Kelly On The Rematch! Defending Johnny Wilson!

[LSUDad]

Florida State has been enjoying bragging rights over LSU for an entire year following last season’s one-point victory over the Tigers in Orlando. 

Entering 2023, both teams have massive expectations and head into Week 1 both ranked in the Top-10 of the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Tigers head coach Brian Kelly praised FSU for the job they’ve done since their last meeting but isn’t letting go of the notion that LSU was in the driver’s seat to win the game toward the end. 

“Well, I think they certainly remember what happened and the way it ended certainly where there was a lot of momentum on our side and we lost it by not executing a PAT. If you look at it from that perspective, I think they want a second chance,” Kelly said on Sunday morning during SEC Nation. “And now they’ve got to go out and prove it. Florida State is an outstanding football team. They’ve got playmakers and we do too.

“This is going to be a game where obviously you’re going to have to take care of the football, special teams will be important. All those things that coaches talk about will play out. But the great players will rise up and we’ll see them on display on Sunday night.”

The thrilling 24-23 display saw Florida State overcome LSU thanks to a last-second missed PAT from the Tigers. Regardless of the outcome, both teams ended up outperforming expectations last season which has caused this matchup to be so highly anticipated.

lorida State has been enjoying bragging rights over LSU for an entire year following last season’s one-point victory over the Tigers in Orlando. 

Entering 2023, both teams have massive expectations and head into Week 1 both ranked in the Top-10 of the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Tigers head coach Brian Kelly praised FSU for the job they’ve done since their last meeting but isn’t letting go of the notion that LSU was in the driver’s seat to win the game toward the end. 

“Well, I think they certainly remember what happened and the way it ended certainly where there was a lot of momentum on our side and we lost it by not executing a PAT. If you look at it from that perspective, I think they want a second chance,” Kelly said on Sunday morning during SEC Nation. “And now they’ve got to go out and prove it. Florida State is an outstanding football team. They’ve got playmakers and we do too.

“This is going to be a game where obviously you’re going to have to take care of the football, special teams will be important. All those things that coaches talk about will play out. But the great players will rise up and we’ll see them on display on Sunday night.”

The thrilling 24-23 display saw Florida State overcome LSU thanks to a last-second missed PAT from the Tigers. Regardless of the outcome, both teams ended up outperforming expectations last season which has caused this matchup to be so highly anticipated. 

During the original matchup last September, LSU star quarterback Jayden Daniels ended up contributing 323 total offensive yards and combined for two scores against the ‘Noles, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to get the job done. 

Florida State also boasts one of the best QBs in the nation in Jordan Travis, who finished last year’s game by completing 20-of-33 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns — a similar performance would put him, and his team, on the right track for both the Heisman Trophy and a College Football Playoff berth.

A win could do the same for Daniels and the Tigers, which is why this game serves as one of the most important non-conference matchups of the early season. 

Kickoff between No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State is set for 7:30 p.m. ET inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando live on ABC. Per Vegas Insider, the Tigers serve as 1.5-point betting favorites over the Seminoles heading into Week 1’s finale.

Brian Kelly details challenges of defending Johnny Wilson

Alex Weber•about 3 hours

Florida State receiver Johnny Wilson goes up for a catch in a 24-23 win over LSU in a game on Sept. 4, 2022. (Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)

Ahead of Sunday evening’s LSU vs. Florida State game, Tiger head coach Brian Kelly addressed what his team needs to do to limit Seminole star Johnny Wilson. 

The towering wideout transferred in from Arizona State last season and immediately popped for 897 receiving yards in 2022 on 20.9 yards per catch along with five touchdowns. He added three catches for 60 yards in the LSU win a year ago. In ’23, expectations are that those numbers only go up.

Kelly knows the ‘Noles are going to Wilson early and often in the season-opening contest. He just hopes the Tiger defensive backs make him work to catch the ball. 

“Certainly, you know, any ball that’s been thrown up there, you know, you’d like it to be 50-50,” Kelly said. “The thing with Wilson is that he turns it into 75-25. … We’ve got to make him 50-50.”

To render Wilson ineffective, Kelly says his group has to get physical with Wilson from the moment the ball is snapped on each play. 

“You know, we’ve got to be on-body, we’ve got to be able to disrupt him off the line of scrimmage so the timing is a little bit off in terms of some of those throws,” explained the LSU coach. “If he gets clean releases down the field and they’re easy throws to him, he’s gonna make them.”

Brian Kelly also credited FSU QB Jordan Travis, who he knows will burn LSU if they leave Wilson open all night. 

“And Jordan’s gonna get the ball to him,” Kelly said. “So you’ve got to make it harder in terms of disrupting timing. You’ve got to be on-body. You’ve got to compete for the catches every single time. You know, to try to get it even.”

With Wilson’s frame, winning the physicality battle is going to be tough. 

“And that’s a task in itself. Because when you are 6’7 and you have the kind of talent he has, when he is targeted, it’s certainly a challenge,” Kelly added.

With the experience, talent and athleticism among the pass catchers, Florida State coach Mike Norvell is excited about the potential of the position group himself. He raved about them a couple weeks ago.

“I mean, you know, I think the experience that those guys bring, the play-making ability that they bring, the physicality that they bring. You can talk about guys catching the ball, but I mean, they’re just all big, strong, determined blockers, which does great things for the run game, you know.”

 

Physicality at wide receiver appears to be one of the strengths FSU will play to. Meanwhile, Brian Kelly merely hopes his defensive backs make life difficult on Jordan Travis and Johnny Wilson, even if they don’t stop the duo altogether.