3 players to know ahead of FSU football's game against Virginia Tech
Home sweet home.
No. 5 Florida State football kicks off a three-week homestand on Saturday, hosting Virginia Tech. The Seminoles (4-0, 2-0 ACC) are coming off their bye week, hoping to clean up a few things it saw in the first part of its season, against the Hokies (2-3, 1-0).
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ABC.
Seeing action for the first time in two weeks, here are three FSU players to know ahead of its matchup against the Hokies.
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Lawrance Toafili, Jr., Running Back | #9
The rushing game needs to get going for FSU against Virginia Tech, meaning that the effort needs to expand and move off of Trey Benson. Benson has rushed for 189 yards on 40 carries this season, and was the only player to rush for more than four yards against Clemson.
Toafili is debatably the No. 2 running back and will need to step up his game in order for the Seminoles to have a strong, whole rushing effort. He's rushed for 86 yards on 19 attempts and rushed for no yards against Clemson. If FSU's offense wants to get its rushing offense going, Toafili needs to be a major part of that.
Benson has pulled his weight and needs the support of his No. 2, and Rodney Hill after that.
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Jaheim Bell, Jr., Tight End | #6
Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson have powered the passing effort this season, with both players well over 250 receiving yards. However, FSU's tight ends have played a massive role in keeping the Seminoles' passing game elite. One of the biggest contributors has been Bell, an all-around force for FSU's offense.
He's second in receiving yards with 151 off 10 receptions and has scored two touchdowns. Most teams FSU has played have chosen to put double coverage on Coleman and Wilson, which usually eliminates one of the two as a threat to the opponent. However, Bell has allowed that effort to stay consistent and dominant.
Even when FSU's top pair is available, Bell is still contributing through the air or on the ground. He'll be a major factor against the Hokies.
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Shyheim Brown, So., Defensive back | #38
FSU head coach Mike Norvell said after Wednesday's practice that the defense needs a faster start. Against Clemson, the unit went down 10-0 quickly, allowing the Tigers to trott down the field. While it later found its footing, FSU could've had an easier path to victory if the defense had woken up.
One of the biggest keys to a quick start is the secondary communicating and executing. Brown has stood out over the past few games as one of the Seminoles' top DBs.
Against Clemson, he played all 82 snaps, grading out at 74.8 by Pro Football Focus (PFF), finishing highly in rush defense (78.9), tackling (85.6) and coverage (69.3). As the Seminoles top piece in the secondary, he could really be the spark plug to a fast start.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: No. 5 FSU (4-0, 2-0 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-0)
When/where: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; Doak Campbell Stadium
TV/Radio: ABC/94.9 FM
Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @Ehsan_Kassim, @jackgwilliams and @JimHenryTALLY on X, formerly Twitter
Jack Williams covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at jwilliams@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @jackgwilliams.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 3 Florida State football players to watch vs. Virginia Tech
