Football | 9/2/2015 7:00:00 PM

Thursday – 2 days away

Texas State radio play by play man Brant Freeman brings you his 5 things to know Saturday vs. Florida State. You can catch Brant and his radio partner Bill Culhane on AM 1300 the Zone beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night.

5 Things To Know: Texas State @ Florida State
 
Just typing the words "game week" gets me excited, but I'll type a few more today in the first of the "5 Things To Know" series.  As we're all aware, the Bobcats jumpstart the 2015 season against arguably their toughest, most talented opponent ever: 10^th ranked Florida State.  A team that is just two years removed from a National Championship and was a win away from playing for another last year as they were one of the four teams selected to play in the first ever College Football Playoff. 
 
Despite losing 72.7% of their offense from last year to the NFL Draft, the 'Noles are still loaded.  Quarterback Everett Golson, who guided Notre Dame to an undefeated regular season and an appearance in the 2012 National Championship Game, will start this Saturday for FSU.  Sophomore receiver Travis Rudolph is regarded as one of the best young WRs in the nation.  Running back Dalvin Cook could potentially be a first round NFL Draft pick one day.  The defense is stacked with veteran players, several of which will be playing in the NFL in the near future. 
 
So….we get it.  Florida State is really, really good (and I haven't even mentioned special teams of which FSU may have the best special teams unit in the country).  But as Coach Fran mentioned during his weekly press conference earlier this week, the mindset of the Bobcats has to be: it's about us.  That applies to both the underdog and the favorite, the latter role of which Texas State will be in next week when they host Prairie View A&M in the home opener.  So, here are 5 things to know about the Bobcats going into Tallahassee this weekend.
 
1) Texas State has played some of its best games in season openers
 
Coach Fran and his staff deserve a lot of credit for having their players ready and roaring to go the moment they run out of the tunnel for the first time in a given season.  Over the last three years, Texas State has beaten both Houston (which will get to more in a moment) and Southern Mississippi on the road.  Last season the Bobcats never missed a beat in a 65-0 rout of Arkansas Pine Bluff.  Those three games all had different feels to them and each time the 'Cats responded appropriately.
 
Underdogs against Houston?  We'll grind the clock, protect the football, play our best on 3^rd down on both offense and defense and make a statement in Game 1 of FBS football.
 
Tight 4^th quarter game against Southern Miss? As long as the defense makes a play or two (such as David Mayo's two fourth quarter interceptions and Craig Mager's strip and score touchdown), then we just need the offense to come up with one drive to seal the deal.
 
Heavy favorite against UAPB? Don't let up and don't let them breathe.  We can't play down to the level of competition. 
 
Check, check, and check.  The Florida State game will have a different feel to it then these games did, but whatever the situation (and if history is of any indication) the players will be ready to respond.  By the way, Coach Fran's record in season openers is 21-7-1. 
 
2) Protecting the football
 
It seems like a rather obvious observation, but winning the turnover battle will be paramount for the Bobcats to have a shot at an upset.  The good news is that the 'Cats were very good in this department last year: only 12 turnovers all season.  The ONLY team in the nation with less was Oregon and they reached the National Championship Game.  Florida State by the way, committed 32 turnovers last season, the second most in the nation.  Granted, most of those were committed by Jameis Winston (18 INTs and 2 fumbles lost) but Golson has been suspect to turning the ball over as well.  In 23 career starts, Golson has thrown 20 interceptions.  In comparison, Bobcat quarterback Tyler Jones has thrown just 12 INTs in 19 career starts. 
 
However, it should be noted that Golson threw the ball a lot more in two seasons at Notre Dame (745 attempts) then Jones has at Texas State (536 attempts).  But Jones' interception rate is still lower (2.2%) than Golson's (2.7%).
 
In terms of a "magic number" I would think that if Texas State could be +3 in turnovers on Saturday, they could be in decent shape.  If that number is even or in Florida State's favor, it could make for a long game.
 
