In some respects, The Seminoles do remind you of the 2017 Arizona State Sun Bowl squad. A team that is in a period of transition between head coaches and thus may not be the best frame of mind for this post-season contest. Let’s take a thorough examination of Arizona State’s Sun Bowl opponent, and details the challenges and opportunities Florida State may present.

Florida State Offense

It has been an up-and-down experience to say the least for Florida State quarterback James Blackman through the first half of his collegiate career. It began with Blackman earning the starting job as a true freshman in 2017 before appearing in just four games with one start the next year and ending up using a redshirt season.

In January of this year, he spent a hot minute in the NCAA transfer portal before returning to outlast an accomplished graduate transfer to again be Florida State’s primary starting quarterback in a tumultuous campaign for FSU that featured the dismissal of head coach Willie Taggart prior to the conclusion of the regular season.

As a starter in nine of 11 games played during the regular season, Blackman completed 170-of-266 passes (63.9%) for 2,095 yards with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. A negligible factor on the ground, Blackman had just 48 net rush yards with one touchdown.

On the season, Blackman has six games with at least 230 passing yards, four with at least 280 and a pair of 300-yard games including a season-high of 346 yards against Boston College. Blackman’s career passing high came against North Carolina State in 2018 – one of just four games he played that season – when he threw for 421 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.

Blackman brings 22 career starts into the Sun Bowl and has a total of 4,835 passing yards with 40 touchdowns and 19 interceptions along with a net total of -14 career rushing yards with one rushing touchdown.

In the offseason prior to the 2019 campaign, Florida State brought in Wisconsin graduate transfer Alex Hornibrook, who compiled a 26-6 record as a starter with the Badgers, to challenge for the starting quarterback role.

Blackman was able to hold onto top billing at quarterback, though Hornibrook started three of his five games played during the 2019 season. However, Hornibrook reportedly is no longer an active member of the program and has opted not to participate in the Sun Bowl and rather get an early jump on preparing for a potential professional career.

With Hornibrook away from the active roster, back-up quarterback duties likely fall to redshirt freshman Jordan Travis, a legitimate athletic threat who despite playing just three games, ended the regular season third on the team in rushing yards (170) and rushing touchdowns (three) on just 12 carries while also completing 4-of-8 passes for 77 yards. Among his rushes was a 66-yard touchdown against Boston College – the longest touchdown run by a quarterback in Florida State history – while he also posted a 61-yard rush against Alabama State.

Due to a deeply depleted group of running backs for FSU, Travis could see increased action against the Sun Devils as the Seminoles will be forced to cultivate a patchwork ground game.

The potential clash of two nationally prominent running backs in this game offers a distinct “what could have been” factor about ASU’s matchup with Florida State, but FSU’s standout rusher Cam Akers announced he will bypass his senior season to enter the 2020 NFL Draft and sit out the Sun Bowl to begin his draft preparation while ASU’s Eno Benjamin also declared as an early entry to the draft and is expected not to participate in the Sun Bowl.

A Second-Team All-ACC pick in 2019, counting games played through Dec. 24, Akers ranks tied for 12th in the nation in rushing touchdowns (14), 20th in rushing yards per game (104.0) and 27th nationally in total rushing yards (1,144). Also, with 2,874 career rushing yards, Akers currently ranks as the No. 20 active career leading rusher at the FBS level. Coincidentally, ASU’s Eno Benjamin ranks No. 21 with 2,867 career rushing yards.

Not only does FSU have to operate with its star running back but his top reserve will not play against Arizona State as Khalan Laborn also will be out of action due to a recent knee surgery.

This season, Laborn saw action in 10 games and posted 63 carries for 297 yards (4.7 avg.) with four touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 66 yards.

Down its top two running backs, the next likely option to be Florida State’s starting tailback is seldom used redshirt sophomore walk-on Deonte Sheffield.

