The FSU football team practiced in shells only for just under 2 hours on Saturday, to try to correct some of the issues from Friday's scrimmage.

``We had a good day. Corrected the mistakes we had, as far as going over some things,'' Coach Fisher said. ``The attitude was good. Guys came back out here and worked, ran, we didn't do a lot of hitting but worked on seven-on-seven, worked on different situations, special teams.''

``It was good practice defensively, Coach Stoops was happy with it,'' Nigel Bradham said after Friday's scrimmage. ``We feel like we made some plays, we made some mistakes, got in the film room and came out today and did the correction period and went over all that.''

Today, there will be a team meeting in the morning, then chapel, but there will be no practice and the players will have their first day off in 8 days. On Monday, the team will practice twice, with the first practice starting at 9:15 AM.

``They need a day,'' Fisher said. ``And we'll get some good film work and be ready on Monday.''

FSU Special Teams Have Ability To Change Games

It was back to the practice field Saturday afternoon for the Florida State football team, where the focus was on correcting mistakes from Friday's scrimmage and individual improvement.

"We had a good day," FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said, after cutting the workout short by about 15 minutes.

Fisher was not pleased with the performance of the Seminoles' offense during Friday's scrimmage, but did heap praise on the defense.

"Things are never as bad as they seem, and they're never as good as they seem," said Fisher. "It (was) just a matter of taking care of the football. We put the ball on the ground a couple of times yesterday. And it's making plays with it. The defense made some good plays and we did some good things (on offense), too...

"Generally right now, you're defense is usually ahead of your offense, even though people say we have an experienced offense. But I've been telling people we're pretty good on defense. We've got a first group that's pretty daggone good and they're understanding, they're playing hard and we've done a pretty good job coaching them."

The same can be said of FSU's special teams unit, under the direction of coordinator Eddie Gran. Fisher has repeatedly said since spring practice that he expects the Seminoles to be very good on the special teams units and that group did not disappoint during Friday's scrimmage.

Punter Shawn Powell continues to impress with his strong leg and improved hang time. Kicker Dustin Hopkinsconverted a pair of field goal attempts and boomed a pair kickoffs, high and deep. And while the `Noles did not do any live return work, they have a known commodity there in sophomore Greg Reid, who led the nation in punt returns in 2009.

"I like our kickers," said Fisher. "Hopkins has good range on kickoffs and field goals. Shan has a great leg. We've got athletic guys that can cover. At long snapper we've got three guys battling (Chris Revell, Dax Dellenbach and Philip Doumar) who are doing a good job, and we've got great return guys. Greg Reid is one of the best guys in the country. In terms of where you start on offense and defense, the field position can make a huge difference."

Powell is capable of changing the field position game quickly with his powerful right leg and improved hang time. During Friday's scrimmage he routinely booted the ball in the 45-50 yard range with hang times approaching five seconds.

"We had a team meeting earlier," Powell said after Saturday's practice. "(Coach Gran) called out the distances and hang times. All of them were around 4.7 to 4.8, so he was really excited about it."

According to Powell, those averages are about a full second better than a year ago, when he still managed to rank as the ACC's No. 2 punter in league competition.

"My goal is to keep it up there," said Powell. "Every punt, I go out there I want it to be 40-55 yards and over a 4.0"

Gran places a premium on precision execution from his specialty units and isn't skimping when it comes to personnel at his disposal. Veteran starters like Nigel Bradham, Jermaine Thomas and Ochuko Jenije - all of whom are among the team's best athletes - are vying for starting roles on special teams units.

"Special teams have a big impact on games," said Bradham, the team's leading tackler last season, who is working with the starters on the punt and kickoff returns units. "We know we can win at least four games on special teams. When you've got great returners like Greg Reid, Lamarcus (Joyner) and Bert Reed, any chance we get we know they can score a touchdown. ... We've got a great kicker and a great punter."

In short, Fisher and Gran have the Seminoles buying into the idea to the team concept.

"Sometimes it's not a matter of how far you kick it but how far you have to go to make a tackle down there," Fisher said. "That's a team concept. That's not a selfish thing and Shan's buying into that. His leg is strong and he can be a weapon for us."