3) Be who you are
 
I referenced the upset over Houston above and one of the biggest factors in that win was that the Bobcats simply kept the ball out of the Cougars' hands (paws?).  The time of possession in that game was a staggering 43:09 to 16:51 in favor of Texas State.  Essentially, the Bobcats had the ball for three entire quarters.  Just because a team wins T.O.P. doesn't necessarily mean they win the game though.  It's what you do when you have the ball, not for how long.  But when skimming through the box score it can help tell the story of a game. 
 
The game plan that night was to play keep away given that Houston had one of the best offenses in the country the year before.  The more that Texas State's defense was on the field, the more Houston could exploit the FBS newcomers.  However, things are different now.  Texas State very much belongs in the FBS and Coach Fran and his staff have a lot more confidence in the defense (under defensive coordinator John Thompson) than they did going into that game at Robertson Stadium three years ago.  Because the trust in the defense has grown, Coach Fran has been able to implement the no-huddle, up-tempo offense which was introduced a season ago.  Here were the results:
 
2013 offense: 326 yards per game/23.6 points per game
2014 offense: 464 yards per game/33.8 points per game
 
A difference of 138 yards and 10.2 points per game, and the defense didn't suffer all that much for being on the field longer.  In 2013, Texas State gave up 27.3 PPG.  Last year, that figure was 27.7.
 
So while one might think Texas State would want to drag out possessions to keep FSU off the field (just like Houston in 2012), that won't be the case.  The Bobcats' no-huddle will very much stay intact at Doak Campbell Stadium.
 
4) Let's see what they're made of
 
There are so many known commodities on offense for the Bobcats.  They have anchors at tackle on the offensive line (Adrian Bellard & Ryan Melton), experienced running backs (Robert Lowe & Chris Nuttall), a tight end who showed flashes of playmaking ability last year (Lawrence White), a deep receiver corps and of course TJ at QB.  It's on defense where we'll see either A) new faces, B) increased playing time for returners or C) players playing in positions they never have before.  Let's breakdown those categories.
 
Category A: The player that most comes to mind here is safety Easy Anyama.  Coach Fran has said that the safety group could end up being the best position group on the defense by the time the season is over and points to Anyama as being a potential difference maker.  He was a two-way player at Stafford HS, a 3A state champion relay runner and a track athlete at the University of Texas before transferring to Texas State.  A tremendous athlete, Anyama can cover A LOT of ground, which is vital to his position.
 
Category B: Two players to highlight here: Brandon McDowell (CB) and Rusmin Nikocevic (DE).  McDowell will start at cornerback opposite of David Mims II and got some playing time a year ago, appearing in 10 games as a backup to Mims and Mager.  The bar for CB at Texas State has certainly been set high, so it says a lot that McDowell has earned the #2 CB job.  It should be noted he was named as the team's Fred Bleil Award winner which goes to the most improved defensive player in the spring.  Nikocevic is a senior who saw action in 10 games last year, having to find a spot in the rotation with the likes of Michael Odiari, Jeff Banks, Karee Berry and others.  Like McDowell, he's impressed the coaches over the off-season and this fall.  He's been named a team captain and will start Saturday at FSU.
 
Category C: Tim Gay is regarded by Coach Fran as "pound-for-pound the best football player we have on the team".  Gay came to Texas State as a running back but with two talented ball carriers already in tow (Lowe & Nutall), the coaches have been working to find another way to ensure that Gay sees as many snaps as possible (and FYI, he will still serve as a blocking back on 3^rd and short and goal line situations).  At first, the team moved him to defensive end during fall camp and he has now been slotted to play linebacker.  Both times Gay said he would and could do it.  An extremely physical player with deceptive speed, Gay could potentially flourish at the position.  He has the right attitude and trust from the coaches to do so.  We'll see what he and the others listed here are made of in Tallahassee.
 
5) New radio home
 
Okay, so this isn't so much football related but it is something you should know!  Yes, we have a new flagship station: AM 1300 The Zone out of Austin.  Affiliate stations will remain the same as last year: 930 AM out of San Antonio and our campus station, 89.9 KTSW.  Our pregame coverage will start 30 minutes prior to each kickoff and online broadcasts will be available right here on txstatebobcats.com.  1300 is also airing the Coach Fran Show (Thursday's at 7:00) and a weekly "Bobcat Minute" update.  If you have any questions about radio coverage this season, feel free to hit me up on twitter (@Brant_Freeman).
 