Though Sheffield (5-10, 203) is a walk-on, he came to Florida State with credentials beyond those of the typical non-scholarship player as he was regarded as a three-star prospect by Rivals and the No. 46 running back in the 2017 class. He had FBS offers from South Alabama, Southern Miss and Troy.

The Destin, Fla., native redshirted in 2017 and saw no game action the next season, but, albeit in very limited action, statistically was the team’s third most productive player at the running back position in 2019.

This season, Sheffield is credited with three-game appearances but registered carries in only two of them. Against Syracuse on Oct. 26, he rushed twice for 17 yards and against FCS opponent Alabama State on Nov. 16 he rushed seven times for 31 yards including a two-yard touchdown in the game’s final minute. Sheffield also saw the field in the regular-season finale against Florida but did not register any statistics.

With Akers and Laborn out of action, no Florida State running back other than Sheffield is credited with one carry in 2019.

Undoubtedly Florida State’s most talented offensive weapon in this game and perhaps its best overall player that will see action against ASU, Tamorrion Terry brings excellent size (6-4, 203) and athleticism to the table for the Seminoles.

An outstanding deep play threat, Terry averages 20.06 yards per reception by totaling 1,023 yards on just 51 catches with eight touchdowns. A redshirt sophomore in 2019, so far for his collegiate career he averages 20.6 yards per reception on 86 catches with 16 touchdowns.

Thus far in 2019, among FBS players with at least 50 receptions, Terry ranks fifth nationally in yards per catch behind stars such as Oklahoma’s Ceedee Lamb (20.83 avg.), Clemson’s Tee Higgins (20.81 avg.), Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman (20.53 avg.) and LSU’s Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase (20.52 avg.).

Terry ended the 2019 regular season on a high note, posting three of his top four receiving yardage games of the season across the final three games including both of his 100-yard efforts for the year. Against Boston College on Nov. 9, Terry caught seven passes for 156 yards with a touchdowns and then against Florida on Nov. 30, he hauled in seven receptions for 131 yards.

A very consistent threat, Terry had at least 70 receiving yards in nine of 12 games played during the regular season. Though he is just a redshirt sophomore, it is possible that the Sun Bowl could be his final collegiate game as Terry is considering entering the NFL Draft despite having two years of eligibility remaining at Florida State.

Pairing with Terry in the starting lineup at wide receiver is D.J. Matthews, who totaled 36 receptions for 355 yards and three scores in 11 regular-season games. Though small for his position (5-10, 156), Matthews has 83 career receptions for 807 yards with five touchdowns and also is Florida State’s primary punt returner.

Matthews has had four or more receptions three times this year including a season-high seven catches against Louisiana-Monroe and has registered 40 or more receiving yards three times including a season-best 80 on three catches against Boston College. During the 2018 season, Matthews exploded for a career day against North Carolina State with 10 receptions for 133 yards.

Tre’Shaun Harrison, FSU’s third-most productive wide receiver in 2019 (27 receptions for 289 yards and two touchdowns) reportedly entered the transfer portal around Dec. 12 and presumably will not play against Arizona State. Between Harrison and Akers – statistically, Florida State’s third-leading pass-catcher during the regular season – FSU will be out 57 receptions for 514 yards and six touchdowns that the two combined to total in 2019.

With Harrison’s departure, depth at wide receiver is a major concern for the Seminoles as receivers Ontaria Wilson (20 receptions for 227 yards with one touchdown in seven games) and Keyshawn Helton (17 receptions for 239 yards with three touchdowns in six games) had been productive prior to suffering from long-term injuries. Wilson, however, returned to practice to prepare for the Sun Bowl.

Also, Warren Thompson (six catches for 91 yards in six games) has not seen action since Oct. 19 due to what has been described as “personal issues” and there is no indication whether he will return for the bowl game.