Hopkins, whose 24 touchbacks ranked fourth nationally last season as freshman, is also focusing on improved hang time with his kickoffs. Likewise, he feels as if he has improved his leg strength for longer field goal attempts, after going 8 of 14 from beyond 40 yards.

Like Powell, Hopkins has high praise for Gran.

"He's a perfectionist on everything," Hopkins said. "He takes things to a new level. He doesn't want to be good. He wants to be great."

With teammates like Powell and Reid setting the bar with their special teams excellence, Hopkins has plenty motivation.

"If I can keep up with those two guys I think we're going to be in really good shape," he said.

Noteworthy:

The Seminoles will get their first practice day off since camp began Sunday, which is a welcome relief for the players. "They're banged and bruised, but their attitude is good," said Fisher. "They come out with smiles on their faces. If we told them they have to practice tomorrow they'd do it. They need to get some film work in."...Starting offensive linemenAndrew Datko, David Spurlock and Ryan McMahon did not practice, but worked on conditioning during Saturday's practice. They are expected back on the field as early as Monday...Fisher said having a few linemen banged up has helped assess the progress of the reserves like Garrett Faircloth, Blake Snider, Bryan Stork, Rhonne Sanderson and Henry Orelus. "Those guys are stronger, bigger and they understand what they're doing more. It's a blessing, even though it's frustrating when some of your guys are banged up."...The Seminoles are scheduled for a two-a-day session Monday with the first practice walk-through beginning at 9:15 a.m.

Courtesy of FSU SID

Those were just some of the words used by Heisman hopeful Christian Ponder on Friday to describe the offensive performance after the first scrimmage of the 2010 football campaign. Here are a couple more of CP7's comments, courtesy of  Andrew Carter's Chopping Block, where you can also read some of AC's thoughts.

"It was a complete lack of focus."

And:

"If we play like this, we’re going to lose a lot of games. That’s the truth."

And:

"I didn’t see this coming … definitely a wasted day."

And:

"This is embarrassing, to be honest."

And for those of you who thought Jimbo Fisher was just talking coach-speak with all the praises he had been giving out since the start of fall practice, here is how a not-too-pleased Fisher summed up the scrimmage.

"Offense was very erratic – very sloppy."

And:

"About they played last year, wasn’t it? You guys got us anointed as a great offense. Not me. We don’t play great every game."

And, in response to where the offense needs to go between now and the start of the season:

"A long way from where we’re at. But we’ll get better. A lot of had to do with the defense. They did some good things. But a lot of it didn’t have to do with them, which is more scary. Because the plays were there, and you made them, and you dropped the ball and you did something stupid, too."

You can watch Fisher's full post-scrimmage interview here.

Florida State's Defense Dishes Out Its Share In First Scrimmage

There was no need to turn on the Doak Campbell Stadium scoreboard for Florida State's initial preseason football scrimmage Friday afternoon.

It would have merely illuminated the fact that the Seminoles have a lot of ground to cover in order to be where coach Jimbo Fisher wants his team for the Sept. 4 opener against Samford.

"The defense played pretty good," Fisher said afterward. "The offense was very erratic and sloppy. We're a long ways from where we want to be, but we'll get better. The defense did a lot of great things, but a lot of it didn't have to do with them. The plays were there and we made them, but we dropped the ball or did something stupid."

A rash of mistakes - fumbles, interceptions and a handful of penalties - prevented the offense from putting together a single-sustained scoring drive in six series, much to Fisher's chagrin. Of course, the other side of the coin was quite a bit shinier, as the defensive unit continued to show improvement. They came up with five takeaways including two that went for scores, building on the momentum shown over the first eight days of the preseason.

"It was really just fun," said sophomore cornerback Greg Reid. "We're starting to understand the defense better and were flying around the ball and making plays. That's what we want.

"I think we've come a long way, but we have a ways to go. We'll find out when the games come. I can't call it success, yet."

Senior quarterback Christian Ponder stopped just short of calling the offensive performance a complete failure.

"The bright side of it is there's a lot of room for improvement," Ponder said. "There's a lot of ways we can get better. We didn't perform like we should have. We played pretty bad. There were a lot of mistakes. It all goes back to focus; a complete lack of focus.

