Noles Trying To Snare Gator Commitment

Panama City athlete Bert Reed will be visiting FSU this weekend although he has committed to Florida.

Reed has said that he is visiting the Noles after FSU coaches told him he could be used in the manner that Percy Harvin was by Florida this past season.

“He’s talking about putting me out wide, putting me in the slot, and putting me in the backfield,” Reed said of coach Bobby Bowden. “ Just utilizing me, which is something that I would love to do. And then playing kick returner and punt returner. Having a chance to do all of that stuff.”

Sweet Home Alabama

FSU after losing out on a big Alabama recruit yesterday received some good days today. Former West Virginia recruit Rodney Hudson announced today that he will be going to FSU. Hudson (6-3, 295), a first-team all-state and Press-Register(Mobile) all-region selection, graded 95 percent on his blocking with 47 pancakes and also played defense, recording 55 tackles as an interior lineman.

Hudson said West Virginia coaches are still trying to convince him to visit Morgantown this weekend, but he's solid in his commitment to Florida State. "It was really nice," he said of his visit to Tallahassee. "The coaches are real nice and the players are pretty good, too. It was closer, too."

This is the result of new coach Rick Trickett who had recruited Hudson at West Virginia before taking the job with the Noles.

Caz Will Tackle New Position In 2007

In 2006, Caz Piurowski was second on the team in catches by a freshman but as the Seminoles prepare to open their off-season conditioning program the Land O' Lakes, FL native will have a new position. Caz has asked to be moved to the offensive line. The 6'7", 285 pound freshman will enter the spring as FSU's newest left tackle.

According to Piurowski, he started "thinking about it towards the end of the season, right before the bowl game. After the season is when I really started to think about it. I talked to people about it. I came to the conclusion after talking to lots of people and thinking about it that it would be the best move. I went and talked to Coach Lilly and then I went and talked to Coach Bowden. Coach Bowden loved the idea. He thought it was a great move for me. We kind of finalized it that day during our meeting."

FSU Loses Another Recruit Prospect

Scratch another name from the dwindling list of FSU recruit prospects. 6-foot-2, 200-pounder Mobile (Ala.) Davidson four-star DB Michael McNeil announced on Tuesday that he will be an Auburn Tiger.FSU had been aggressively pursuing McNeil.

"I love Auburn," said McNeil. "I love the atmosphere and they have one of the best programs in the nation."

McNeil chose Auburn after narrowing down his list to the Tigers, Florida State, Tennessee and Alabama.

"Auburn puts a lot of people in the NFL every year plus it's close to home. At Auburn I just feel at home with the players and coaches."

McNeil is rated the No. 8 safety in the country and No. 86 overall prospect.

FSU Far Behind Other Sunshine Schools In Recruiting Rankings

It is looking more likely that FSU will have one of its worst recruiting years. In the Sunshine state, the Noles are far behind Florida and Miami in the recruiting rankings.

Florida State #43

Miami #26

Florida #1

"Daddy Bowden" Makes Home Visit

Bobby Bowden must have a ton of frequent flier miles. It seems this year he is traveling a lot to try and secure commitments from some top recruits. So far, the effort has not paid off.

The Spartanburg, South Carolina newspaper is reporting that "Daddy Bowden" along with two of his assistants paid a home visit Monday night with Broome(SC) WR Markish Jones (6-1 202) Monday night. "It went pretty good," Jones said. "It was good he remembered me. Some of the other coaches were saying he wouldn't remember who I was. We had a real good time." Jones is currently a commitment to Clemson.

Jones said the meeting lasted about two and a half hours and included his family. "They loved coach Bowden," Jones said. "My stepdad has been a Florida State fan since day one." Over the weekend Jones made an official visit to Tennessee. "I had a great time at Tennessee," he said. "It's going to make my decision hard.

If I weren't committed to Clemson, it would be Florida State or Tennessee, but right now Clemson is still in the lead." Jones said his recruiters from Tennessee and Alabama also will be in this week. He will make an official visit to Alabama this weekend.