Those are the 5 things you should know going into Saturday's season opener.  If you're going to the game, safe travels!  I, like many of you, can't wait to see how it turns out.
 
Eat 'Em Up!
 
Brant Freeman
 

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Wednesday – 3 days away

Getting in the Zone
The Bobcats are just 72 hours away from facing the No. 8 team in the country on Saturday night, when they square off against Florida State in Tallahassee. Texas State has gone through its final preparations physically and it now becomes a mental game for the team to focus and adhere to the task at hand.

I study high performance by great athletes and we always hear about 'entering the zone'", head coach Dennis Franchione said. "You'll read about Michael Jordan or Tom Brady, guys that were in the zone. It's hard to describe to a young athlete what that means, but the guys that get in the zone, are the ones who really combine the mental and physical to play their best, and you're hoping to teach these guys how to get in that zone."  

Leading by Example
Senior running back Robert Lowe is critical to the Bobcats hopes of coming away with a win. He is amongst the top runners in Texas State history, but perhaps just as important to this game is his role off the field. He is one of the 12 players who serve on the leadership council, designed to bring the whole team together as one, helping them get 'in the zone', as Franchione said.

"A team needs leaders," Lowe said. "It needs people with experience, people with leadership qualities. I feel like it is our job to get everybody ready, let everybody know 'this is what we need to do and this is how we need to play.' We have to lead by example because we have people on leadership council that lead by example not just vocally."

Preparing in the Offseason
Linebacker Stephen Smith is one of many players who will try to take this defense to the next level even without the services of David Mayo or Craig Mager. Last year Smith had nine tackles against both Tulsa and Idaho. Unfortunately, his playing time was cut short due to an oblique injury that plagued him. Smith spent the offseason preparing to get his health to match his on field production.

"This offseason I did a lot of things I haven't been doing," Smith said. "I focused on gaining some weight. I gained like 15 pounds. I just hit the weight room really hard, conditioned really well this summer and I feel like a lot of it paid off. I really worked on my flexibility. I feel good out here."
  

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Tuesday – 4 days away

Coach Franchione met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the team's preparations for Florida State and the uniqueness that first games present every year.

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Monday – 5 days away

Here is a primer to get to know the team that will be walking into Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday night for the Bobcats. View career stats and see the first publishing of the 2015 depth chart.

Game 1: Texas State vs. No. 8 Florida State
Site: Doak Campbell Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 7:02 p.m. central
TV: ESPNews
Radio: 1300 AM the Zone in Austin/89.9 FM KTSW in San Marcos and 930 AM in San Antonio
 

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Sunday – 6 days away

Different Look in the Eyes
The Bobcats are officially in game week, just six days away from opening up the 2015 season against No. 8 Florida State on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. Being in game week brings a different focus and intensity to players, one that Coach Franchione says is very noticeable.

"I don't think there's any doubt," Franchione said. "Their purpose watching film tonight was pretty intent and their practice was very good. It's game week and they understand that."

The team will have Monday off before renewing preparations for the Seminoles on Tuesday.

Living up to the Accolades
Senior cornerback David Mims II received a lot of praise in the summer, being named to multiple award lists by different publications as well as being named the Preseason Sun Belt Conference Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year. Opening the year against a team of Florida State's caliber on national TV gives players like Mims a chance to validate the hype.

"It's somewhere in my mind," Mims said. "My biggest focus, though, is to just go out and do what I do. Just have fun and compete."

Leading the Team into Battle
Junior quarterback Tyler Jones will begin his third season as the leader of the Texas State offense and team overall, in what may be his toughest test yet going against the Seminoles. What makes a great leader is the continuous desire to improve his game. While Jones set Texas State records last year, there are still aspects to his game he is working on making him even better.

"I think just managing the game," Jones said. "Doing my 1/11^th, continuing to lead the team and doing my role as the quarterback of the team."