Matchup: Seminoles QB Ashton Daniels vs. Aggies Secondary
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The Aggies
of New Mexico State historically have not come out on the winning side of
football games.
They finished 4-8 last season. One of the bright spots on that
team was their defensive secondary, ranked among the top 15 teams in the FBS in
interceptions with 15.
As a unit, the Aggies made at least one interception in
10 of the 12 games played, and posted five games with multiple interceptions in
a game.
The Aggies
return two starters from that unit, Bernock Iya and Josiah Charles. Together,
they combined for five of those interceptions. Iya’s four INTs ranked second in
Conference USA.
How does
that affect Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels going into their week zero
game preparation for New Mexico State? In the past, that type of defensive
production may have caused doubt to creep into Daniels’ football psyche.
So far
in his collegiate career as a starting quarterback, Daniels has thrown 22
interceptions against 27 touchdown passes, with stops at Stanford and most
recently Auburn.
However,
after spring practice and fall camp, Daniels has remolded himself into a better
version of his quarterback self. He has regained his confidence in his ability
to play the position and secure the football.
Being named the starter for this
season by coach Mike Norvell lit a fire in Daniels that was thought to have been
snuffed out after being relegated to a backup role behind Jackson Arnold at
Auburn last season.
However, a
tiny flicker had been displayed by Daniels in two games against ranked
opponents toward the end of the season. Against No. 15 Vanderbilt, Daniels
accounted for 442 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 45-38 loss to
the Commodores.
In the
Iron Bowl against hated rival and No. 9 Alabama, Daniels stepped up again to
account for 367 yards of total offense and one touchdown in a 27-20 defeat.
In fall
camp with the Seminoles, Daniels worked hard on adverse game situations and
what to do with and how to protect the football to extend drives. According to
the coaching staff, he brought a work ethic to the practice field that was
unyielding in every practice.
By all accounts,
he was a vocal leader on the field, giving praise and demanding excellence in
execution, as all good quarterbacks do who aspire to be great. For his
leadership and inspiring play, Daniels was given the honor of breaking the rock
to signal the end of fall camp.
New Mexico
State is talented in their secondary with good size. They will need it all when
they go up against the best receiver in the ACC when it comes to contested
catches, 6-foot-6 Duce Robinson.
If Robinson is not open, Daniels can throw to
Michai Danzy, who no doubt has just used his elite track speed to get behind
the Aggies’ pass defense for a big play score.
Daniels and Florida State must
pull out all the stops from the opening kickoff and let there be no doubt that
this game was a wire-to-wire dominant victory by a new and improved Seminoles
football team, led by their new and improved quarterback.
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