Fanshots

Would the SEC look to the ACC in expansion?

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Interesting to see Tony Barnhart's opinion on the potential of FSU joining the SEC if big ten expands. "The SEC decides the best way to compete with the Big Ten is to put a lock on the South. So it takes Clemson, Florida State, Miami, and Georgia Tech from the ACC. Now the new SEC looks like this: New East Division: Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State, Miami, South Carolina, Clemson, Tennessee. New West Division: Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt."

WNDU in South Bend reports a source says BIG 10 expansion imminent, names teams

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The Irish are not on the list, nor the Texas schools. But Nebraska and Missouri are. Maybe this isn't any more definitive than any other speculation we've heard, but this is the first time I've seen a source (unnamed as it is) confirming the teams involved. Interesting to see what Texas plans to do.

AC: What’s the main message you want to get across during these appearances? JF: The traditions and ...

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AC: What’s the main message you want to get across during these appearances? JF: The traditions and values of things aren’t going to change. But the approach we take is going to change some. Because we have to develop these kids in all aspects of their life. Not just on the field. And we have to do that also. But we have to build the support systems around them. And we can’t keep doing things the same way. Because if you keep doing things the same way, you’re going to get the same results. We have to change and get caught up with some things that are going on and the way you do things [with] today’s modern athlete. AC: I know you’re a process-oriented individual and sometimes I ask you questions that are more results oriented – JF: Well, everybody is … Now at the end of the process, the results got to be there. We’re still in a results-oriented world. There’s no doubt about it. But I just believe if you concentrate totally on the result, that you forget a lot of details. And the other way allows you to be very detailed-oriented and have a plan for everything, every technique, everything you have to do in great detail. And I think the results will come. We all want the results. But it goes back to how you get them. AC: How do you balance that philosophy with people who want results now? JF: Well, agree with them that we want the same results but to try to explain to them why. Just like kids – why are we doing it this way. When they understand why, then you can repeat it in a lot of ways and then you can apply it in different situations because you know why you did it in the first place. And I think you’ve got to explain to people why it has to be done this way.

Andrew Carter scores a nice interview with Coach Fisher Carter did a great job with the questions. I quoted three of them and I could have picked out any of the 11 as they were all very good. Definitely recommend reading this as it is probably the best Fisher interview done by a local beat writer since signing day.

NCAA Restricts Recruiting Visits By More Than 2 Coaches

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The link talks about it in respect to Auburn (hummer limo) and their Tiger Prowl, but this affects everyone. It also bans Tennessee and their "VolCopter" from landing on the football field at a local high school. The NCAA has now restricted the amount of coaches from one staff that can visit a kid to 2. This is effective immediately. This is a big deal because schools, including FSU, will send 4 or 5 coaches (UGA was sending 7, the maximum allowable under the previous rule) to see a kid at the same time to show how interested in him they are. Georgia and Auburn, however, are the prime suspects here. This increases the importance of having as many good recruiters on staff as possible because sending two guys really isn't that much more impressive than one. FSU has a huge advantage, however, when it sends Coley and Gran, a South Florida tag team comprised of two coaches who have each vied for national recruiter of the year. Few teams have a better 1-2 punch than FSU's Coley-Gran. It also means (IMO) that winning has just become more important. A power school can now slow play a kid a bit more because another school will have a harder time showing him more interest.

On how the pass rush will look in 2010: "I am not quite sure. Jan [Jorgensen] and his presence on...

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On how the pass rush will look in 2010: "I am not quite sure. Jan [Jorgensen] and his presence on our defense was really a force over time. He had a fantastic first year....Our identity was much different this spring, just because Jan wasn’t there. What was overshadowed a little bit the past couple of years is Coleby Clawson at our will linebacker spot, and how successful he became. Really, when we were looking at our pass rush, especially with four-man pressure, the combination of those two we thought was formidable. The heir apparent right now on either of those spots -- at the end spot it is either going to be Matt Putnam or Vic So’oto, from what I saw this spring. So it will be one of those two filling Jan’s spot. And then at the Will linebacker spot, it will either be Jordan Atkinson or Jameson Frazier, those will be the two players filling Coleby’s spot. Now that precludes at this point any freshmen coming in at this point that happen to really have a fantastic camp. Those would be the four players I would mention to you right now, filling in those spots."

Salt Lake Tribune

Walter Jones the best pro to ever play for FSU aside from Deion?