"I take the blame for that. As the quarterback, I've got to make sure that everyone is doing what they're supposed to do. I could have made some throws early to get the momentum on our side, but I didn't do what I was supposed to do and that affected the rest of the offense."

All five turnovers occurred in the first three series, which spanned approximately 34 plays.

"We had a couple picks, dropped some balls, but most of them were fumbles," said Fisher.

Some of the credit belongs to a defensive unit that was anxious to wrap up and tackle for the first time this preseason.

"We were really enthused about being able to bring people down to the ground," redshirt sophomore linebacker Vince Williams said. "This was the first time we were able to tackle. ... We don't like to see people break through the line and run for touchdowns. That's not something we want to get used to."

From that standpoint, the defense had every reason to be pleased. Of course, it's hard to beat the enjoyment of collecting takeaways.

"When somebody makes a mistake you need to be there to counter it," Williams added. "That's what a defense really is. I guess you could say we were forcing (turnovers), but really we were taking advantage of situations."

Fisher declined to cite specific players on defense, but emphasized the collective performance of the unit.

"The front guys did a pretty good job," Fisher said. "A couple of the linebackers made plays, but nobody really jumped out. But they played solid across the board which is pretty good - a lot of them made plays. When the whole group is playing well, it's hard for one guy to stand out."

Despite his own disappointment with the offense, Ponder was equally impressed with the defense.

"The good thing for us is the defense played really well," he said. "They definitely dominated this scrimmage and that's a good thing to see."

As for the offense, Ponder didn't candy-coat his feelings.

"If we play like this we're going to lose a lot of games and that's the truth," Ponder said. "We can't play like this. We have to fix a lot of things and guys have to step up. It starts with me."

The process that Fisher often speaks of will carry over from the meeting room to the practice field Saturday afternoon, with the Seminoles scheduled to go at 3 p.m.

"We've got to get back to basics (tomorrow)," Fisher said. "Line them up and butt them in the mouth. We'll find out who can hold onto the ball, who can block and who can tackle. People used to say Coach Bowden's old adage was blocking and tackling, [and] it is. Can you block, can you tackle, are you fundamentally sound, do you hold onto the football? That's what you've got to do."

From FSU's SID

Here is a video interview with Zebrie Sanders.

Here is a video interview with Vince Williams.

Here is the video practice report from Seminoles.com.

Here is a 25 picture photo gallery of Friday's scrimmage.

Here is a scrimmage report by Bob Ferrante with some different quotes from CP7, Demonte McAllister, and Greg Reid.

And finally, this story has some interesting remarks from Mark Stoops. 

FSU defense must improve for 'Noles to be successful

FSU cancelled the afternoon sessions of two-a-days due to rain.  That gives coach Fisher a chance to discuss the need for the indoor practice facility.  

From Andrew Carter

Sensational Fullback Lonnie Pryor talked a lot about Eddie Gran and how he is teaching the running backs. Pryor said Gran has done a great job helping the backs to understand the blocking schemes ahead of them. Sounds like the running backs and the offensive line are acting as one much more than they did before. It was a bit eye-opening to hear Pryor talk about such basic stuff as it if were new.

You'll remember that Dexter Carter was unqualified to be FSU's running backs coach and there were many on staff frustrated with his act.  Much of the improvement at Florida State this year will not involve the jump from competence to mastery, but from incompetence to competence.  That's true on the defensive side and with the running back coaching.

Inside you'll find the release from Florida State

Continue reading this post »

In the last edition of our "Review The Preview" series, we checked out College Football News' take on the 'Noles.  This series is important because if a writer does a poor job with the 'Noles, we cannot expect him to correctly provide info on other teams.  Today we look at PreSnapRead.com's take.  PreSnapRead is an excellent site run by Paul Myerberg, who is also a New York Times contributor.  Myerberg is an excellent writer and did a nice job with this preview.  

I give Myerberg high marks for noting the progression of the offensive line from 2008, a season in which it was comprised of 3 freshmen and 2 sophomores.  His attention to detail here is really good and I like that he maintains perspective on McMahon and Datko.  He is still high on the receivers even without Fortson because FSU has recruited the position very well and has a lot of talent.  I'll give him slight point deduction for focusing mostly on Jermaine Thomas and not Chris Thompson, but what he says about Thomas' accomplishments to date is correct.  

