Florida State University Athletics
After Dominant Preseason, Burns Sets Sights On History
8/23/2018 12:13:38 PM | Football
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Last week, near the end of a practice at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida State’s Brian Burns anticipated a short pass, leaped straight up – higher than even his 6-foot-5 stature suggests he could – and knocked the ball away.
A moment later, Burns made a play that would have been a carbon copy, had it not been even better. Burns got his hands another pass near the line of scrimmage, but this time he held onto it.
He grabbed the interception and raced about 35 yards – faster than his 235 pounds suggest he could – for a touchdown.
Pick-sixes aren’t usually part of his job description, but it’s been that kind of fall camp for Burns.
A junior defensive end from Fort Lauderdale, Burns has at times been a one-man wrecking crew for the Florida State defense – a pass-rushing, run-stopping, smack-talking force who can singlehandedly change the tone of practice.
He’s also one of Florida State’s top candidates for All-America honors in 2018, and the latest potential superstar defensive end for a program with a surprisingly rich history at the position.
This is a thought that has occurred to Burns, who has confidence to match his physical abilities.
Take his recent meeting with Peter Boulware as an example. Boulware, who played at FSU from 1993-96, set a school record with 19 sacks in 1996, earned consensus All-America status and went on to become a four-time Pro-Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens.
“The first words were, ‘Hey Peter, I’m trying to beat your record,’” Burns recalled with a laugh.
Even better? Boulware agreed.
“He said it’s going to be more difficult,” Burns said, “but he said I can do it.
“So I’m going for it.”
It’s more difficult, Boulware said, because of the way football has evolved. In the mid-1990s, a defensive end’s job was usually simple – line up across from an opposing blocker, beat him, and then make a beeline for the quarterback.
Burns, on the other hand, must make reads at the line of scrimmage, beware of run-pass option plays, and contend with mobile quarterbacks that are faster and more athletic than ever.
Still, if Burns believes it and Boulware backs him, it might not be wise to bet against him.
Burns’ coaches and teammates certainly aren’t. Just listen to the way they’ve described him since camp started two weeks ago.
“That’s a dude, man,” head coach Willie Taggart said, in his highest form of compliment.
“He’s lethal,” fellow defensive end Janarius Robinson said.
“He can do things that our DBs can do,” defensive lineman Walvenski Aime added.
But the line that perhaps most calls for a double-take came from Burns’ position coach, Mark Snyder.
“His ‘get-off’ and his bend reminds me of Myles Garrett,” Snyder said. “That’s the only guy I’ve been around that can do what Brian can do, rushing the quarterback.”
Snyder coached Garrett at Texas A&M, where Garrett racked up 31 sacks and back-to-back first-team All-America honors before becoming the No. 1 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Not exactly a casual comparison.
WATCH: Brian Burns practice highlights, mic’d up with coach Mark Snyder
But while Burns might be motivated to join such elite company, he’s also motivated by what happened last year.
Or, rather, what didn’t.
As a freshman in 2016, Burns lined up opposite the dominant DeMarcus Walker and made a stunning first impression: 9.5 sacks (most of any freshman in the country), freshman All-America honors and sky-high expectations for a follow-up.
It didn’t quite turn out the way Burns envisioned. With Walker gone and Florida State’s defense mired with inconsistency, Burns forced three fumbles and blocked two kicks, but his sack total dropped by more than 50 percent to 4.5.
At ACC Football Kickoff last month, a reporter asked Burns if opposing linemen had “figured him out.”
Burns laughed and said no, but then admitted that he might have figured out some things about himself:
“My freshman year, I was going off pure athleticism. Doing what I could do,” Burns said. “Coming into my sophomore year, I was doing the same. And it didn’t work out.”
But out of that frustration came maturity and evolution.
No longer able to get by on raw ability, Burns turned over rocks in an effort to better himself.
He devoted himself to the film room, analyzing what went right and learning from what went wrong.
And he put a new priority on taking care of his body, both with his diet and his time spent at the training table.
It didn’t take long to see a difference. After posting just half a sack in his first eight games, Burns responded with four sacks and 17 tackles in his last five.
That includes Burns’ best outing of the season, a seven-tackle, two-sack outburst at Clemson.
“I learned there’s other necessities that are part of this game,” he said. “So that’s why you saw those flashes at the end of the season, because I was growing up. …
“And I’m going to take that end of the season and translate it into the 2018 season.”
If what happens on the practice fields is any indication, Burns isn’t kidding.
After a dominant spring – made even more so by the fact that the Seminoles were learning a new offense – Burns has picked up right where he left off in the fall.
He’s been virtually unblockable when rushing the passer, he uses his overwhelming wingspan to disrupt throws when he doesn’t make it to the backfield and he’s shown fine tackling form when tracking down running backs, too.
All that disruption has had a surprise benefit: Florida State’s offensive linemen are getting better because of it, too.
“The old saying – iron sharpens iron,” right tackle Landon Dickerson said. “If you put me against Burns every single day at practice … you’re going to get (good).”
Opposing linemen won’t have that luxury.
Burns said he has a specific sack goal in mind, but when asked for the number he just smiled and said, “Confidential.”
Boulware’s 19 seems like a good guess. Otherwise, when determining Burns’ goals for this season, perhaps it’s best to refer to another recent conversation he had – this one with defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett.
“He told us about pinning our ears back and getting to the quarterback,” Burns said. “He said he loves sacks. And I love him for saying that.”