|
LB
Derek Nicholson |
|
|
2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Bobby Bowden
300-87-4, 32 years |
2007
Record: 7-6 |
|
at
Clemson |
LOST
18-24 |
UAB |
WON
34-24 |
at
Colorado |
WON
16-6 |
vs.
Alabama |
WON
21-14 |
NC
STATE |
WON
27-10 |
at
Wake Forest |
LOST
21-24 |
MIAMI
FL |
LOST
29-37 |
DUKE |
WON
25-6 |
at
Boston College |
WON
27-17 |
at
Virginia Tech |
LOST
21-40 |
MARYLAND |
WON
24-16 |
at
Florida |
LOST
12-45 |
MUSIC
CITY BOWL |
Kentucky |
LOST
28-35 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2008
Outlook |
If
you are an avid Florida State
fan reading this outlook, you
may want to divert your eyes.
We just don't see anything on
the field offensively that is
going to be better than what
was displayed last year, or
the year before that, and so
on. The nation has seen what
Drew Weatherford is capable
of after three years. On his
best days he looks competent
enough to lead this team to
a conference championship. His
inconsistency on other days
- usually due to a marginal
(at best) OL - leaves one wondering
why the QB plight in football
hot spot Tallahassee never improves.
Can he lead this team, or is
it time to make a change with
another guy, who is now Christian
Ponder? The debate rambles on
with no real answer for better
results. The process/situation
of procuring QB talent seems
to get more confusing every
year, and not just with the
fans. Players, too, seem to
be of mixed opinions as to which
possible hurler is best. This
continued pattern has proven
not a winning formula.
Second
year offensive coordinator Jimbo
Fisher is now the heir apparent
to head coach Bobby Bowden.
Fisher's new contract says so
much in hopes of keeping him
around to call the plays long
enough until Bobby retires.
In his first season, no one
expected miracles, but the many
aspects that have kept FSU "shooting
way under par" continued
to exist...missed assignments,
at times not knowing what to
do, burning needless time outs
due to confusion of the basics,
turnovers, dropped passes, penalties...and
the list goes on. Starting QB
Ponder admitted as much by saying
there are still times when everyone
in the huddle is not on the
same page, and players do not
always know the assignments.
Other
schools that regularly attract
only two- and three-star recruits
have seemingly flown by FSU
in the same way Bobby led his
Noles past many of the big boys
upon their rise in the 70s and
80s. When other teams and coaches
were trying to duplicate what
made FSU successful, he was
the innovator. Now he is not
calling the plays and schemes,
at least not like he used to
from an offensive standpoint.
His chosen assistants are now
solely left to keep up with
the changes in today’s
offensive strategies, and they
have not gotten it done. Mickey
Andrews called the defenses
then (the dynasty years) and
he calls them now. Although
the defense may not be as dominating
as it once was, the defense
is not the main problem, even
when on the field way too much.
The use of the TE is a great
indicator of how Bowden is no
longer changing with the game.
He has never utilized the TE
as a weapon in the passing attack,
despite the fact that TE use
has completely evolved. It’s
hard to say that Bowden is the
problem since he is so “hands-off”
when designing the X’s
and more important the O’s,
or maybe that is precisely the
trouble. But since this system
has failed miserably offensively,
he now gets caught being tabbed
a bad administrator as opposed
to a bad coach. Which means
more than he may realize.
The
biggest news for FSU entering
the new season will be the three
game suspensions of players
that were involved in the infamous
academic cheating scandal that
rocked the entire school's/team's
entry into the Music City Bowl.
The bulk of these suspensions
will be on the defensive side,
and depth will be extremely
crucial here early. FSU will
open their season with back-to-back
games against FCS opponents
Western Carolina and UT-Chattanooga…kudos
to the schedule makers in this
regard. The toughest games are
at home (Wake Forest, Virginia
Tech, Clemson, Boston College
and Florida). No games are “gimme’s”
anymore outside the first two.
In
defense of the program, this
team is still making bowls -
26 straight - which cannot annually
be said for former powerhouses
Miami, Nebraska and Penn State.
The bottom line is that FSU
in 2008 is likely to find another
December bowl game as their
modest destination. However,
like usual on paper, there is
enough talent here (as recruiting
rankings have indicated) that
FSU can contend for an ACC Atlantic
crown and thus a bid at a BCS
bowl. What it will take to make
such a statement more than just
preseason talk is a complete
turnaround by the OL, getting
a QB that can handle the offense
when it struggles, and cutting
back on an ungodly amount of
mental mistakes by the players
and coaches. Don't count on
a complete turnaround as recent
history has shown, but maybe
enough to keep Bowden ahead
of Paterno in coaching wins
(BB has 373 and JoePa is just
one behind), a consolation that
won't carry much weight for
those concerned with the programs
direction for the years to come.