The real test of anyone previewing this team, however, is the defense.  And Myerberg has done a nice job here.  As a national writer his mention of Xavier Rhodes legit shot to overtake Ochuko Jenije at boundary corner earns him high marks.  He also has spot-on analysis of Korey Mangum.  He questions Mister Alexander's size to play the strong side, but this is excusable because Paul wrote this before the new strength numbers (237 lbs) came out.  He also goes out on a limb calling Nigel Bradham an All-America candidate.  That's a risky move most writers wouldn't make after last year's defensive collapse.

Here's his final take:

This season will be marked by transitions, both along the sidelines and on the field, with this proud program searching for its voice under this new coaching staff - the first new staff since 1976, Bowden's debut season. What should we expect? A better performance, without question. Don't for a moment think it's sacrilegious to call Fisher an upgrade over Bowden, or his new crop of assistants an upgrade over Bowden's old buddies - he is and they are, at least when comparing the 2010 staff to the 2009 version. Will this improvement manifest itself in the win column? Most certainly: anything less than eight regular season wins would be surprising. Nevertheless, despite the potentially dominant offensive attack, don't look for this team to put forth the type of performance I believe we'll begin to see from these Fisher-led Seminoles in the near future - say, beginning in 2011. ...

I think strides will be taken in 2010, but F.S.U. is not quite ready to be viewed as one of the Top 25 teams - teams, not in terms of its talent - in the country. This team is close... but let's give Fisher one year to remove the negatives - lack of effort, for starters - that plagued Bowden's last teams. If the early reports are to be believed, he's already pushed this team forward in that area.

I can't argue with that, provided he means FSU won't have a final record to end up in the top 25.  I do think FSU will be one of the best 25 teams in the country.  

Overall I give this preview an excellent grade.  The errors were very few and were of the type I expect to see from a guy covering all 120 teams in the country.  Check out the preview for another great take on these 2010 Noles.

With yesterday's news that reserve defensive tackle Moses McCray will miss the season with a torn ACL, it is time to take a look at FSU's defensive line situation.  I've covered this topic before but didn't have a chart that shows what I wanted to show today, so there are new charts.  First up is a breakdown of the defensive line by year. 

The chart at right shows Florida State's issue.  There are currently only 13 defensive linemen on Florida State's roster.  Only 3 of those 13 are upperclassmen.  That's pretty pathetic.  And McCray is one of those 3 and he is missing the season.  Another of the three is Jamar Jackson, a player who never regained form after an injury early in his career.  The bottom line is this:  Florida State has only a single upperclassman who will contribute this season on the defensive line. 

FSU has a good amount of talent on the defensive line, but it is all young.  That's not a good thing.  To see how it got to this point, we'll take a look at each class.  But first, remember that a team usually wants to carry about 16 defensive linemen.  That means 3-deep at each position with potentially up to 4 freshmen redshirting (or nobody redshirting and a 4-deep).  FSU has 13 this year because Damien Jacobs didn't make it in.  But as I said, 10 of the 13 are underclassmen.  That means the 'Noles will have very good depth in the coming years.

Inside, we look at how recruiting really makes its mark 3 or 4 years after players sign.

Continue reading this post »

One of the most interesting developments every football preseason is the development and ascent of underclassmen into prominent contributors.

Six days into Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher's first preseason camp, several players have stepped to the fore in most timely fashion. Among the group are sophomore wide receivers Rodney Smith and Willie Haulstead, as well as redshirt freshman defensive tackle Demonte McAllister.

Smith and Haulstead were already on an accelerated development curve when the Seminoles learned that junior wideout Jarmon Fortson was no longer a part of the program. The same could be said for McAllister, who was competing for a spot in the rotation before Tuesday's announcement that junior Moses McCray was lost for the season with a knee injury.

Those absences create opportunities that McAllister, Smith and Haulstead hope to capitalize on.

"For me it means I have an opportunity coming in behind Everett (Dawkins) and try to work my way into the rotation," said McAllister. "Moses is a big loss for us, but we are going to continue to fight hard and make a difference.

Fisher isn't overly concerned about the Seminoles' lack of experience along the interior line, despite the fact that none of the contenders have more than one year of collegiate experience in the trenches.

