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Head coach Dino Babers said he wasn’t sure if he’s ever been on a field against a team with multiple players projected to go near the top of the NFL draft. For Syracuse, it’s seen the same level of future NFL talent in three straight weeks, both quarterbacks and defensive skill players. But on Saturday, a new wrinkle, one that the Orange placed a heavy emphasis on throughout practice leading up to the game, emerged as a threat. SU has been burned by one receiver in the past, getting torched last season by Purdue’s Charlie Jones for 188 yards.

Keon Coleman was different. Babers paused after the game when asked about Jordan Travis — No. 4 Florida State’s quarterback in the running for the Heisman Trophy — and Coleman. He was awed by his acrobatic catches and incredible speed. Coleman was an issue for the Orange’s secondary throughout the game, announcing his arrival with a speedy 58-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. With the pocket collapsing, Travis lofted a throw up to Coleman, who had beaten Isaiah Johnson one-on-one with a quick jab step inside that Johnson bit on.

Now a step in front of SU’s cornerback, Travis just had to hit him in stride, leading to a touchdown. A crowd of over 70,000 erupted as the Seminoles took a 17-3 lead.

Coleman, a shifty receiver qho also returns punts and kicks for the Seminoles has helped galvanize their offense in the midst of a 6-0 start. Against Syracuse and a secondary that struggled versus Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and North Carolina’s Drake Maye in back-to-back weeks, Coleman put up 140 receiving yards, his most since last year against Michigan. Coleman caught a touchdown and added in six punt returns for 107 yards. His explosive plays helped FSU (6-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast) blow out Syracuse (4-3, 0-3) 41-3.

“He’s a big player. He made some big plays,” Justin Barron said.

The Michigan State transfer had already compiled 278 receiving yards and six touchdowns, emerging in his first season with Florida State as Travis’ top receiving threat. Though the Orange had six interceptions in their 4-0 start, a player like Coleman paired with a quarterback with pinpoint accuracy was going to give them problems. They tried to lock him up early, but the Seminoles targeted Coleman with short passes that slowly brought the Orange’s secondary toward the line of scrimmage.

On Florida State’s opening drive, Coleman showed the Orange a catch that “looked like a gymnast,” Babers said. On an empty set play, Coleman ran across the middle on a post route with Jason Simmons Jr. tightly covering him. Travis fired a pass slightly high, forcing Coleman to jump up, reach back and snag the ball with one hand. He immediately secured the ball before Simmons could make contact and completed the 27-yard gain.

“He does it all the time at practice, but it was a great catch,” Florida State running back Lawrence Toafili said.

Coleman got up, nodded his head and walked back to the huddle. Syracuse still had some success against Coleman, with Alijah Clark breaking up a potential touchdown at the end of the Seminoles opening drive and swarming him when he caught passes before the first down. It was challenging for a defense that was on the field for 73 plays despite the Orange having nearly six more minutes of possession.

Having Barron as the boundary safety has been a key tool for defensive coordinator Rocky Long. His versatile ability to drop back in zone coverage or come up to play man defense against receivers allows Long to further diversify his playcalling. Barron was typically back in coverage with Clark as a final line of defense for the Orange to ensure Travis wasn’t hitting big plays that eventually led to the lopsided loss. On the 58-yard touchdown pass, Barron opted to look left and double teamed another receiver, leaving Coleman wide open.

When SU dropped back, Travis found Coleman underneath for easy gains. When it began to inch up, Coleman sped off and took the top off the Orange’s defense. Then as a punt returner, Coleman continued to help the Seminoles by allowing them to be in plus territory throughout the game. Syracuse typically went from wilting on offense to punting off the ball to a dynamic return man that set the Orange back further.

Despite never catching punts at Michigan State, Coleman has been the main returner for FSU this season. Toward the end of the third quarter, Coleman caught a punt near his own 25-yard line and took off. He dodged around two tacklers and set up a wall of Seminole blockers, who created a massive hole on the right side of the field. Coleman took off for 74 yards, finally stumbling down at the 6-yard line. Florida State head coach Mike Norvell ran alongside him the whole time.

“God was showing off when he made him,” Babers said.

Published on October 14, 2023 at 5:48 pm

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt