Corey Clark

Democrat senior writer

The numbers are what they are.

The Florida State defense is currently allowing 35.4 points per game. Ignore the 52-8 win over FCS Charleston Southern and the Seminoles are giving up 42.5 points per game to FBS opponents.

Even more incredibly: The Florida State defense is 125th in yards-per-play defense, allowing 6.98 yards every time the opponent snaps the ball. Only Marshall, Hawaii and Rice have worse numbers than FSU so far in 2016.

That’s not company Florida State is used to keeping. And is truly hard to fathom.

The Seminoles are 94th in the country in total defense, allowing 438.4 yards per game.

And even perhaps more illuminating than just mere statistics is what happened in Saturday’s 37-35 loss to North Carolina.

Once again the defense allowed the opposing offense to score on its first drive of the game – something that has happened against every FBS opponent this season – on its way to spotting the Tar Heels a 21-0 lead.

And after the FSU offense battled back to tie the game at 28-28, the defense immediately allowed a 75-yard touchdown drive.

And after the FSU offense took the lead with 23 seconds left, the defense allowed a quick drive that resulted in a 54-yard game-winning field goal.

The Seminoles just could not get stops, could not get off the field, with the game on the line.

“At the end we have to play those situations in what we're doing,” FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “And we have to stay in our zones. We have to stay where we've got to be. Force everything underneath, in front of us, and not give the seams. And with 23 seconds, we can do that.”

Or not.

The Seminoles are now 3-2 on the season and 0-2 in the ACC as they prepare for their annual rivalry game against Miami, which is now ranked No. 10 in the country.

Fisher said there was still plenty to play for after the loss on Saturday, even with a conference title all but out of the question.

But if the defense keeps playing like this, then he also understands more losses are almost certainly on the way.

He was asked whether he thought scheme was a problem.

“Schemes are good, it’s the same scheme,” Fisher said. “That's the same defense we ran in 2013, 2014, 2015, and we played a little bit last year. I'm not blaming the kids. It's not that. We have to coach it better, play it better and callers and schemes and where it's at. We've got to look and see what we're doing, evaluate it, play it better, and maybe it needed to be called at different times.

“But it's all good. Just when it's called or what they have matched up against it. We have to look at that and see. I'm not going to sit here and question schemes. I'm not questioning players. It's on coaches. It's on us. But I'm going to look at the film and make the judgments.”

Earlier this week Fisher said he wasn’t a fan of making coaching changes in the middle of the year.

Defensive coordinator Charles Kelly has been under fire all season, and while his future with the program after 2016 might be in doubt, Fisher likely isn’t going to reverse course and make any drastic moves with the coaching staff during the year.

And he can’t fire the players either.

So, like he’s said all season, they just have to find a way to get better.

Somehow. Some way.

“There ain't nothing magical going to happen,” Fisher said. “You've got to coach better. We've got to play better. And there is a lot of good there, but like I said, there is just way too much bad, and we're giving too much. Look them in the eye, be honest and it starts with me. I've got to do a better job of coaching them.”