"Demonte is coming on very well," said Fisher. "[Freshmen] Cam Erving and Darious Cummings - those guys are going to be good players. Darious is really physical inside. He's 290 pounds with a great body. Plus you've got the top three guys - Jacobbi (McDaniel), Amp (McCloud) and Everett (Dawkins) - and Demonte is coming on."

It helps that the entire segment ranked among the best on the team when it came to re-shaping their bodies - adding weight and improving lean muscle mass - through the rigorous offseason strength and conditioning program.

"I feel great," McAllister said. "I am up to 280 now. I am more explosive off the ball; more than I was when I weighed 258. The defensive line is looking great. We are out there hustling really hard. We are trying to compete and making a stand [so] we are a great defense. ...

"This past summer we have been eating right, working hard in the weight room. We have seen a tremendous jump in weight and getting stronger. We are ready to take it on."

It doesn't hurt that the group of young defensive linemen square off against one of the nation's most talented and experienced offensive lines on a day-to-day basis.

"It helps tremendously," he added. "They are playing all five starters from last year, so going against them helps a ton."

The youth movement is alive and well at wide receiver as well, where only juniors Bert Reed and Taiwan Easterlingare proven veterans in a sea of talented youngsters. Smith and Haulstead played sparingly as true freshmen, combining for just two receptions, but they are tall and physical talents, not unlike Fortson.

That should make them easy targets for quarterback Christian Ponder.

"Being a big target for Christian is good, because he's not going to see too many 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2 corners (defending)," said Haulstead. "Rodney is over 220 pounds and I'm just under 220 pounds. We're both fast and can run a little bit with Bert, even though he's going to beat us in the end. ... It puts us in position where we can go get the deep ball and get the short ones and turn them into big plays."

Smith enjoyed a break-out spring performance and has moved into Fortson's starting slot on the practice field, buoyed by the confidence he lacked this time last season.

"The playbook is getting easier to me," said Smith. "The only thing I have to do is keep my mind right when I'm getting tired.

"The spring gave me a little more confidence that I can go out there and make plays. It gave me the opportunity to work harder and earn a spot (in the rotation)."

Haulstead is more confident as well, thanks to a better grasp on the playbook.

"Personally, I know more so I can play faster," Haulstead added. "I just feel more comfortable."

Neither will back away from the contact that receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey demands when it comes to downfield blocking. Their added strength is the perfect complement to a physical mentality.

"I came from a Wing-T offense (in high school), so I'm used to blocking," Smith said. "Now I just have to adjust to the pro-style offense and get my routes down.

"I've got a defensive player's mentality. I like to hit. That gives me a big advantage. I can go up for the ball and I also have speed for a big guy. Now I can go into the middle and I don't have to worry about me getting hit by linebackers. I can still move with the weight that I have. That's a good thing, too."

Fisher likes two-a-days

While some schools, most notably Georgia, have discontinued two-a-day practices, Fisher sees a real value in the double-up opportunities.

"I do (like them) because I think it's a great mental conditioning deal and it's a great challenge for guys to push themselves," said Fisher. "Until you hit the limit you don't know what you're capable of and that's what we're trying to do."

The Seminoles will practice twice on Thursday and again next week on Monday and Wednesday.

"Now is the time we've got to grind and keep pushing them because they're getting tired," Fisher added. "We're through six practices, going into seven, and that's when it's easy to take the easy way out."

Noteworthy:

Nigel Bradham and Jacobbi McDaniel earned praise from Fisher for goal line stops at the end of Tuesday's morning session...Tuesday's afternoon practice will be in shells (helmets and shoulder pads) and likely include more work on the passing game. The evening practice is closed to the media...Fisher was pleased with the morning session, which culminated with a goal line drill as the `Noles worked out in full pads. "We're learning to compete," he said. "Guys are pulling the pin, learning to compete and making some plays. We'll still make some mistakes, but we're getting physical at times when we needed to. The effort was very good today."

Courtesy of FSU SID

You can watch Jimbo's full after-practice interview right here.

Click here to view the 25 picture photo gallery of Tuesday's morning practice.