Keith Gavin, who caught 16 passes for 157 yards in 12 games, figures to see an increased role against the Devils along with Jordan Young, who caught three passes for 52 yards in 12 games. Altogether, in the Sun Bowl the Seminoles could be down to as few as three players at the wide receiver position to have caught more than three passes during the 2019 regular season.

Tight end Tre’ McKitty enjoyed a productive regular season with 23 receptions for 241 yards in 11 games and presumably will be a high priority target in the Sun Bowl. Second-string tight end Gabe Nabers totaled 15 receptions for 221 yards with two touchdowns and Cameron McDonald has added six receptions for 43 yards in 12 games, so expect the tight end position to be featured more than a few times against the Sun Devils.

To put it bluntly, the offensive line play for Florida State in 2019 has been a nightmare as 11 total players have started games and through Dec. 24 the team ranks 126th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (8.42 per game), 125th in sacks allowed (3.67 per game) and tied for 102nd in rushing offense (133.8 yards per game).

In total, three positions (left tackle, left guard and right guard) have seen three starters over the course of the regular season while two players have started games at center. Northern Illinois graduate transfer right tackle Ryan Roberts is the team’s only offensive lineman to start all 12 games at the same position.

From left-to-right in the regular-season finale against Florida, Abdul Bello started at tackle, Brady Scott and guard, Baveon Johnson at center, Cole Minshew at guard and Roberts at tackle. For the season, Roberts (12 starts), Johnson and Scott (10 starts each) are the only linemen to have started more than seven games for the Seminoles.

Florida State Offense Summary

Statistically, the Seminole offense is about as middle-of-the-road as it gets – literally – as FSU ranks 65th out of 130 FBS teams in both total offense (403.2 yards per game) and scoring offense (29.1 points per game). Much more accomplished through the air than on the ground, FSU ranks 33rd nationally in pass offense (269.4 yards per game) and tied for 102nd nationally – even with Akers in the lineup – in rush offense (133.8 yards per game).

On purely a personnel level, Florida State enters this bowl game as disadvantaged as just about any Power Five opponent ASU will have played at any point in 2019. A wiped out running back stable combined with a depleted group of wide receivers and an underperforming offensive line leaves little hope for Blackman at quarterback outside future pro Tamorrion Terry at wide receiver.

Added to the punishing personnel issues is the departure of offensive coordinator Kendal Briles to Arkansas after new Seminole head coach Mike Norvell did not retain Briles to his staff. No reports at the time of this publishing are available about Briles’ status with Florida State for the bowl game but the logical guess is that he will not be with the Seminole staff.

This all in mind, the ultra-pessimistic Sun Devil fan could believe that Florida State could have a bounty of tricks up its proverbial sleeve with a “go for broke”, “nothing to lose” mentality and a host of unknown superstars waiting to flourish that have no game tape available for ASU to use as preparation.

On a more logical level, Blackman is a tenured starter who has shown flashes of impressive abilities but will have to count on either a small group of offensive contributors or former deep bench players to shine for the offense to show much firepower in El Paso.

Florida State Defense

In a season filled with injuries and other lineup issues, Florida State suffered a major blow to start November when star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson suffered a season-ending injury.

Presumably a future top-20 pick in the NFL Draft, Wilson started the first nine games of the 2019 season and registered 44 tackles including 8.5 for loss with 5.0 sacks. Despite missing three regular-season games, Wilson was named a First-Team All-ACC selection – the only player for Florida State on either side of the ball to garner first-team all-conference accolades for 2019.

After Wilson’s injury, Dennis Briggs, Jr. filled in as a starter at defensive tackle and on the year posted 28 tackles including 3.5 for loss with 1.0 sack.

Cory Durden and Robert Cooper started all 12 regular-season games at defensive tackle and nose guard, respectively, and with Wilson out of the lineup, Durden is the active team leader in sacks for 2019 (4.5), with 36 total tackles. Cooper posted 37 tackles including 4.0 for loss with 1.0 sack during the regular season.

