How Jordan Travis, FSU football graded out on Pro Football Focus | Nole Rewind

Florida State football got off on the right foot with a dominant 45-24 victory over No. 5 LSU to open the 2023 season Sunday in Orlando.

As a result of the win, the Seminoles proved to the college football world that they are back entering Year 4 under head coach Mike Norvell. The team earned No. 4 and No. 5 rankings in the Associated Press and US LBM Coaches pools, respectively, on Tuesday.

However, one game does not make a season. FSU (1-0) returned to practice Tuesday to begin prep for Southern Miss (1-0). The Seminoles and Golden Eagles are scheduled to face off at Doak Campbell Stadium at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. (Broadcast: ACC Network).

Here's a look at snap counts for all FSU players against LSU, along with notes about their grades from Pro Football Focus.

Welcome back: Why dominant win over LSU shows Florida State football is back | Kassim

QUARTERBACK

Jordan Travis played on all 66 offensive snaps. He completed 23-of-31 passes (74.2%) for 342 yards, four touchdowns and an interception, adding seven rushes for 38 yards and a score. He was not sacked.

His performance earned him a PFF grade of 74.7 passing and 66.7 running. He made one throw which PFF deemed to be a "big-time throw" and had two turnover-worthy passes.

Travis' adjusted pass completion percentage was 86.7%, adjusting for three drops from receivers.

He started the game 9 for 15, including the interception and another near pick deep in his own territory. But Travis was able to complete 14 of his final 16 passes and was dominant the rest of the game, helping build his potential Heisman Trophy case in the opener.

Tate Rodemaker was listed as the backup coming into the week but was not required, as Travis stayed healthy. Rodemaker is again listed as the backup for Southern Miss and is more likely to make an appearance at some point.

Receiver Deuce Spann was the only other player to attempt a pass, completing a double pass from Travis to fellow receiver Johnny Wilson for 22 yards.

RUNNING BACK

• Trey Benson - 34

• Lawrance Toafili - 23

• Rodney Hill - 11

The Seminoles rushed for 135 yards on 31 carries, good for a 4.4 average yards per carry against an impressive Tigers' defensive front.

As expected, Benson led the team in rushes with 12 carries for 47 yards. The most elusive running back in college football last season forced just two missed tackles. Benson earned a 62.9 run grade.

Hill, a redshirt freshman, was third on the team rushing in his most snaps in a meaningful time in a game, rushing five times for 30 yards. He forced two missed tackles in his five attempts and led the team with a 72.9 rush grade. He also had the longest run of 17 yards.

WIDE RECEIVER

• Keon Coleman - 56

• Johnny Wilson - 44

• Deuce Spann - 11

• Darion Williamson - 10

• Destyn Hill - 10

• Winston Wright Jr. - 5

• Hykeem Williams - 5

Coleman's big day in his FSU debut has been well-documented. He finished with nine receptions for 122 yards and three scores on a team-high 11 targets. Coleman finished with an 81.0 receiving grade and had 54 yards after the catch. He was second on the team lining up in the slot seven times.

While Wilson's final numbers of seven receptions for 104 yards look impressive, a common struggle of drops for him popped up again. He had two drops in his nine targets, earning a 37.6 drop grade. He finished with a 72.5 receiving grade and led the receivers with six first downs, also forcing three missed tackles.

Wright and Destyn Hill were the only other receivers targeted, receiving one a piece.

TIGHT END

• Jaheim Bell - 55

• Kyle Morlock - 53

• Markeston Douglas - 12

• Preston Daniel - 11

Bell finished his FSU debut with two touchdowns - a 40-yard receiving TD and a four-yard TD run - but had an uneven day overall. He finished with a 56.6 receiving grade, mostly brought down by his 31.6 drop grade. Still, the Seminoles have to feel good about the versatility Bell brings.

Bell also showed his toughness on his TD run, barrelling over a couple of defenders.

Morlock played just two fewer snaps than Bell but was a lesser factor with two catches for 10 yards. He finished with a 50.9 receiving grade.

OFFENSIVE LINE

• Maurice Smith - 68

• Casey Roddick - 60

• Jeremiah Byers - 60

• Bless Harris - 55

• D'Mitri Emmanuel - 41

• Keiondre Jones - 35

• Robert Scott Jr. - 13

• Darius Washington - 8

Along with Travis, Smith was. the only other player to play every offensive snap. The center however had an even game. He finished with a modest 58.2 run block game but struggled with a 36.2 pass block grade.

Harris, who started at left tackle, led the offensive line with a 66.7 overall offensive grade. His 87.5 passing grade led the team.

