Florida State football midseason awards: MVPs, biggest surprise, best assistant coach and more
Now that Florida State has played six games, it’s time for the Democrat to give out some midseason awards.
Choosing quarterback Jordan Travis as the offensive MVP turned out to be the easiest decision among the award selections.
The Seminole offense has significantly improved with how much the dual-threat Travis has grown as a passer. The group has more plays of 20-plus yards (45) than any other team in the country. They also rank No. 23 nationally in total offense (465.8 total yards per game) and No. 25 in rushing offense (204.2 rushing yards per game).
With a 153.8 rating, Travis comes in at No. 36 nationally in passing efficiency. No Seminole quarterback has surpassed the 153.8 mark since Jameis Winston topped the nation with his 184.8 rating in 2013.
Column from FSU vs. NC State: Florida State football took a step back in deflating loss at NC State
Recap from FSU vs. NC State: FSU Seminoles fall to NC State Wolfpack in heartbreaking fashion
FSU football PFF grades vs. NC State: Stats, PFF grades that help explain Seminoles' loss to NC State
Per Pro Football Focus, Travis ranks No. 2 in pass grade (91.1). His 91.1 overall grade leads the team and ranks No. 4 among FBS quarterbacks.
The lone blemish on Travis’ season so far came last Saturday, when FSU fell 19-17 at NC State. Travis completed just 50% of his passes, threw two costly interceptions and posted a season-low 98.3 passing efficiency rating.
But Travis’ poor performance looks to be an outlier.
The only other time Travis finished a career start with a lower passing efficiency rating came against Louisville (84.8) in 2020. The Wolfpack also have the best pass-efficiency defense that Travis will face this season, ranking No. 8 with a 101.77 rating allowed on average.
Of the six remaining teams that Travis will play in the regular season, five of them are ranked outside of the top 25 in pass-efficiency defense.
Clemson (No. 51), Georgia Tech (No. 30), Miami (No. 116), Syracuse (No. 44) and Florida (No. 64) are those five teams, with Louisiana (No. 15) being the exception. So Travis will have an opportunity to build off his strong start and be the offensive MVP for the entire season.
The final half of the season for Travis begins with the Seminoles (4-2, 2-2 ACC) hosting the No. 4 Tigers (6-0, 4-0) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (TV: ABC).
Below are the other award winners.
Takeaways from FSU's loss at NC State: Seminoles blow two-touchdown lead in second half meltdown | 5 takeaways
Defensive MVP: Defensive end Jared Verse
Verse has been a wrecking ball, leading FSU with four sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss.
The first-year transfer from the University at Albany has made his transition from FCS football look seamless. So much so that Verse has dramatically climbed NFL Draft boards, reaching No. 29 overall on ESPN analyst Todd McShay’s mock last week.
Per PFF, Verse has the No. 10 pass-rush grade (87.9) nationally. And he has been that productive despite ranking No. 5 on the defensive line and No. 14 on the defense with 166 total snaps played on the season.
The 6-foot-4, 248-pound Verse has been battling a left knee injury, which he suffered at Louisville on Sept. 16. Verse missed the Sept. 24 game vs. Boston College because of the injury. Then he played on a snap count of sorts against Wake Forest before playing more against NC State.
When he is healthy, Verse is one of the nation’s most disruptive players off the edge. His breakout game came in New Orleans, when he sacked LSU twice and recorded a team-high seven pressures. He also blocked a field goal in that 24-23 FSU win.
Even when he is limited, Verse is a difference maker. He led the team with three pressures against the Demon Deacons, and he recorded a sack on third down in one of his first plays of that game. Against the Wolfpack, Verse tallied five tackles, a tackle for a loss, a pressure and a quarterback hurry.
Once Verse completely returns to form, the Seminole pass rush and overall defense should take a step forward.
More on Jared Verse: Florida State DE Jared Verse talks transfer portal, 2022 season and more | NoleSports Podcast
Biggest surprise: Wide receiver Johnny Wilson
Not many players have considerably outperformed their expectations coming into this season.
Even Johnny Wilson, who has a team-high 417 receiving yards on 21 catches, along with three touchdowns, clearly emerged as FSU’s top receiver during preseason camp.
The first-year Arizona State transfer deserves recognition, though, for translating what he showed in practice to the field. Especially when considering how little Wilson produced with the Sun Devils. He only caught 18 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown across two seasons in Tempe, Ariz.
Wilson also struggled when he first arrived at FSU in the spring. Consistency and drops were his biggest issues. Once Wilson started shining in August, there still were doubts about whether he would be consistent enough throughout the season.
But the 6-7, 235-pound Wilson has bullied defenders on a regular basis. With his large catch radius and overall athleticism, Wilson does not have to create much separation to be considered open. And he is one of the nation’s best blockers at receiver.
Per PFF, Wilson has the No. 3 run-block grade (87.8), No. 6 overall grade (84.1) and No. 14 receiving grade (82.1) among FBS receivers.
More on Johnny Wilson: Welcome to the 'Johnny Wilson Show'; How receiver broke out against Louisville
Best assistant coach: Wide receivers coach Ron Dugans
What a difference a year makes.
FSU went from having maybe the worst receiving corps in the ACC to one of the nation’s best in one season. Credit to Dugans, who seemed like one of the weakest links on this coaching staff until this revelation of a season from his position group.
Per PFF, the Seminoles have the No. 3 receiving grade (85.2) in the country.
In the last two seasons, FSU failed to produce a 400-yard receiver. Johnny Wilson reached that point in his sixth game of the season. Receivers Ontaria Wilson and Mycah Pittman (21 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns) also are on pace to break 400.
How deep this receiving room seems to be is one reason why the group has been so impressive. The Seminoles had four different players lead the team in receiving through their first four games. Pittman would have been the fifth in game five against Wake Forest, but his 85 yards tied Johnny Wilson for the lead.
Not only have these receivers produced solid numbers, but they also have shown impressive effort and fundamentals with their blocking. Wilson (87.8) and Malik McClain (78.8) have the No. 3 and No. 17 run-block grades among FBS receivers, per PFF.
Ron Dugans analyzes FSU's receivers: Ron Dugans, wide receivers' blocking playing key role in offense's success
Biggest flaw: FSU underachieves, presses at times
With the exception of when they beat up lowly teams in FCS Duquesne and Boston College, the Seminoles still have not played their best game.
Some of FSU’s problems stem from its ongoing rash of injuries. The Seminoles have lost multiple starters for at least a half, including quarterback Jordan Travis, center Maurice Smith, left tackle Robert Scott Jr., right tackle Bless Harris, wide receiver Winston Wright Jr., defensive end Jared Verse, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett and cornerback Omarion "Duke" Cooper.
Running back Treshaun Ward and defensive tackle Robert Cooper were among players who went down with injuries at NC State last Saturday. Their statuses remain unclear.
Still, this banged up FSU team could play much better. The Seminoles have committed too many self-inflicted errors, especially in their losses to NC State and Wake Forest. Untimely penalties, poor situational football, run defense and red-zone offense have been some of their biggest struggles.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: FSU (4-2, 2-2 ACC) vs. No. 4 Clemson (6-0, 4-0)
When/where: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Doak Campbell Stadium
TV/Radio: ABC/94.9 FM.
Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @CarterKarels on Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY on Twitter; @jackgwilliams on Twitter
Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
No one covers the ‘Noles like the Tallahassee Democrat. Subscribe using the link at the top of the page and never miss a moment.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football midseason awards: Seminoles' MVPs, biggest surprise and more