Projected
2008 record: 8-4
|
|
FLORIDA
STATE
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3.5 |
DL
- 4 |
RB
- 3.5 |
LB
- 4 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 2.5 |
.. |
|
FLORIDA
STATE
2007 Statistical Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
91 |
8 |
Passing: |
47 |
4 |
Total
Off: |
80 |
4 |
Sacks
Allow: |
41 |
2 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
22 |
6 |
Passing: |
85 |
11 |
Total
Def: |
42 |
10 |
Sacks: |
41 |
7 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Drew Weatherford, 181-318-3,
2049 yds., 9 TD
Rushing: Antone Smith,
192 att., 819 yds., 3 TD
Receiving: Preston Parker,
62 rec., 791 yds., 3 TD
Scoring: Preston Parker,
5 TD, 30 pts.
Punting: Graham Gano,
59 punts, 43.4 avg.
Kicking: None
Tackles: Derek Nicholson,
99 tot., 46 solo
Sacks: Everette Brown,
6.5 sacks
Interceptions: Patrick
Robinson, 6 for 87 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Michael
Ray Garvin, 35 ret., 19.9 avg.,
0 TD
Punt Returns: Preston
Parker, 31 ret., 10.6 avg.,
0 TD
|
|
|
WR
Preston Parker |
|
|
|
|
FLORIDA
STATE
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 8 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
De'Cody Fagg-WR, Jacky Claude-OG,
Shannon Boatman-OT, David Overmyer-OT,
Gary Cismesia-K, Xavier Lee-QB
(NFL), Daron Rose-OT (academics) |
DEFENSE:
Andre
Fluellen-DT, Alex Boston-DE, Roger
Williams-FS, Letroy
Guion-DT (NFL), Geno
Hayes-LB (NFL), Marcus Ball-WLB
(dismissed) |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
The race for starting QB duties just
got muddled...again. The job is likely
going to be fifth-year senior Drew
Weatherford's, who has started 33
games in his career. But others have
also thrown their names into the hat
since Weatherford received a slight
tear in his right knee during spring
practice. He should be ready to go
for August after surgery. With Weatherford
sitting out most of spring, Ponder
has made a case with good decisions
and toughness in the pocket (barring
the spring game). The best athlete
of the QB group (scrambling ability)
is D'Vontrey Richardson. Because of
his ability to make plays with his
legs, he will get some looks in August
with the first group, but Richardson
seems to be more of a situational
QB when the need's for speed. Coming
in this fall will be highly regarded
Virginia Beach recruit E.J. Manuel
(Rivals.com No. 2 rated dual-threat
QB). Manuel is hoped to be the future
of the program, but for 2008 he is
likely going to be watching and learning
from the sidelines. Weatherford is
not a QB that can handle, on a consistent
basis, the fact that this offense
has to be one-dimensional since the
running game has disappeared and the
OL isn’t giving him the time.
Weatherford is not a scrambling-and-throwing
guy while being harassed, not many
are. The lack of production with Drew
at the helm is not going to change
dramatically without some blocking.
Ponder is also a dropback type passer
in style and not experienced enough
to take over yet and change what has
been killing this offense. If the
run game is gone, a QB with better
feet is probably the best choice,
and neither Drew nor Ponder is physically
that type of scrambler.
RUNNING
BACK
The horror that has become Florida
State's offensive freefall can be
directly attributed to their inability
to run the football. Since 2005, FSU
has finished ranked 109th, 103rd and
91st nationally in rushing offense,
respectively. Running with the football
is the most basic gridiron concept,
and yet this dimension has totally
been lost in Seminole Country, even
though the names in the backfield
have been a list of top rated five-star
prep talent. Some of the blame surely
goes to an inept OL, but some also
has to be handed out to the guys carrying
the ball. Case in point...now senior
Antone Smith (rated the No. 1 overall
running back recruit in the country
by SuperPrep) has looked slow at times.
Even more important is that arm tackles
bring him to the ground. With the
off-season transfers of Russell Ball
and Jamaal Edwards, Smith is the only
full-scholarship TB on the roster.
The search for depth won't be put
to the test until JUCO-transfer Tavares
Pressley arrives on campus this summer.
