Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker knows what a dominant defense looks like. He started three games as a true freshman in 2013, when the Seminoles led the nation in scoring defense and won the national championship.
So Walker has some credibility when he proclaimed his enormous preseason goals during last week's ACC Football Kickoff. He believes this year's defense can be "the best that FSU ever had."
The Seminoles have had some good ones. The 1993 team led the nation in scoring defense and featured a future Hall of Famer (former Buc Derrick Brooks), two first-round NFL draft picks (Derrick Alexander and Devin Bush) and two All-Americans (Clifton Abraham and Corey Sawyer).
Walker's title team two decades years later included 16 defensive contributors who were drafted.
But the fact that Walker believes this season's defense can challenge the others means the 'Noles could be primed for a championship run, especially considering its offense is nearly intact.
"It has the pieces in place," FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said.
Starting with Walker.
The 6-foot-4, 280-pound All-America candidate was tied for 14th nationally with 10½ sacks, and his 12 tackles for loss were 10th in the ACC. He could have left early for the NFL draft but returned for his senior season, in part because he thought he would come back to a talented team.
Safety Derwin James' athleticism is gaining widespread attention.
Sports Illustrated ranked the 6-foot-3 sophomore as the nation's No. 10 player, and he's the only returning player in the nation coming off of a season with at least 90 tackles and nine tackles for loss. His two forced fumbles and 4½ sacks don't adequately measure the five-star talent who has leaped over 6-foot-3 quarterback Sean Maguire and occasionally works on techniques with the defensive linemen.
"Come Saturdays, you're going to see a different animal," running back Dalvin Cook said.
Cook is also setting high expectations for another sophomore, defensive end Josh Sweat.
Sweat was regarded as the No. 1 recruit in the country before he shredded his knee during his senior season of high school.
"We didn't even think he'd play," Fisher said.
But Sweat recovered quickly enough to start nine games as a freshman and show flashes of potential. Two other former five-star prospects — linebacker Matthew Thomas and freshman cornerback Levonta Taylor — could have big roles. Dade City native Jacob Pugh adds versatility at linebacker or as an edge rusher. Fisher raves about defensive back Trey Marshall and continues to tout defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas, a former standout at Bradenton Manatee High.
"We've got selfless guys," Walker said. "You've got guys who want to listen. You've got guys who want to buy in. You've got guys with a great attitude."
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Explore all your optionsAnd Walker said it has one other key component that aligns with FSU's last championship team: leadership.
Walker said last year's locker room had too many competing voices vying for leadership roles. That resulted in a 10-win season that didn't live up to FSU standards.
Walker has tried to fix that by going back to the past. He had a talk in the spring with linebacker Telvin Smith, who was the vocal figure of the last championship defense before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"The 2013 defense, (when) Telvin spoke, everybody listened," Walker said. "This year when I speak, everyone listens."
And if he has anything to say about it, the end result will be the best defense in FSU history.
Contact Matt Baker at mbaker@tampabay.com. Follow @MBakerTBTimes.