Amari Gainer and Janarius Robinson have been the team’s primary starters at Edge positions. Gainer started eight of 12 regular-season games played and finished third on the team in total tackles (63) and tackles for loss (6.5), adding 3.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. Robinson posted 10 starts among 12 total games played during the regular season, posting 45 tackles including a team-high 9.0 for loss with 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

At linebacker, Emmett Rice and Leonard Warner ended the regular season as the primary starters. In 12 games with six starts, Rice finished second on the team with 65 tackles including 4.5 for loss with 1.0 sack. Warner started all 11 games he played during the regular season and posted 52 tackles including 2.5 for loss with 1.0 sack.

Dontavious Jackson, who totaled 43 tackles including 1.5 for loss in 10 games with five starts, reportedly will not play in the bowl game and begin preparation for a potential pro career. Jackson finished eighth on the team in total tackles during the 2019 regular season.

At cornerback, Asante Samuel, Jr. and Stanford Samuels were the typical starting duo for the Seminoles but will be without half the duo against Arizona State.

Samuel, a Third-Team All-ACC pick this year, started all 11 games he played and had 47 tackles, 12 pass breakups, and one interception. He tied for 24th nationally with 13 total passes defended.

Samuels, an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2019, started all 12 games and ranked fourth on the team with 60 tackles, tied for the team lead with two interceptions and tied for second on the team with seven pass breakups but announced that he will be an early entry to the 2020 NFL Draft and skip the Sun Bowl.

Sophomore A.J. Lytton started one game in place of Samuel near the end of the regular season and could be a viable candidate to start in place of Samuels against ASU. On the year, Lytton has 14 tackles in 11 games.

At safety, Hamsah Nasirildeen and Akeem Dent were the most common starting duo down the stretch for the Seminoles.

FSU’s leading tackler on the season and a Second-Team All-ACC selection in 2019, Nasirildeen collected 101 tackles along with two interceptions in 12 regular-season games but will miss the bowl game due to injury.

Dent registered 33 tackles including 1.5 for loss with seven pass breakups in 12 games with five starts this season.

To replace Nasirildeen in the starting lineup for the Sun Bowl, Cyrus Fagan (five starts), Levonta Taylor (four starts) and Carlos Becker (one start) have all earned starts this season – though Fagan is reportedly suspended for the first half of the Sun Bowl game.

Florida State Defense Summary

Similar to its offense, Florida State will endure absences of some of its most important players on defense – namely future first-round NFL Draft pick Marvin Wilson, leading tackler Hamsah Nasirildeen and starting cornerback Stanford Samuels.

Statistically, Florida State fields one of the nation’s poorest pass defenses as the Seminoles rank 120th out of 130 FBS teams in pass defense (283.5 yards per game). FSU ranks 98th in total defense (436.0 yards per game), 73rd in scoring defense (28.5 points per game) and 63rd in rush defense (152.5 yards per game).

Though ASU will be significantly shorthanded on offense as it’ll be without First-Team All-Pac-12 honorees Eno Benjamin at running back and Brandon Aiyuk at wide receiver, the absences for the Devils could be offset by those of Wilson, Nasirildeen and Samuels for FSU – along with Florida State’s team deficiencies on defense.

Florida State Special Teams

The kicking game for the Seminoles has been wildly inconsistent as placekicker Ricky Aguayo has connected on just 7-of-13 field goal attempts this year and is just 2-of-9 from 40 yards and beyond.

Punter Tommy Martin averages just 39.0 yards on 64 punts, worst in the Atlantic Coast Conference among teams’ primary punters.

In the return game, D.J. Matthews averages 6.7 yards on 16 punt returns, while Isaiah Bolden is the top available kick returner and averages 26.0 yards on six kickoff returns this season.

Overall Summary

If five or six years ago a Sun Devil fan would have been told that ASU would eventually play Florida State in a bowl game, the Arizona State contingent likely would be ecstatic and likely would have thought that meant ASU had worked its way to the College Football Playoff or a similarly prestigious bowl game.