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Jay Glazer says he was the best tackle in the game for his 14 year career. The decision is hardly a surprise, because Jones missed all of last season after having microfracture surgery on his left knee and the club acquired his long-term replacement a week ago by selecting Russell Okung with the sixth pick in the NFL draft. But the circumstances don’t diminish the significance of Jones’ retirement. The club is retiring his No. 71 – making Jones and Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent the only players in franchise history to receive the honor. Also, Gov. Christine Gregoire has proclaimed Friday as Walter Jones Day in the state of Washington. But there will be no farewell news conference, at Jones’ request – no, insistence. "Not surprising," tackle Sean Locklear said. "That’s Walt." Jones, 36, will leave the Seahawks just as he arrived as a first-round draft choice in 1997 – with a lot of other people saying glowing things about him, buy nary a word from the man himself. Jones was so good, for so long, that any discussion of the best players to ever line up at left tackle quickly gets to his name, if not start with his name. In 2005, The Sporting News ranked Jones as the best player in the game, regardless of position. "Walter is the best lineman I ever coached," said Howard Mudd, Jones’ line coach in his rookie season. "And that’s saying something." Mudd, who just retired after 35 seasons as a coach in the league, also was a Pro Bowl guard for the San Francisco 49ers during his seven-season playing career. He has coached and seen a lot of talented left tackles, and his list of best-ever candidates includes Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, Tony Boselli, Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace, Jim Parker and Russ Washington. "I tell people, the two greatest athletes I ever played with were Deion Sanders and Walter Jones," said Tobeck "With Walter, you would say he’s one of the top athletes who probably ever played in the NFL." Statistics are hard to come back for offensive linemen, but those available more than support these lofty assessments of Jones’ domination and athletic ability. In 12 seasons, which included those 180 starts, he was penalized for holding nine times. Jones allowed 23 sacks in 5703 pass plays, 2 to hall-of-famer Bruce Smith in a 2003 game, and 2 in his final game as a Seahawk to All-Pro Demarcus Ware during which Jones gutted out 60+ snaps while needing complicated surgery on his knee. Former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren once called Jones the best offensive player he had ever coached – which is saying something when you consider that vast group included Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jerry Rice as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers and Brett Favre as head coach with the Green Bay Packers. "I faced a number of other Hall of Famers who were fantastic players, and Walt was head and shoulders above them," Pro Bowl Defensive End Patrick Kerney said. Read more on Walter Jones and see what his teammates had to say about what made him so good. A Video Tribute to Walter Jones. Be sure to check out the 3:00 mark. I think Jones pushes Derrick Brooks to 3rd place, but it would be close. Your thoughts?

Florida State HC Jimbo Fisher to donate $120,000 to university scholarship fund

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Need a Thursday afternoon feel-good story? Here’s one: Jimbo Fisher is giving back. Fisher will donate to the Florida State general scholarship fund the $120,000 that he and Terrell Buckley won during a charity golf tournament earlier this week. Those winnings were to be dedicated to scholarships, anyway, so it’s like Fisher’s reaching into his own wallet. But still … Cont'd....

CBS 2011 Mock Draft

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Ponder goes #3 overall to Jacksonville

Schedule Matters: ESPN's Heather Dinich takes notice of ACC Schedules

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I know I've discussed this at length, but it is good to see other media members catching on. BC might be the 3rd best team in the Atlantic Division, but their conference schedule is why they will likely be co-favorites with FSU for the division. Remember that FSU, BC, and Clemson play the same opponents within the Atlantic division. Boston College -- Virginia Tech, at Duke, Virginia (likely 11 combined ACC wins) Florida State -- at Virginia, at Miami, North Carolina (likely 14 combined ACC wins) Clemson -- Miami, at North Carolina, Georgia Tech (likely 17 combined ACC wins) 2011 FSU-- Miami (always), UVA, & @ Duke (likely 11 ACC wins) BC-- @ VT (always), Duke, and @ Miami (likely 13 or 14 ACC wins) Clemson-- UNC, @ VT, and @ GT (always) (likely 17 ACC wins) Totals for 2010 + 2011 Coastal Opponents BC's opponents: Likely 24-24 Conf record FSU's opponents: Likely 25-23 Conf record Clemson's opponents: Likely 34-14 Conf record) And for 2012 FSU's opponents: Duke, @ Miami, @ VTech (likely 13-11) Clemson's opponents: @ Duke, VT, GTech (likely 13-11) BC's opponents: @ GT, Miami, VTech (likely 17-7) 2011+ 2012 Coastal Opponent's Likely Records FSU's opponents: 24-24 Clemson's opponents: 30-18 BC's opponents: 30-18 2010+ 2011 + 2012 Coastal opponents & likely conference records FSU: 38-34 BC: 41-31 Clemson: 47-25 Having Duke and UVA really matters if you are an Atlantic team. And if you don't capitalize when you have them it's a 4 year wait until you have both again. Clemson should have done more in 2007 and 2008. Probably the right move to fire Tommy Bowden.

FSU & Its Opponents: Returning Starters & NFL Draft Losses

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This comes to us courtesy of Bill Connelly, author of the Varsity Numbers column and creator of S&P+, one of the two premier advanced college football performance metrics. Tremendous read and very long. "Using draft points and total picks lost, you can derive almost as much about a team's success in the upcoming season as you can looking at returning starter data." "Here are some correlations for you: On offense, returning starter data holds a 0.36 correlation to improvement or regression the following season. Draft Points holds a 0.33 correlation. On defense, returning starters hold a 0.27 correlation; Draft Points, 0.22. For a change factor, these are rather strong numbers. More concrete, stable values like 5-year data and recruiting rankings hold correlations in the 0.6s and 0.7s, and they do not change much from year to year. But complementary factors like returning starters and draft data will absolutely play a role in FO's 2010 projections, if a more minor one." "*Sam Bradford was, of course, lost for most of the 2009 season already, and Jermaine Gresham didn't play a down, so incorporating their loss into the 2010 draft totals is a bit misleading as it pertains to 2010 projections. OU's offensive F/+ performance regressed by a staggering 36.7 percent last year, and it is unlikely to regress much more in 2010. Adjustments will be made before these losses are taken into account in our 2010 projections." What are your thoughts? Mine follow in the comment section.