Pressley (215 pounds) is a big back
and may be the most important recruit
FSU has ever had based on need. The
fullback spot is actually in good
hands with three guys likely to see
action in this offense, one where
FBs fill nothing more than a blocking
role. Expect some minor improvement
with Smith now being a senior, but
not enough to change the rushing woes
that keep opponents from respecting
the run. If Smith gets nicked and
Pressley doesn’t catch on pretty
quickly, this area has the potential
to be disastrous. And coordinator
Jimbo Fishers hands are still tied.
RECEIVER / TIGHT END
Junior Preston Parker is the closest
thing to being a game breaker, leading
the team with 1513 all-purpose yards
and 62 receptions a year ago. He was
also second on the team in receiving
yards, second on the team in rushes
and rushing yards as well as the team's
leading punt returner. Maybe the worst
thing that could happen to this team
would be the loss of Parker, and that
is just what happened as Parker’s
status with the team now becomes an
issue since his felony arrest in April.
Transfers and dismissals have ruined
this unit. The big disappointment
has been the progression (or lack
thereof) of 6'6 Greg Carr. He was
an All-ACC selection his freshman
year and seems to be the perfect fit
for an offense that predominately
uses the deep "jump ball"
pass as part of its main arsenal.
However, Carr has become nothing more
than that, and through this spring
he has shown nothing in terms of an
ability to finally step up and become
a guy that can be counted on as a
possession type. The next biggest
contributer is likely going to come
from two-sport star Taiwan Easterling
(also plays baseball), another frosh
in Bert Reed or speedy 6-5 JUCO transfer
Corey "The Smurf" Surrency,
who was also roommates with fellow
RB transfer Tavares Pressley at El
Camino C.C.
in California. At TE, hopes started
to grow that this offense may finally
have a guy who can be more than a
blocker in 6'7 Caz Piurowski. Caz
moved from OT back to his original
position in 2007 while earning six
starts. Last year's co-starter, Charlie
Graham, is off at junior college working
on academics, and Caz is out on suspension
for three more games. This leaves
the door open for other players that
have yet to show they can contribute.
The tight end is still going to be
an area that doesn’t make-or-break
this team due to their historical
lack of use in the passing scheme.
WR Preston Parker
was arrested in April for felony possession
of a firearm and marijuana at his
home in the Miami area. His status
with the team was left up in the air.
Parker has since resolved his legal
issues through a plea agreement and
will now be suspended the first two
games of 2008 as part of his punishment
handed down by the university. TE
Charlie Graham has started 13 games
the past two seasons but fell behind
in the classroom, which forced him
to enroll at nearby Tallahassee Community
College. After a JUCO semester, Graham
appears to be on pace academically
to return to the FSU team this summer.
OFFENSIVE LINE
When looking for the reasons this
offense has lost its effectiveness
over the course of the new millennium,
look no further than the guys up front.
FSU has continued to ignore the plight
of (top) recruiting on the OL, and
results speak for themselves. Missed
assignments, the inability to open
holes and protect the QB have all
been a part of the formula. To fix
the problem, FSU lured line coach
Rick Trickett from WVU last year in
hopes that his “Marine-like”
mentality (stress on discipline) would
change things. Now in his second year,
after radical changes to the lineup
in 2007, Trickett finds himself short
in the depth and experience department.
With only seven scholarship linemen
available this spring (ouch!), the
challenge to find players sticking
at one position has proved difficult.
The best of the bunch is Freshman
All-American Rodney Hudson, the only
returning FSU player to dot the 2007
All-ACC team. He has now been shifted
to left tackle, but coaches are thankful
that they are capable of playing him
in any position up front. He and another
Freshman All-American, Ryan McMahon,
are the only secure starters for now,
hence reflecting Trickett's new philosophy
of building the OL from the ground
up. This OL will show some signs of
being better...not sure it could get
much worse, as the process of rebuilding
at this level is considered a long
term adventure. Ergo, immediate results
are not going to be seen in 2008,
but it can be sufficient enough to
make this offense better, yet not
good enough to make winning a given.
The
news keeps getting worse for the Seminole
OL. Starting OT Daron Rose has been
declared academically ineligible for
the 2008 season. Depth is already
a major problem and the loss of Rose
now means coaches will be scrambling
to find first year freshmen capable
of earning immediate playing time.
In fact, this OL unit now does not
contain one single player on the two-deep
depth chart listed higher than a sophomore.