Just six seasons ago, the Seminoles claimed their third national championship but since that point have freefallen to no more than seven wins from 2017 through the end of the 2019 regular season.

Matters regressed so badly so quickly that after just 21 games in charge of the Seminole program, Willie Taggart was relieved of his head coaching duties this November.

Longtime assistant Odell Haggins, an alum of the FSU program and member of the staff since 1994, was named interim head coach for the second time in his career, as he coached two games including an Independence Bowl win in 2017 following the departure of Jimbo Fisher from FSU to Texas A&M.

Haggins won two of three games as interim head coach this season and after serving as head coach for the Sun Bowl, he will return to an assistant coach role as new head coach Mike Norvell opted to retain Haggins, making him the longest-tenured active assistant coach at any FBS program.

These two programs are facing quite different junctures as they prepared to face one another in the Sun Bowl, as Florida State hopes to wipe the slate of the past three seasons and return to old glory under former ASU deputy head coach Mike Norvell, while Arizona State looks to improve its win total from year one to year two under Herm Edwards and prepare itself for an intriguing 2020 season that could earn expectations to be one of the premier teams in the Pac-12 South division.

This bowl game could come down to the simple factor of which team collectively has greater focus, places a win at a higher priority and just flat out wants to exit El Paso victorious more than its opponent.

Keys to a Sun Devil Victory

Remember that it Matters: In a bowl game ASU has now visited three times in five years that this time features several star players for both sides either sitting out or injured, many fans find themselves feeling lethargic about the 2019 Sun Bowl matchup. For several reasons, that apathy certainly should not be felt in any capacity for the Sun Devil players, including the fact that a victory could allow ASU to build on its win total from year one to year two under Herm Edwards.

On an individual scale, for a variety of young players – especially at running back and wide receiver, such as A.J. Carter, Geordon Porter, Jordan Kerley, and Ricky Pearsall – the bowl game and its preparation can serve as a crucial proving ground as players such as Eno Benjamin, Brandon Aiyuk and Kyle Williams depart and before the star-studded crop of skill position signees arrive for the 2020 season.

Conversely, ASU could take advantage of the potential disarray that could be present due to a diminished Seminole lineup and a coaching staff that after the game will just about all take different roles – either at Florida State or elsewhere – due to the regime change.

Attack with Discipline: Florida State ranks among the bottom five teams in the entire FBS in sacks and tackles for loss and will not have a scholarship running back available for the Sun Bowl and will be minus a big chunk of its wide receiver depth. This all adds up to an intriguing opportunity for ASU to force a great deal of pressure upon Blackman at quarterback for the Seminoles, but Arizona State can’t pressure without regard to the rest of the field as Terry can make any college defense pay, while FSU has capable tight ends to find holes when available.

Take What they Give You: Like Florida State, ASU will be without its star running back, placing the rushing responsibilities on to wide receiver Kyle Williams and reserve runner A.J. Carter, who notched just 15 carries in 12 regular-season games played. However, though Aiyuk is out of the lineup at wide receiver and Benjamin ranked third on the team with 42 receptions, FSU ranks 120th nationally in pass defense and is without its top pass rusher and star defensive back. If ASU struggles in gaining ground through traditional run plays, it stands to reason that the Sun Devils should find measures of success from using a short-range pass game – perhaps Rudy Burgess style play from Kyle Williams out of the backfield – to gain clumps of yards in place of traditional runs.

Watch the Tight Ends: Florida State is down to its likely starting running back being a walk-on and will be without as many as three of its top-five and four of its top seven wide receivers. As a result of these absences, the Seminoles should face challenges in the run game and have very few proven pass-catchers from their wide receivers group. However, FSU has a trio of tight ends that combined for 44 receptions during the 12 regular-season games and collectively presume to be a highly viable safety outlet for Blackman against the Sun Devils.

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