Florida State led the nation in defensive yards per play at 3.85. Florida was fourth at 4.35
That's an entirely different universe than our 97th at 6.11
Last offseason USC fans tried to pretend their defensive shortcomings didn't matter -- 50s and 60s in every major category in 2011 -- that the defenders would naturally improve with experience in 2012, and besides they'd simply overwhelm it with Barkley and the offense anyway.
Florida may have looked vulnerable last night but you can't apply that to 2013 at all. The nearly two yard gap per play means they are bigger, stronger, more physical, more intense, and better coached. I'll default to that and know I'll be correct the vast majority of the time, far beyond happy subjective adjustments.
Besides, it doesn't do us any good to open with a comparatively weak opponent and then face the Gators a week later. My friend John in Las Vegas has an astute term for that change. He calls it uphill. The team -- and coaching staff -- sees plays work as designed against FAU and are quite pleased with themselves. They have no comprehension how vastly different those plays will unfold in the uphill environment. Blown up. It's difficult to avoid being shell shocked, and the resulting turnovers.
At least FAU is not a pure cupcake. And we're playing Florida at home. The most masochistic uphill scenario we ever created was 2000, opening at home against McNeese State and then traveling to face Washington the following week. My friend John was screaming uphill all week, almost laughing, insisting the Canes would be stunned to open the game.
When we're a dominant team we can pretend undefeated. These days we allow above 6 yards per play. That's where Florida State was at the end of the Bowden/Andrews era, when we were properly laughing at them. I notice somehow the laughing has persisted, even as Jimbo has steadily taken that number down, below 5 and now below 4.
