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Three Key Takeaways From Florida State's Dominant Win Over Charleston Southern

There were some positive strides for a team that hasn't seen many all season.

Tommy Mire

Nov 23, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Kam Davis (3) runs the ball during the second half of the game against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images
Nov 23, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Kam Davis (3) runs the ball during the second half of the game against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Melina Myers-Imagn Images
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Florida State's season hasn't been nearly what anyone expected heading into 2024. The 'Noles sit at 2-9 after securing their second win of the season last Saturday against Charleston Southern. FSU fired two of its coordinators during their last bye week, and although Charleston Southern isn't exactly a measuring stick for where the team will finish the season or how they will start 2025, there were some bright spots and flashes of what the team could be in a much-needed turnaround with the 41-7 win.

1. Quarterback Luke Kromenhoek Could Be the Future Under Center

Kromenhoek made his first start on Saturday and put together a remarkable 90.2 PFF grade after completing 13/20 passes for three touchdowns and 209 yards. He also made an impact on the ground with 31 yards on eight attempts. That isn't to say that quarterback Brock Glenn is necessarily going to transfer but such a dominant performance shouldn't be overlooked. How he fares in next week's matchup against rival Florida will give a better insight as the true freshman continues to grow.

READ MORE: Florida State Fans, Former Players React To Second Win Of 2024 Season

2. The Florida State Defense Put Up a Dominant Performance

Again, this was a notoriously bad Charleston Southern team that went into the matchup with a record of 1-10.  But, interim defensive coordinator and linebacker's coach Randy Shannon's defense looked a little different than the previously sometimes predictable press man that they had run all season. They were able to hold the Buccaneers to just 57 rushing yards and had six tackles for loss.

Florida State was able to keep Charleston Southern out of the end zone for 59 minutes. The only score came in garbage time against a mixture of walk-ons and true freshmen. Florida State only allowed 4/12 third down conversions and 275 yards of total offense. Three of those conversions came on the final two drives.

Those numbers will probably look drastically different against UF, but a positive stride is a positive stride.

3. The Youth Movement Has Arrived

Running back Kam Davis led the team in rushing yards with 39 on nine attempts, alongside Kromenhoek's dominant performance. Freshman tight end Amaree Williams caught his second touchdown of the season and came up with big plays when the 'Noles needed a conversion alongside tight end Landen Thomas. Thomas was second on the team in receiving yards with two receptions for 36 yards, and running back Micahi Danzy had a humongous 38-yard catch on his one target in the third quarter.

Redshirt freshman defensive back Ja'Bril Rawls led FSU with a career-high seven tackles, while walk-on wide receiver Willy Suarez and kicker Jake Weinberg were two of nine players to make their FSU debut. The others were quarterback Trever Jackson, defensive back Ricky Knight III, defensive lineman DD Holmes, long snapper Peyton Naylor, offensive lineman Jonathan Daniels, and defensive linemen D'Nas White and Jamorie Flagg. It is safe to say there were enough snaps to go around for the younger players. With next season approaching, getting these guys reps will be crucial moving forward.

Florida State is set to face the Florida Gators on Saturday, November 30, with a kickoff time of 7:00 p.m.

READ MORE: Florida State Opens As Double-Digit Underdog In Rivalry Game Against Florida Gators

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Tommy Mire
TOMMY MIRE

Tommy Mire joined NoleGameday in 2023 as a writer and editor. He initially worked as lead voice at SBNation's Tomahawk Nation and contributes to football, NFL and recruiting coverage. Connect with Tommy on Twitter at @TommyM3III

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