Florida State Offense Struggles in Post-Jordan Travis Era

The Florida State University (FSU) football team is experiencing significant challenges on offense following the departure of Jordan Travis, their standout quarterback. Since Travis suffered an injury that ended his playing tenure, the team has been unable to maintain its previous level of offensive performance.

In the 27 games that Travis started, the Seminoles consistently surpassed 300 yards of offense, and achieved over 400 yards in 19 of those games. However, since his injury during the game against North Alabama, FSU has failed to reach 300 yards in any of the five subsequent games. This offensive downturn is particularly evident given the teams they have faced, which included lower-ranked opponents.

The notable decline is linked to the performance of DJ Uiagalelei, who was brought in as a transfer quarterback to replace Travis. Uiagalelei has struggled, averaging only 6.7 yards per pass attempt and has thrown just one touchdown pass while facing ongoing scrutiny from the fan base. This has led to calls for the backup quarterback to receive playing time.

Moreover, the Seminoles are struggling in the running game as well. In the absence of Travis’s dual-threat capabilities, the offensive line’s performance has been called into question. Current statistics show FSU averaging only 2.53 yards per carry, with a mere 119 total rushing yards over two games. The inability to factor in Uiagalelei as a significant rushing threat has allowed defenses to focus more heavily on neutralizing the Seminoles’ offense.

FSU’s head coach, Mike Norvell, acknowledged the urgency for improvement, stating that offensive execution must enhance and that the team must adapt strategically to overcome current obstacles. This situation presents a critical challenge for Norvell, who has previously demonstrated success in offensive strategy during his coaching career at Memphis.