One of my favorite things about TN is how we keep you informed not only on Florida State, but also on FSU's opponents.  I truly think our readers are head and shoulders above other 'Nole fans in terms of knowledge of FSU's opponents.  

Let's start in Chestnut Hill where Brian and Jeff are not happy about BC's defensive line situation.  It appears that Damik Scafe, the 6'3" 295 lb defensive tackle who started 10 games for the Eagles last season has not reported for camp and is still recovering from back surgery.  I don't know if he is likely to make it back soon, make it back in time for the FSU game on October 16th, or if he will make it back at all.  I am also curious as to whether he will be at full strength if he is able to play.  I doubt we see answers to those questions anytime soon.  Also Junior Kaleb Ramsey, who was probably not going to be a starter but who would be the #3 or #4 defensive tackle has apparently quit the team.  Ramsey was vocal on facebook about his desires to leave BC and not play football any longer.  This is a situation to monitor going forward.  Of course, BC has played 3-man fronts before and been very effective doing so.  If both are out I would not be surprised to see more of that from the Eagles.

Next in Winston-Salem North Carolina we check in on Wake Forest.  The Deacons lost a lot from last season, but they've always had tremendous player development.  Wake has been watching clips of West Virginia under Pat White (spread option).  The Deacons have always preferred to have the very mobile quarterback and they will have that this year, no matter who wins the job.  The questions are on the offensive line, particularly at tackle, and on the defensive interior.  Lots of links there.  

In Clemson, ShakinTheSouthland has their initial thoughts after fall camp.  Not only is this the top Clemson site on the net, but it is one of the best football sites you'll find anywhere, regardless of team affiliation.  They are optimistic about the team it seems, particularly that some of their offensive linemen have slimmed down a big.  And they have a good laugh at the coaches praising a few kids who have no shot to play this season.  

Quickly, NC State lost a walk-on defensive back who had an outside shot at some playing time.  Maryland starts practice tomorrow.  Here is a look at Maryland's offensive line (potentially decent, but also potential to be quite bad).  And here are 5 position battles to watch for the terms. Virginia Tech will be without its new starting left tackle for at least two weeks, and is unlikely to have its middle linebacker against Boise State.  Boise is now favored over Va Tech even though the game is in VT's backyard.   And this is a nice look at 3 positions of depth for the ACC.

Brandon Jenkins is having a good camp so far and his added strength gives FSU hope that he can be a force off the edge this season.

View full size photo »

Release from FSU:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Clear skies and soaring temps greeted the Florida State football team Monday afternoon as the Seminoles dressed in full pads for the first time this preseason.

There was very little difference from how the Seminoles worked in shells - shoulder pads and helmets - as head coach Jimbo Fisher has taken a page from the NFL playbook, stressing to the players the importance of staying on their feet. It's just one of the ways Fisher is trying to limit injury.

This is actually a change Fisher implemented in the Spring.

Yet it's not the only area where the Seminoles' camp resembles those in the NFL. Cross-training - preparing players for action at multiple positions - is also very much the norm at some position segments. That's especially true in the offensive backfield, secondary, linebacker and receiver, where learning multiple positions benefits all parties.

Sophomore back Lonnie Pryor is a prime example. A heralded tailback recruit out of high school, Pryor split time between his natural position and fullback. It wasn't an easy sell at first, but Pryor flourished as a freshman, combining for 288 rushing and receiving yards and five touchdowns in the dual role.

"Once he had it explained to him and had the details of it, he was good," Fisher said of Pryor. "He's the same style of player that (former Seminole) Edgar Bennett was (at) 215-218 pounds. Whether he was a true tailback or a true fullback, I don't know, but he was a heckuva football player.

"He [Pryor] is that style of player and you've got to get him on the field."

Redshirt sophomore Debrale Smiley, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards as a power high school tailback, has spent more time at fullback since arriving on campus in January. He is also getting work in FSU's one-back set. Essentially, the Seminoles are getting two players from one and building depth in the process.

Likewise, senior cornerback Ochuko Jenije, who led the team in interceptions as a starter last season, is getting considerable work at one of the safety positions. Across the board, linebackers coach Greg Hudson is cross-training his players for multiple slots.