Antwane Greenlee will now take over
at right tackle. The former Rivals.com
four-star recruit was listed as the
third-best prep prospect in Georgia
at any position. He redshirted in
2007 after suffering a cervical sprain
in his neck during practice. The health
of the entire OL and in particular
at this tackle spot will be extremely
crucial. Evan Bellamy has been diagnosed
with a blood clot in his leg and will
also miss the entire season.
|
|
QB
Drew Weatherford
|
|
|
FLORIDA
STATE 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Drew
Weatherford-Sr (6-3, 216) |
Christian
Ponder-So (6-2, 212) |
FB |
Seddrick
Holloway-Jr (5-10, 247) |
Marcus
Sims-So (6-0, 230) |
TB |
Antone
Smith-Sr (5-9, 190) |
Tavares
Pressley-Jr (6-1, 215)
Preston Parker-Jr (6-0,
190) |
WR |
Greg
Carr-Sr (6-6, 210) |
Richard
Goodman-Sr (6-0, 186)
Rod
Owens-Jr (6-0, 181) |
WR |
Preston
Parker-Jr (6-0, 190) (susp.) |
Bert
Reed-Fr (5-11, 165)
Taiwan Easterling-Fr (5-11, 192) |
TE |
Caz
Piurowski-Jr (6-7, 277) |
Bo
Reliford-Fr (6-6, 235)
Jabaris Little-Fr (6-4, 240) |
OT |
Zebrie
Sanders-Fr (6-5, 273) |
Josh
Tate-Fr (6-5, 310) |
OG |
Rodney
Hudson-So (6-2, 283) |
David
Spurlock-Fr (6-4, 280) |
C |
Ryan
McMahon-So (6-3, 274) |
A.J.
Ganguzza-Fr (6-3, 269) |
OG |
Will
Furlong-Fr (6-5, 262) |
Brandon
Davis-Jr (6-2, 273) |
OT |
Antwane
Greenlee-Fr (6-6, 302) |
Andrew
Datko-Fr (6-5, 285) |
K |
Graham
Gano-Sr (6-1, 197) |
Zach
Hobby-Jr (5-11, 200) |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
DEFENSIVE
LINE
Due to the suspensions of Budd Thacker,
Paul Griffin and Justin Mincey, plus
the early departure of Letroy Guion
to the NFL, the DL is extremely thin
to open the new season. By the fourth
game, when the suspensions are over
and the newer faces have had time
to learn the ropes against some easier
opponents, this group should be better
overall for the process. In the meantime
Kendrick Stewart and Emmanuel Dunbar
may be the only returning scholarship
tackles available, and Stewart sat
out the spring recovering from a shoulder
surgery. To help with depth, senior
Dumaka Atkins has moved over from
the OL. Now is the time for Paul Griffin
to step up. The former Butler C.C.
(Kansas) transfer completely dominated
before he tore his knee in 2006. He
should be 100% healthy and could be
the difference maker this defense
needs, but he has yet to again show
it (through the spring). Another positive
is that sack leader Everette Brown
is fully healthy and expected to provide
a pass-rushing weapon. Joining him
at DE is the return of Kevin McNeil,
who sat out all of last season due
to suspension, after he was beginning
to make a case for full-time duties.
Look for incoming JUCO recruit Markus
White to push for that assignment
on the other side, too. As stated,
this group is going to get better
as the season progresses and as more
bodies become available. Depth at
that point will be plentiful enough
to provide that large rotation that
has devastated opponents in the past.
The pass rushing has to improve, which
is likely to occur with quicker wheels
that will play both on the outside
and inside.
LINEBACKER
The good news...leading tackler and
third-year contributing senior Derek
Nicholson will hold down the middle.
The bad news...again, suspensions,
this time Marcus Ball and Dekoda Watson
aren't available to start, ostensibly
creating more early concerns. When
all three are available, the FSU linebacking
tradition will continue to be a big
positive. Dekoda Watson has really
stepped up, shown in the fact that
he was named the Spring Defensive
MVP. But all eyes thus far have been
on Nigel Bradham, an early enrollee
who was ranked the No. 1 linebacker
in the country. Bradham will be impossible
to keep off the field despite the
learning curve he will have to go
through. This group, when stocked
with the team's best candidates, is
capable of running sideline-to-sideline
while taking on bigger offensive linemen.
In fact, the corps boasts the best
set of talent(s) on either side of
the ball. At times, they tend to play
like many hungry, superior athletes
and they are overly aggressive, which
has not helped in pass coverage support.
