Patrick Payton Believes The Seminoles Play Their Best With Their Backs Against The Wall

The Seminoles are working on figuring out how to start games faster on the defensive side of the ball.

The Florida State Seminoles are in full swing of the 2023 season as they enter the bye week 4-0, with two conference wins against Boston College and Clemson. 

This past weekend the ‘Noles traveled to Clemson and faced the Tigers in Death Valley, unseating the kings of the ACC for the first time since 2014. They would finish that season 13-1, with the lone loss coming at the hands of Oregon in the College Football Playoffs.

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For many fans and players, a new day is here after that nail-biting overtime victory and it is covered in garnet and gold.

Despite allowing 24 points, the Florida State defense stole the show with a strip sack turned scoop and score from Kalen DeLoach as well as forcing numerous missed opportunities by a talented Tiger offense.

One standout player in the game was the returning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, Patrick Payton. Against the Tigers, he had three solo tackles, including one sack. Payton spoke on the win over Clemson and what it means for himself and the team moving forward.

“We really play our best football with our backs against the wall. We should always have that chip on our shoulder in the first half, but that’s something we’re gonna try to work on,” Payton said regarding the team’s inability to get things going quickly.

“We can’t come out there chill and relaxed. We know we’re good, but we can’t play like that. We gotta play like we were last year when we were still unranked.”

The Seminoles were losing going into halftime against the LSU and Clemson Tigers before figuring things out and playing the game like they know how to.

While FSU did figure things out towards the end it took 79 defensive snaps for the ‘Noles to find a path to victory. It is times like this where the depth on the roster as well as the work the team puts in off the field, begins to show.

“It helps with the depth of our team, like every position is three or four deep. The next person that comes in is just as great as the first person. The third person that comes in is just as great as the first person," Payton said. "We start on the paper and when we come out, but when that defense comes out there, Coach Adam Fuller doesn’t say first, second, or third. If you’re out there, you’re a starter.”

Like this year, the 2022 bye week fell right after the matchup against Clemson, and as many fans remember, FSU won out after that game, including wins over rivals Miami and Florida, as well as a victory in the Cheez-It Bowl, which capped off Mike Norvell’s first 10 win season in Tallahassee. 

Expectations are high for the fifth-ranked Seminoles, as many fans and experts believe the hardest part of the schedule has passed, however, the ‘Noles still face three ranked opponents with games against Duke and Miami being played In Doak Campbell Stadium, as well as the annual matchup against Florida on the road in Gainesville.

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