"Coach Hudson told the linebackers we must learn a different position," said senior middle linebacker Kendall Smith. "It's all about helping each other out because it's a long season and people get banged and bruised up. By learning a different position, all you're doing is bettering yourself and your team."

Smith said he expects to get work at weakside linebacker, while weakside starter Nigel Bradham will get reps in the middle and strongside linebacker Mister Alexander will also work at the weakside spot.

"If you understand your position and another position, pretty soon you understand the whole defense," Smith added.

The same holds true at wide receiver, where learning the X, Y and Z positions enhances opportunities and enables the coaching staff to exploit potential mismatches from a variety of different sets.

Fisher is a big proponent of playing his best players and the ability to master two spots allows him that opportunity.

"That's all you want," Fisher said. "You have to tell them what's in it for them and what's in it for the team. Lonnie is a great team guy. He thinks team and plays team. When he gets his individual opportunities, he does it. Our job is to get the best players on the field."

And Fisher has been extremely happy with how the players have embraced the concept in an effort to build a championship team.

"Our guys, when we've moved them around and bounced them around, they've been very receptive," said Fisher, who said he won't force a player to move if it's against his wishes. "You have to sit and explain it to them. ..."That's how you win. Look at the NFL... It has become a very personnel specific game at times. We've got to find out what guys are capable of learning and what their abilities are. The only way to do that is put them in that position."

I don't have anything to say here except that this move might allow the 'Noles to insert its best backup at any of his possible positions.  For instance, if Vince Williams is FSU's best non-starting linebacker, and he learns to play middle and outside linebacker, instead of just one spot, FSU could use him at either instead of turning to a lesser player.

Jenkins finding comfort zone

Sophomore defensive end Brandon Jenkins has add 16 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame since last fall. A play-maker throughout the spring, Jenkins is hoping to parlay the added size and strength into a more productive season after registering three tackles for loss as a reserve in 2009.

"I feel a lot more comfortable," said Jenkins, who is pushing to start opposite senior Markus White. "We have got a lot of new plays. I feel like I am more free than I was last year and I am just letting it all lose this year. We didn't get to the quarterback much last year, so this year I am going to try to get to the quarterback a lot more."

So far, Jenkins has been holding up his end of the deal and can attest that size does matter when playing on the defensive front.

"Going against 300-pound offensive lineman, you can't go at 230 when you really come down to it," said Jenkins, who now tips the scales at 250 pounds. "I feel a lot stronger and a lot more confident. My goal is to be 255 by the start of the season. It's really hot outside though, and I lose a couple pounds after each practice, so during breakfast, lunch, and dinner I am trying to eat as much as I can."

Jenkins is the one guy out there who reminds observers of a young Everette Brown.  'Nole fans have to be encouraged with his work in the weight room.  Hopefully he can play the run well enough to help the defense force negative leverage situations for the offense, in which he can flash his pass rush skills.

After dropping in on the coaching staff earlier in the day, former defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews spent a good portion of Monday's practice observing. "It was great to see Mickey out there today. He's a great guy and a good friend," said Fisher. "It's great to see him anytime we can see him."...DT Moses McCray (left knee) and RB Tavares Pressley (right knee) under MRI examinations Monday...OG David Spurlock was held out of practice for precautionary measures...The Seminoles added two walk-ons to the active roster Monday - redshirt freshman TE Jonathan Wallace (Jacksonville Lee) and freshman tailback Jordan Stanley (FAMU DRS). Walk-on OL Trevor Lally left the team voluntarily, which puts FSU at the 105-player preseason roster limit...Florida State will hold its first two-a-day practice Tuesday. The Seminoles are scheduled to go at 9:30 a.m. for the first session and come back for a 6 p.m. workout.

Seeing Mickey Andrews out at practice is awesome.  Truly a great Seminole.

As for Moses McCray, if there is any chance his knee injury is serious (and at this point I don't know), why not hold him out until the Miami game or the game before against UVA?  FSU isn't going to need him against Samford, isn't likely to beat Oklahoma, probably won't need him against BYU, and playing against Wake Forest with their chop blocks is a terrible idea for a guy with a knee issue.  Blake Snider filled in for Spurlock.  

