekend was tough for Florida State followers. Shedding abroad as a top-10 staff to an unranked convention opponent in a primetime sport is actually not the way in which you guys wished to start out 2024. What are the emotions across the fanbase like proper now?

PK: Saturday felt like a crash to earth, since FSU hadn’t misplaced a daily season sport since beating Georgia Tech again in 2022. The grieving course of has gone its common route — denial (no method that FSU simply blew a sport on a nationwide stage after this complete previous 12 months), anger (THEY ONLY HAD ONE POSSESSION IN THE FOURTH?!), bargaining (okay, so not less than if Miami or UF look terrible subsequent week, it’ll be okay), melancholy (I can’t consider I predicted 11-1), and acceptance (welp).

The purpose the fanbase is at now could be whether or not Saturday was the default or a slip-up. It’s apparent that Georgia Tech is healthier than anticipated, but it surely stays to be seen if FSU is worse than believed. Was the inefficiency on each offense and protection a results of a well-planned and well-executed Yellow Jackets method, or will or not it’s an extended 12 months for a Seminoles squad unable to make any form of affect within the trenches? Proper now, it appears like primarily column A, with a sprinkle of column B.

I perceive that there’s already been some speak amongst FSU followers about changing DJU. Do you suppose most individuals wish to see him stay the starter and do you suppose he’ll stay the starter all 12 months?

PK: I do suppose that he’s going to stay in place as QB1, barring a whole meltdown or play that truly hurts his staff. He wasn’t significantly gorgeous within the loss, however actually he didn’t do something that actively damage the staff’s possibilities at profitable — and when Norvell let the offense unfastened, they did handle to get a landing. The problem was an absence of sustained drives, introduced on by a disappointing efficiency within the run sport (an space the place FSU was purported to excel and lean on in 2024).

If you happen to had been to single out one side of the Seminoles’ sport that they do higher than anybody else, what would it not be and why?

PK: Actually, at this level, I’d should say particular groups. It sounds miserable, and it kinda is, however FSU may even have among the best kicker-punter combos in school soccer. Alex Mastromanno legitimately can win video games by flipping the sphere, and Ryan Fitzgerald has elevated himself to a clutch kicker able to hitting 50-plus yarders routinely.

Which gamers are your x-factor for the FSU-BC sport?

PK: On the Eagles’ aspect, it’s Thomas Castellanos. He was an absolute terror final 12 months and, after seeing how a lot FSU struggled in maintaining comprise in opposition to GT, he’s going to be a nightmare.

For FSU, I’m going with Pat Payton — the defensive finish was pinpointed as one of many key elements of Florida State’s protection this 12 months, however didn’t make a significant affect within the season-opener alongside his teammates within the trenches. If he’s in a position to get going and push the remainder of the road together with him, the distinction in assault will probably be large.

How would you outline a profitable season for the Seminoles after the way in which it began?

PK: Most FSU followers have tried to deal with the loss — and a possible follow-up to Boston Faculty — by pinpointing the 1989 season. After an 0-2 begin FSU ran the desk to complete 10-2, profitable the Fiesta Bowl and ending No. 3. Whereas what a staff 35 years in the past did isn’t precisely the soundest science, within the new period of the Faculty Soccer Playoff, your season isn’t over till you actually mess it up. Norvell’s groups have proven a capability to shake off disappointments and switch seasons round. Any fantasies of pummeling by the ACC with a BIG-style offense have just about faltered away, however a 10-2, 9-3 season continues to be a hit particularly if it is sufficient to push the Seminoles into the dance.