Ahhh, stay off the message boards people, in the last hour I've read:
* Clemson is better than Alabama, Georgia and Arkansas. Yes those four wins have been impressive and they should be since two of the teams are winless, one is a 1-AA FCS school and the other is the offensively-challenged Seminoles who all but handed Clemson the game by mailing in the first half.
Yes this is the age-old tradition of "minimize your opponent's schedule." It's cute, but generally misguided. Let's be honest here. Arkansas at 2-2 and Georgia are good teams, not great but good.
* Someone actually wrote that Drew should take most of the snaps because he's familiar at reading blitz packages like the ones Kevin Steele will throw at him?
Huh?
Let's end this myth that the well-schooled Weatherford can read defenses, he really can't. I mean he might be able to read a blitz better than Chris Rix but can he escape it? So does it really matter?
* Alabama has had the comfort of Tuscaloosa but things will be different this Saturday?
Oh yeah, because those SEC schools NEVER travel, especially the one that draws 92,000 to it's spring game. At best this is going to be a 50/50 split in Jacksonville but let's be real for a second. If FSU fans can fill 40-45% of the stadium, that's a big moral victory.
Has nothing to do with FSU fans not being hyped up for this game, they are and they should be. But Alabama fans are fucking crazy and never underestimate a crazy person.
* Tebow wouldn't start if he was at FSU...
Yeah more than one person actually said this. Childen, don't do drugs. Please.
So with all that being said. It's time for a little pre-game Q&A:
With all the talk of Bobby playing 'Bama and this and that, how many REAL issues are there?
Hmmm. Well there are a few, but most of the stuff with Bobby and Mickey playing their childhood favorite school is nostalgic junk. Alabama hasn't been Bowden's favorite school in damn near 40 years. But there are some issues.
- Jimbo Fisher vs. Nick Saban: This is interesting because Saban wanted Fisher to be his offensive coordinator and presumably offered more money. Jimbo, to his credit, is a man of his word and stuck by the original agreement he made with Florida State. I don't know much about Saban, but I know he's a bitter little man (he's maybe 5'7) and he doesn't like to take no for an answer.
- Kevin Steele vs. Bobby Bowden: Here's an issue no one wants to talk about because...well Steele will always throw out that "I have great respect" line of coachspeak regarding St. Bobby. But here's the truth: He's PISSED at Bobby Bowden.
When Steele was hired he brought a great bit of credibility to a staff that was lacking it at the time. He was a tireless recruiter (voted Rivals.com recruiter of the year in 2005 I believe) and a smart defensive mind. It was exactly what FSU needed as the team of Mickey-Odell-Jody had gotten stale.
He also thought he was next in line for the head coaching job if/when Bowden retired. Now I can't buy this because there's no way in hell T.K. Weatherell is going to approve a head coach with a 9-36 career record. That's embarassing and we all saw what happened with Florida during the Zook years.
However, Steele figured he had a shot but Bowden ruined it by keeping his son employed as offensive coordinator and staffed him with some of the worst offensive coaches money could buy. So while Steele was busting his ass to keep the staff respectable the JB-McHale-Dickey trioka was becoming a on-field natural disaster.
Needless to say when JB got fired bought out and "resigned" and Jimbo Fisher was hired, Steele saw the writing on the wall and took the defensive coordinator position with Saban's crew.
In the end he made the right move because Mickey isn't going anywhere and I don't think Steele was the next choice anyway. Still I can't imagine him being anything but bitter about the way that went down.
Who will start at quarterback?
Probably Weatherford.
Who should start at quarterback?
Probably Weatherford. Let me clarify that. Lee should play and frankly I think he should play the majority of the game, but I believe it isn't fair to him to throw him out in this mess right away. Let's give Weatherford a shot and after a few three-and-outs it's time to cut the cord on that lifeline.
Who should replace Geno Hayes at linebacker?
Probably Marcus Ball. Losing Hayes hurts tremendously, he was the best linebacker on the squad and the veteran leader. Ball has similar talent and might be quicker, but he also takes the occasional wrong angle.
Where this really hurts FSU is if they go into a 3-4 alignment because having Ball as the "buck" linebacker is better than say..true freshman Kendall Smith, who might not be ready for the responsibility.
Is this a "must win"?
Hmmm, maybe. It's hard to say. It is a "must figure out how the rest of the season will play out" game. Because, say FSU struggles at the QB position again and loses. They have the Duke game to figure out that position and then it's a Thursday night against Wake Forest and a game against a Miami team gaining confidence by the second.
In the end it could be the difference between 6-1 and 4-3 or even 3-4.
So depending on your expectations, this is a must win game for the Seminoles.