2012 FSU Football: Is There a Quiet Chaos Surrounding the Seminoles?

The Seminoles of Florida State may be the most lopsided team in all of college football this season, and I believe it’s creating some tension in Tallahassee.

Phil Steele, the college football mastermind who has picked Florida State to win the national championship, is not helping anything either. He has put the FSU hype machine into fifth gear, and the expectations are growing by the hour.

The defense will be great—everyone knows this. It’s too stacked not to be great. It is bubbling over with great players, including senior leadership and talented youngsters who will be in fierce battles for playing time. The defensive line may be in for a historic season, considering how much depth it has. Many of FSU’s opponents will probably secure bragging rights just by being able to score.

But the big question—and the one creating the tension—is: Will FSU be able to score? Can FSU move the ball against quality teams?

I’m not convinced that FSU can move the ball against quality teams, and it all stems from the offensive line. People who haven’t followed FSU lately may not know how terrible the offensive line was last year, and the year before, and the year before, and the year before...(This stream of “and the year before” could go on for a while.)

When offensive line coach Rick Trickett was hired by Florida State, Seminole Nation rejoiced. The “great” and “legendary” Rick Trickett had decided to lend his services to the Seminoles.

The tough-as-nails former Marine was expected to come into Tallahassee and coach his boys up and teach them how to dominate the line of scrimmage. Coach Trickett was going to come teach the ACC defenses a thing or two about controlling the line of scrimmage.

However, Rick Trickett’s offensive lines have been mauled for five straight years, and, not surprisingly, things are looking bleak in year six. In 2010, his best season at Florida State, his offensive line was manhandled and embarrassed against quality teams.

The statistics are available in FSU’s archives, and they expose Trickett’s failures at Florida State. He has held plenty of time to build depth and recruit talent, but he’s done neither.

The offensive line is the chaos surrounding this team.

And no more excuses are at Trickett’s disposal. The failure must stop; the chaos must be extinguished.