Senior Tony Bridges runs during a practice drill last weekend. Coach Hugh Freeze highlighted how young the defense is while talking to the media about Sunday’s scrimmage results. (Photo by: Taylor Cook)
Florida State presents a new challenge for the Rebels, as the two teams’ lone matchup came all the way back in 1961. Defensive Coordinator Dave Wommack has prior experience facing Jimbo Fisher’s team, however, from his time as the Georgia Tech defensive coordinator and was able to give some insight into the style of offense the Seminoles would likely deploy against the landshark defense. Wommack expects the offense to be disciplined and to feature a lot of one tight end sets along and some two back sets.
“They usually run the ball, and most of the time LSU, Florida State and those teams have some really good skill guys,” Wommack said.
Wommack does have to prepare for a new quarterback, as Deondre Francois will be starting in his first collegiate game. Wommack had looked to high school tape to scout the redshirt freshman.
“You go back, you look at the spring game and you look at the IMG stuff and you look at his mechanics and what kind of player and athlete he is,” Wommack said.
“He’s a really good athlete. He throws the ball well,” Wommack added.
Wommack also said he expected senior John Youngblood to see a lot of time at defensive end against the Seminoles but still hoped fellow senior Fadol Brown would be able to play.
“Fadol was out there for the first time, and he was going through practice, so that will take some of the stress off,” Wommack said.
Wommack said he was still unsure if Brown would be see time on Monday, but if he can’t he would try to balance Youngblood’s reps with other players.
“We’ll have to spell him with Garrald McDowell and Shawn Curtis, and we also have the ability to put Breeland Speaks out there so I think we have plan A, B, C and D,” Wommack said.
Speaks is also the starting defensive tackle for the Rebels front four.
“He’s used to playing the three-technique and it takes time, in all honesty,” Wommack said of his play at defensive end. “We’ve put him in in run situations just to give us a big run anchor in there and steal some reps to give John some rest.”
At linebacker, Wommack said he planned on trying to focus rotations behind starting middle linebacker Demarquis Gates and starting stinger Terry Caldwell on the situation.
“Rommel (Mageo) has really come along and made some big advances, so I feel comfortable with either one of those guys at Mike linebacker. Detric (Bing-Dukes) also will give us some reps in the game as well to do that. Gates will play some stinger at times,” Wommack said. “(Junior) Tayler Polk is going to play a lot in the game, just because he’s practiced so well. I don’t think anyone has practiced better than Tayler Polk.”
