The Daily Nole

FSU Football 2017: Attrition by the Numbers

wlpearce.com/FSU athletics

The start of spring practice for Florida State is now less than two weeks away as the Seminoles will start laying the groundwork for what they hope to be a very special 2017 season.

The 2016 campaign got off to a rocky start, but FSU was able to salvage what looked to be a disaster of a season with five straight wins to close the year and a top-10 finish, capped with an Orange Bowl victory over Michigan. As with any season, FSU will undergo its fair share of attrition.

Here’s a look at how much Florida State loses at each major statistical category:

Attrition

On Offense

The offensive side of the football is where Florida State’s biggest losses come. Running back Dalvin Cook, FSU’s leading rusher in 2016, and receiver Travis Rudolph, the team’s leading receiver, each left early for the NFL Draft. In total, the Seminoles will be losing more than 67 percent of their rushing and receiving yards. Cook alone accounted for more than 37 percent.

The one area where Florida State loses almost nothing from 2016 is passing. That’s obviously because quarterback Deondre Francois returns. Francois has been pegged as an early Heisman Trophy contender, but the supporting cast and depth at the skill positions is largely unproven with a few exceptions.

On Defense

While Florida State loses a lot of production from last year on offense, that’s not the case on defense. Defensive end DeMarcus Walker and cornerback Marquez White are the only two meaningful departures.

Walker, a Consensus All-American in 2016, accounts for 67 percent of the tackles that are lost from last season. Walker also accounts for all of the attrition in sacks and forced fumbles. White’s two interceptions a season ago is the only loss for FSU in that category. Tarvarus McFadden returns at cornerback after leading the nation with eight picks in 2016.

Overview

While many are excited to see what Francois can do in year No. 2 and to get a look at young backs like Cam Akers and Khalan Laborn, the strength for FSU in 2017 should be the defense. That’s not to say the Seminoles cannot also be solid on offense, but with nine starters back, they should be better defensively. The loss of Walker is certainly a big one, but even if you take away his 16 sacks from last season, FSU still ranks in the top 30 nationally in that category.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

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