Andrew Carter with some news on Damien Jacobs, the 2010 signee at DT:

-Jimbo Fisher said Damien Jacobs, the defensive lineman who was a part of the Seminoles' incoming freshmen class, is likely headed to junior college. Specifically, the East Mississippi Community College. Sounded like Fisher expects Jacobs to go there for one year and then return to Florida State. Fisher favored that plan for a couple reasons. For one, obviously, it will allow Jacobs to bring up his grades. Mainly, though, Fisher believes junior college would help Jacobs given that he's already behind at FSU. Going there would allow him to get back in shape and get back on track.

Jacobs was not expected to be a significant contributor this year and the last time he talked to TN he told us he was likely to make it in after finishing up  a late summer class.  Can a player go to a JUCO and enter FSU after only a single year, as Carter suggests?  Perhaps EMCC has some sort of single-year prep program?  We'll try to get an answer on that from someone in admissions.  

Back in July when we did our "Size Matters" series, we speculated how big FSU's defensive linemen and linebackers would end up at the conclusion of the off-season program.  And considering our guesses factored in projected losses that typically occur during Fall camp, we were really close.  Jimbo Fisher talked after practice the other day about the strength gains FSU made this off-season and in particular he discussed the defensive tackles.  The chart at right shows the updated weights of the defensive tackles, per Fisher, compared to the numbers for last year.

For purposes of the chart, I did not include players who redshirted last season or who project to redshirt this season in the averages.  That means McAllister was not included in the 2009 average and Cam Erving, who I project to redshirt this year, is not in the 2010 average.  If I included Erving the number would actually increase, so not having him in helps to eliminate the idea that the numbers are inflated by including players who will not play much this season.

More than 18 lbs per man, or 110 lbs total.  That is an extremely impressive change in defensive tackle bulk.

FSU fans are certainly happy to see Demonte McAllister gain 22 lbs since Spring ball ended.  Whatever motivational or health issues he was battling are obviously not winning out anymore.  And Dawkins' impressive 15 lb gain since Spring has been well documented.

One thing to watch here is Moses McCray's knee.  McCray is not projected to be a starter, but he is being counted on to provide quality depth.  We'll be monitoring his knee tweak closely to make sure it doesn't turn into something else.

We also know per sources that Brandon Jenkins is over 250 lbs and Dan Hicks is around 260.  Fisher also said Vince Williams was 243 and is moving better.  Looks as is Williams has trimmed some of that weight off that he added after the back injury. 

Other Scrimmage Notes:  Redshirt Freshman sensation Xavier Rhodes was working as the first team cornerback opposite Greg Reid.  The other major competitor for the job worked some at Safety.  I wouldn't read too much into this just yet, as coach Stoops is likely trying to make sure he has guys who can play multiple situations in case of injury or depth concerns.  Mike Harris also worked at Boundary corner with Rhodes.  Everyone raved about Christian Jones and had a few nice comments about Vince Williams.  Mister Alexander was noticeably larger and came on some blitzes, even beating Lonnie Pryor, and Pryor is pretty dependable.  The overall message, however, was much bigger the defensive front looked.

More photos » Phil Coale - AP

12 months ago: Miami's DeMarcus Van Dyke, right, knocks the ball away from Florida State's Jarmon Fortson during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Monday, Sept. 7, 2009, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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Jarmon Fortson, a starting receiver for the Florida State Seminoles has been dismissed from the program, multiple sources told TomahawkNation this morning.  Jimbo Fisher also confirmed the story.  Sources indicated that Fortson failed a drug test and that failed test, combined with multiple attitude and behavioral problems throughout his two years in Tallahassee, led to the dismissal.  This was not the result of a single failed drug test.  Credit to Chuck Oliver for first tweeting this one.  

There are some around the program who feel a sense of relief with the move.  They think Fortson was a ticking time bomb and that he would have eventually made some bad headlines of a different sort.

Fortson caught 45 balls for 610 yards last season.  The talented but troubled receiver sometimes made spectacular catches but also lacked discipline and was not dependable, often dropping balls and running the wrong routes.  6'6" 222 lb Sophomore Rodney Smith, a four-star out of Miami will replace Fortson.  Smith had an impressive Spring and the coaches raved about the talented sophomore, but he will have to prove he can replace Fortson's production.