Mike Norvell’s miserable season took another gut-wrenching turn Friday night. They fell 21-11 to NC State in Raleigh, dropping to 5-6 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. After the game, offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn opened up about what’s gone wrong with an offense that started the season looking unstoppable. 

When asked about the lack of big plays that defined FSU’s early success, Malzahn admitted what many have been thinking. Teams have figured them out, and he’s struggling to adjust.​

“When we’re at our best, we’re hitting the big plays. That’s when we get touchdowns,” he said. “Some teams play you a little bit looser, which takes away the big plays. We tried to throw a couple, it didn’t work out early. Then they back up a little bit, and they make you run the ball,” Malzahn added.​

The veteran coordinator took responsibility for the offensive struggles. Malzahn admitted that game plans haven’t always played out as expected. They’ve been adjusting on the fly.

“But the bottom line is I’ve got to find a way for our guys to make the explosive plays because you’ve seen us. We make explosive plays; we’re as good as any team in the country offensively. When we don’t, it’s kind of one of those fine line deals,” Malzahn explained. 

The numbers from the NC State game tell the story. FSU’s longest pass went for just 34 yards. And their longest run was a mere 15-yarder by Tommy Castellanos.​

Under Mike Norvell, the offensive woes have been glaring, especially when you look at how this season has unfolded. After opening with a 31-17 win over Alabama in Week 1, FSU’s offense was rolling, ranking as high as third in the nation in total offense at 536.5 yards per game. But that momentum evaporated quickly. They went through a four-game losing streak to Virginia, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Stanford, and the production has cratered ever since.

Against NC State, FSU managed just 10 “big plays” for 193 total yards, with only five passes going for 15 yards or more. They averaged a paltry 4.2 yards per play and 3.2 yards per rush in the loss.​ The passing game has been particularly problematic for a team that desperately needs to stretch the field.

FSU ranks 41st nationally in passing offense with just 254.6 yards per game. These are hardly the numbers you’d expect from a Gus Malzahn offense. Sure, they’re moving the ball in chunks. But without those explosive plays, the conversion rate of drives to touchdowns is shockingly low. Moreover, they’re grinding out possessions that too often stall in opponent territory. 

The result has been an offense that looks competent in chipping yardage but toothless when it matters most. With a rivalry game against Florida looming on November 30, Malzahn knows he needs to find answers fast. Or this disappointing season might end without a bowl game.​

The running back dilemma

Malzahn’s admission about teams taking away the deep ball helps explain part of FSU’s offensive struggles. However, he also pointed to another glaring issue that has plagued the Seminoles all season. It is the running back room that’s forced him into an unfamiliar situation.

The OC has always leaned on a bona fide RB1, but Mike Norvell’s poor recruiting has led to him leaning on a committee approach. When asked about quarterback Tommy Castellanos being the team’s leading rusher with 480 yards, Malzahn didn’t sugarcoat it: “No. I mean, you look at my history, I’ve always had one or two guys.” He admitted this running-back-by-committee approach “hasn’t been the norm” for him.

Sam Singleton had started to emerge as that guy earlier in the season with 339 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 49 carries. But an undisclosed injury kept him out of Friday’s loss to NC State. It forced FSU to lean even more heavily on a rotation of Gavin Sawchuk, Roydell Williams, Ousmane Kromah, and Jaylin Lucas.​

The injury bug has completely derailed what FSU hoped would be a strength coming into the season. Roydell Williams has been limited all year and managed just 16 rushing yards against Virginia Tech in his most recent appearance. Gavin Sawchuk has been the most consistent option. Malzahn praised Sawchuk after the NC State game, saying “he ran the ball really hard the other night” and “plays without the ball extremely well.” But the fact remains that having your quarterback lead the team in rushing yards is a red flag for any offense.