Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2021 45 2,830 yards and 15 touchdowns against only three interceptions. Coan is advertised as having a bigger arm than Book, but will that translate into efficiency and wins? As a true freshman, Mayer tied for the team lead with 42 receptions last season. But with Notre Dame's two leading wide receivers — Javon McKinley and Ben Skowronek — both gone, graduate student Avery Davis (24 catches) is the leading re- turning Irish wideout. FSU finished dead last in the ACC and 119th in the country last season in sacks (1.11 per game), and it inter- cepted only eight passes, with five of those coming from players who have moved on. With a miserable pass rush, the FSU secondary struggled last sea- son, finishing 95th in pass efficiency defense (147.43) and 98th in pass- ing yards allowed (257.1 yards per game). FSU dove deeply into the transfer portal and welcomed in three new defensive backs to help improve its pass defense, though it did lose tal- ented safety Jaiden Lars-Woodbey as an outgoing transfer. Fifth-year senior lineman Jermaine Johnson II — a Georgia transfer — is expected to headline a group of Seminole pass rushers in desperate need of some dramatic improvement. Redshirt sophomore safety Jam- mie Robinson — a South Carolina transfer who appeared in 22 games and started 13 times for the Game- cocks — will anchor a revamped FSU secondary. Advantage: Notre Dame SPECIAL TEAMS The Irish had another nondescript performance on special teams last season. Notre Dame finished top 25 in kickoff and punt returns, but it re- mained middle-of-the-NCAA-pack in both of its return defenses. Irish senior punter Jay Bramblett was solid in 2020 with an average of 42.8 yards per kick, including 10 punts of more than 50 yards, while senior placekicker Jonathan Doerer became unreliable, missing eight of his 23 field goal attempts, most com- ing late in the season. FSU had no punt or kickoff returns for a touchdown last season. Place-kicking duties were split be- tween fifth-year senior Parker Gro- thaus and redshirt freshman Ryan Fitzgerald, who combined for only an 8-of-14 effort on their attempts. Both return this season. FSU finished second in the nation with five blocked kicks in 2020 (two punts, three field goals), while the Noles surrendered one blocked punt and one blocked field goal. Advantage: Even COACHING Norvell, who came to FSU before last season after a successful run at Memphis, is still trying to restore the roster and culture at Florida State from the glory years. Meanwhile, Kelly has won 32 straight games against unranked op- ponents — the second-longest streak in the nation behind Alabama's un- thinkable 98 consecutive — and has beaten FSU two straight times by an average of 22.5 points. Advantage: Notre Dame INTANGIBLES What was once a proud rivalry now features two programs in differ- ent places. Notre Dame remains very much in national title contention again this season, while Norvell with FSU — which went 21-26 the last four years — is still working toward a .500 fin- ish in 2021. Kelly is 2-2 all time and has won two straight against Florida State. Be- fore the mini-winning streak, he had lost two straight to the Seminoles, a 31-27 defeat in 2014 in a showdown between top-five teams, and 18-14 in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl. Advantage: Notre Dame GAME PREVIEW: FLORIDA STATE Offense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. WR 7 Andrew Parchment 6-0 190 R-Sr. 11 Malik McClain 6-4 201 Fr. WR 80 Ontaria Wilson 6-0 177 R-Jr. 3 Bryan Robinson 6-1 204 R-Fr. WR 6 Keyshawn Helton 5-9 175 R-Jr. 22 Ja'Khi Douglas 5-9 193 R-Fr. LT 58 Devontay Love-Taylor 6-4 315 R-Sr. 76 Darius Washington 6-4 294 R-Fr. LG 55 Dontae Lucas 6-3 340 R-So. 59 Scott Brady 6-6 321 R-Jr. C 53 Maurice Smith 6-3 279 R-Fr. 51 Baveon Johnson 6-3 318 R-Sr. RG 75 Dillon Gibbons 6-4 321 R-Jr. 67 Thomas Shrader 6-5 301 R-Fr. RT 52 Robert Scott Jr. 6-5 312 R-Fr. 61 Jalen Gross 6-7 290 R-So. TE 87 Camren McDonald 6-4 241 R-Jr. 4 Jordan Wilson 6-4 269 R-Sr. QB 10 McKenzie Milton 5-11 188 R-Sr. 13 Jordan Travis 6-1 201 R-So. RB 0 Jashaun Corbin 6-0 217 R-So. or 8 Treshaun Ward 5-10 192 R-Fr. TB 9 Lawrance Toafili 6-0 185 R-Fr. or 16 Corey Wren 5-10 187 R-Fr. Defense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Edge 11 Jermaine Johnson II 6-5 262 R-Sr. 30 Quashon Fuller 6-3 263 R-Fr. NG 0 Fabien Lovett 6-4 311 R-So. 91 Robert Cooper 6-2 235 R-Jr. DT 6 Dennis Briggs Jr. 6-4 278 R-So. 44 Joshua Farmer 6-3 290 Fr. Fox 4 Keir Thomas 6-2 272 R-Sr. 14 Matt Cushnie 6-2 250 R-Jr. Will 33 Amari Gainer 6-3 237 R-So. 20 Kalen DeLoach 6-1 211 R-So. Mike 32 Stephen Dix Jr. 6-2 236 R-Fr. 46 DJ Lundy 6-1 255 R-Fr. Stud 10 Jammie Robinson 5-11 193 R-So. 26 Kevin Knowles II 5-11 179 Fr. CB 3 Jarvis Brownlee Jr. 5-11 181 R-Fr. 9 Meiko Dotson 5-11 187 R-Sr. FS 8 Renardo Green 6-0 188 R-So. 15 Jarques McClellion 6-0 185 R-Jr. Buck 18 Travis Jay 6-2 202 R-Fr. 5 Brendan Gant 6-2 208 R-So. CB 7 Jarrian Jones 6-0 192 R-So. 13 Brandon Moore 6-0 190 R-Sr. FLORIDA STATE DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PK 37 Parker Grothaus 6-2 220 R-Jr. 88 Ryan Fitzgerald 6-1 198 R-Fr. KO 37 Parker Grothaus 6-2 220 R-Jr. 88 Ryan Fitzgerald 6-1 198 R-Fr. P 21 Alex Mastromanno 6-1 210 R-Fr. 98 Zane Smith 6-0 227 Fr. LS 42 Garrett Murray 6-0 224 R-So. 49 James Rosenberry Jr. 6-0 226 R-So. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. H 21 Alex Mastromanno 6-1 210 R-Fr. 98 Zane Smith 6-0 227 Fr. PR 6 Keyshawn Helton 5-9 175 R-Jr. 18 Travis Jay 6-2 202 R-Fr. KR 18 Travis Jay 6-2 202 R-Fr. 22 Ja'Khi Douglas 5-9 193 R-Fr. Special Teams