Emmanuel and Keiondre Jones split snaps at right guard and graded out well in pass blocking. Emmanuel finished with an 84.8 pass-blocking grade and Keiondre Jones finished at 83.9. Scott played 13 snaps at left tackle and graded out at 81.2 in pass blocking.

In a limited sample size, Washington led the OL with a 79.6 run-blocking grade. Two transfers Roddick and Byers

DEFENSIVE END

• Patrick Payton - 49

• Jared Verse - 45

• Gilber Edmond - 24

• Byron Turner Jr. - 11

• Dante Anderson - 1

Verse led the team with four total pressures, three hurries and one QB hit. He had a sack overturned when it was ruled Daniels' hand was moving forward.

Verse is likely going to be more effective than his 64.2 overall defensive grade moving forward.

Payton, playing on the opposite side of Verse the majority of his snaps, had three pressures, three hurries, a batted ball and three tackles. Payton finished with a 77.6 tackling grade and 73.2 rush defense grade.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

• Braden Fiske - 33

• Malcolm Ray - 29

• Joshua Farmer - 24

• Fabien Lovett - 20

• Dennis Briggs Jr. - 18

• Daniel Lyons - 5

Fiske had a solid day in his FSU debut with a 68.4 defensive grade, 72.2 rush defense-grade and 72.4 tackling grade. He only had one QB pressure but opened up holes for his teammates with his presence and constant work.

Farmer had an impressive day with one sack in his 24 snaps. His 74.2 pass-rushing grade was fourth on the team. He also added two QB pressures.

Lovett had been limited in practice during the spring and fall coming off a leg injury at the end of last season. Overall, he did not have a major impact on the game with his 58.1 overall grade, 60.2 rush defense-grade and 56.6 pass rush grade. However, this game proved the Seminoles' depth on the D-line is strong.

LINEBACKER

• Kalen DeLoach - 48

• Tatum Bethune - 34

• DJ Lundy - 22

• Omar Graham Jr. - 9

• Blake Nichelson - 1

• Justin Cryer - 1

DeLoach was the most consistent linebacker for the Seminoles, posting above averages in defensive grade (70.7), rush defense (69.2), tackling (77.9) and pass rush (82.1).

Bethune led the team with six total tackles but also was responsible for three missed tackles, posting a 43.4 tackling grade. He however led the team with a 76.1 rush defense grade.

Lundy also struggled in the tackling department, finishing with a 31.7 grade in that category. He however had a strong day in the pass rush with a sack and 71.8 pass-rushing grade.

CORNERBACK

• Renardo Green - 58

• Fentrell Cypress II - 41

• Greedy Vance Jr. - 40

• Azareye'h Thomas - 36

• Jarrian Jones - 33

• Quindarrius Jones - 1

• Edwin Joseph - 1

Green led the FSU defense by playing on 58 of the 65 defensive snaps. He and Cypress were each targeted a team-high six times. Green allowed three catches for 28 yards but also had an interception and a pass breakup.

Cypress allowed three grabs for 36 yards in his FSU debut. Thomas allowed two receptions for 21 yards and had a PBU on the five times he was targeted.

Green led the team with a 74.8 coverage grade and 79.6 tackling grade, while Vance was second with a 68.0 grade among corners with his coverage grade.

Jones struggled on his lone snap on the final drive, allowing Brian Thomas Jr. to score a 75-yard touchdown on the final drive.

SAFETY

• Shyheim Brown - 55

• Akeem Dent - 38

• Kevin Knowles II - 26

• Ashlynd Barker - 9

• Conrad Hussey - 1

• K.J. Kirkland - 1

Brown was second on the team with his 73.3 coverage grade, allowing no targets in his coverage area. He also added a 70.9 pass rush grade, recording a sack on a fourth-down attempt from the Tigers in the red zone.

Dent posted the second-best grade on the team in rush defense at 74.8. He however struggled with tackling, missing two and finishing with a 34.0 grade in tackling.

Knowles missed one tackle and had a team-worst 28.2 grade but held a solid 65.9 coverage grade, which was fifth on the team.

GAME INFORMATION

Who: AP No. 4 FSU (1-0) vs. Southern Mississippi (1-0)

When/where: Saturday, Sept. 9, 8:30 p.m.; Doak Campbell Stadium.

TV/Radio: ACC Network/94.9 FM

Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @JackGWilliams on X/Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on X/Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY on X/Twitter; @__liamrooney on X/Twitter.

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Seminole football: How Florida State graded out against LSU in Week 1