Film Study of Jimbo Fisher's Offense vs Clemson - better is not best option

I’ve watched every FSU offensive series this season. This has been my observation of Jimbo Fisher’s offense.

1. Though he employs many “spread concepts”, pro style play calling keeps his team behind the chains and trailing in the 1st half of critical P-5 ball games. He trailed vs Ole Miss, blew out by Louisville, and stayed behind the chains vs Clemson. The predictable I formation and single back sets on 1st downs tend to be wasted downs.

2. By the Clemson game, FSU had 17 1st qtr possessions, and had failed to score a single TD in the 1st qtr VS power 5 opponents. That trend continued here.

3. Jimbo waits until he trails to open up the play book. You sense his tendency to stay true to his Nick Saban pedigree until he’s in trouble. This put his team in trouble in the first half of a very critical Clemson contest.

4. There are no RPO (Run pass options). QB is asked to make lots of low percentage throws vertically, much like Cameron. The best call of the 1st half was an underneath shallow cross, thrown for 3 yds that went for 22 yards. Jimbo tries to rely heavily on vertical pass concepts, and does not spread the field horizontally.

5. Does not make use of QB athleticism, despite the fact that Clemson’s Boyd and Louisville’s Jackson has given FSU trouble with their dual threat abilities. Bama has trended in this directions also.

6. Jimbo was in a empty formation 1x, 4 WR set about 4x (and not until the last two minutes of the half.

7. Jimbo’s version of the spread is not a true spread. Its primarily 3 WR set, with a tight end or HB, similar to LSU’s current system.

8. His team struggled to recognize and pick up blitzes vs spread

MY opinion based up on the 1st half analysis in this film LINK :

Jimbo may actually be more suited for the pro game than college football. His offense is beginning to trail in effectiveness.

DRIVE 1
26:10 Drive 1 Mostly conservative pro style
32:10 Drive 1 Wide Open spread - screen for a big gain then back to pro style and struggle
33:58 Drive 1 Wide Open spread - fails to pick up clear blitz vs spread
AFTER DRIVE 1 CLEMSON 7 - FSU 0

DRIVE 2
42:43 Drive 2 Pro Style Struggle
43:36 Drive 2 spread (Bad Read) - Poor protection
44:00 Drive 2 Clock mismanagement
45:00 Drive 2 spread (offsides) - Then screen pass for little gain - punt
CLEMSON 14 FSU 0

DRIVE 3
50:30 Drive 3 Pro Style I Formation - Lead 3 yds
Spread - Empty - Incomplete
Spread - 3 WR - Incomplete
Punt

DRIVE 4
56:00 Pro-style - I form - play action - penalty
Pro-style - DEF pas interference
Pro-style - 8 yd run
Pro-Style - false start
Pro-style - Pistol - Def holding
*****OBSERVATION - LOTS OF TOUGH THROWS (Cam Cameron Like)
Pro-Style 2 yd run
Spread 3WR - False start
Spread 3WR - incomplete
****OBSERVATION - ALSO ATTEMPTED TO GIVE QB QUICK LOOKS - ROUTE COMBO TOO BASIC UNTIL 1:02:00 MARK
Spread 3WR underneath Shallow route. great call 22 yds
Pro-Style - Lead 8 yds gain (Red zone)
Pro-Style - 2yd TD
CLEMSON 14 FSU 7

DRIVE 5
1:09:47 Spread 3WR - Quick throw to boundary well covered incomplete
Spread 3WR 12 yd pass (poor pass protection)
Pro-style play action - POST - INT
CLEMSO 14 FSU 7

DRIVE 6
1:22:00 Spread 4WR - 2minute offense - incomplete
Spread 4WR - QB scramble 9 yds
Pro Style - I form - 1 yd gain first down
Spread 4 WR - ball thrown in coverage on all verticals
Spread 4WR - Corner route (Smash concept) compete 30 yd gain into red zone
Spread 4WR - Quick throw TD

Clemso 17 FSU 14
HALFTIME SCORE