Watson is the only guy on the LB roster
to record an interception in ’07.
Expect this group to make plays and
keep the FSU defense in a position
to be one of the ACC’s best,
especially at stuffing the run, which
will, in turn, keep State in many
games when the offense sputters.
Projected starting
LB Marcus Ball has been released from
scholarship. The better news is the
return of Toddrick Verdell, who had
to watch spring ball from the sidelines
due to an academic snag. Verdell suffered
a broken foot at the close of ’07
but is now healthy and cleared academically
to return this summer and step into
the starting lineup replacing Ball.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Most of the secondary positions seem
to have been solidified by veterans
with the exception of free safety.
Fifth-year senior Darius McClure made
some great strides this spring at
the spot while being called out for
his achievements by Bobby Bowden.
McClure will be pushed by former CB
Jamie Robinson. The heralded Myron
Rolle will continue to man the strong
safety position. His promise out of
high school (No. 1 ranked player nationally
at any position by ESPN) has been
somewhat met at the collegiate level
in his first two years, but he has
a great deal of room to go before
being named the All-American he was
expected to be. Two-year starter Tony
Carter is back at corner, and Michael
Ray Garvin continues to miss much
of spring while running track. Many
feel Carter has the potential to be
a lock-down corner, but such has not
occurred yet. Throw in interception
leader Patrick Robinson and the CB
spot on paper looks to be as good
as FSU has had in a while. But the
reality is that the secondary completely
underachieved last year. In the most
crucial situations, this secondary
has not been able to shut down opponents
when desperately needed. For this
defense to cross the line between
being an average unit and one that
handles its business in classic FSU
style falls on longtime coach Mickey
Andrews' shoulders. Knowing Mickey
and the experience factor, this group
will be much improved in terms of
giving up the big plays on crucial
downs. The main barometer for seeing
this will be whether the fourth quarter
scoring - which was a combined 103
points, 25 more than the next highest
quarter for scoring allowed - is stemmed.
|
|
DB
Myron Rolle
|
|
|
FLORIDA
STATE 2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Neefy
Moffett-Sr (6-1, 255) |
Kevin
McNeil-Jr (6-2, 255) |
DT |
Budd
Thacker-Jr (6-2, 282) |
Justin
Mincey-Jr (6-5, 265) |
NG |
Paul
Griffin-Sr (6-2, 278) |
Kendrick Stewart-Jr (6-2, 269) |
DE |
Everette
Brown-Jr (6-4, 246) |
Benjamin
Lampkin-Sr (6-0, 212) |
SLB |
Dekoda
Watson-Jr (6-2, 222) |
Kendall
Smith-So (6-1, 224) |
MLB |
Derek
Nicholson-Sr (6-2, 234) |
Recardo
Wright-Jr (6-2, 223) |
WLB |
Toddrick
Verdell-Jr (6-3, 222) |
Nigel
Bradham-Fr (6-2, 227) |
CB |
Tony
Carter-Sr (5-9, 166) |
Ochuko
Jenije-So (5-10, 185) |
CB |
Michael
Ray Garvin-Sr (5-8, 183) |
Patrick
Robinson-Jr (5-11, 189) |
ROV |
Myron
Rolle-Jr (6-2, 218) |
Roosevelt
Lawson-Sr (5-11, 202) |
FS |
Jamie
Robinson-Jr (6-2, 187) |
Darius
McClure-Sr (5-11, 201) |
P |
Graham
Gano-Sr (6-1, 197) |
Shawn
Powell-Fr (6-5, 212) |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Graham
Gano is the top returning punter in the
ACC after earning Honorable Mention in 2007.
The question now becomes whether he takes
over the kicking duties of departed four-year
starter Gary Cismesia as well? He appears
to have the leg (handled all of the kickoff
duties the past three seasons). As a high
school senior, he was a USA Today All-American
and kicked a state record 65-yard field
goal with two more over 55 yards. But, as
Bobby Bowden has painfully found out during
his Tallahassee coaching career, getting
more accuracy will be the big key with Gano.
With all of the highly rated (skill) talent
that pours out of the Sunshine State, none
has made a recent mark returning kicks and
punts here. In fact, FSU has not returned
a kickoff for a TD since 2002. And in the
past two seasons, the Noles have failed
to return a punt for the same. Michael Ray
Garvin enters his third nod as the KO return
man. If there is an electrifying player
capable of taking a return in for six, Preston
Parker is it (if available). The good news
is that FSU has also not given up a special
teams TD the past three seasons.
|
|
|