Noles Get Another Commitment

6-foot-3, 265-pounder West Boca Raton High School offensive lineman A.J. Ganguzza has accepted an offer from FSU. Ganguzza had previously committed to FIU. This may be the sign of what will be happening in this year's recruiting class.

FIU is hardly a premier school and it looks as if FSU may be having to offer scholarships to second tier recruits because FSU is unable to secure commitments from the top recruits. It may be that FSU's less than stellar performance in recent years is catching up with the Noles.

Ganguzza had originally planned to visit Florida State a couple of weeks ago but changed his mind after a visit by new offensive line coach Rick Trickett failed to produce a scholarship offer.With no offer in hand,Ganguzza decided to cancel his trip to Tallahassee and opted to make a commitment to FIU.

Evaluation:Ganguzza is a two-way player at the high school level but will project best on the offensive side of the ball at the college level as a guard. He displays good toughness in the trenches. He will need to add bulk to his frame to play at the college level along the line. He can deliver a pop as he gets into defenders. He does an adequate job of driving his legs. He does not get great push off the line in the run game. He does a solid job of stepping, getting position, and blocking down. He looks comfortable when asked to pull. Does a good job of getting down the line and making contact with defenders. He shows he can turn upfield and seal. He does a good job of getting up to the second level and making contact with moving targets. He is a solid pass blocker in the short area. He displays the ability to move his feet and mirror rushers. He needs to watch his pad level as he can get tall. He will need the extra bulk to help him hold his ground. Ganguzza comes across as a "fighter" who battle to try and get the job done.

Bama Coach Jumps Ship

"I think it's tough," new UAB head coach Neil Callaway said. "The fact we open up at Michigan State and then go to Florida State on Sept. 8, I can't think of anybody's (schedule) being any tougher."

UAB, coming off a 3-9 mark in Watson Brown's last season as coach, will have just five home games and will play seven games on the road.

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After only two weeks on the job, Alabama assistant coach Steve Marshall has left to take a job with the NFL's Cleveland Browns.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for Steve," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Sunday."It's a shame that it didn't work out for him here, but I wish him well."

Will Hudson Commit To FSU?

Rodney Hudson, the West Virginia commitment,visited FSU this weekend and rated his vist a "10". Whether that is enough to get him to decommit is still to be determined. The 6-foot-2, 276-pound offensive lineman from Alabama says he is still committed to West Virginia but says that could change as soon as this week.

"If I do change my mind, it'll be this week or something," said Hudson, "It probably will happen, possibly.

"I don't know when, signing day, maybe this week, I haven't decided."

The evaluation of Rodney Hudson is that he is a solid offensive tackle that should translate well to the interior line in college. He moves well laterally and has a great base for creating contact and leverage. He plays to the echo of the whistle and does a good job of getting himself in position to make the right reads on a pull or trap.

The one intangible is that Rick Trickett recruited him at West Virginia and now is doing the recruiting for him with the Noles.

Booker Helping His Stock

The three Noles that played in the Senior Bowl on Saturday had the following stats:
Buster Davis- 5 tackles
Lorenzo Booker- 112 all purpose yards of which 109 were kickoff returns
Chris Davis- 2 catches for 15 yards

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According to ESPN analysts, out of all the running backs at the Senior Bowl this week, Lorenzo Booker helped his stock the most by displaying outstanding hands as a receiver, as well as speed and agility as an open-field runner. They are predicting Booker to be drafted late on the first day.

Show Me the Money!

With the addition of five new coaches, FSU will spend $209,861 more on its nine-man coaching staff in 2007 than last season. The salaries represent base only and do not include additional or supplemental income.

Five coaches will earn at least $200,000 in base salary, headed by defensive coordinator/associate head coach Mickey Andrews, who receives a raise of more than $7,000 to $215,105 annually. Andrews’ base salary was boosted after Jimbo Fisher was hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for $215,000. Fisher’s total package, though, will be the highest among the assistants at about $425,000. Andrews was the only coach to earn a base salary above $200,000 last season.

The biggest raise of the holdover coaches went to defensive line coach Odell Haggins, who was boosted to $200,000 from $154,680. Haggins’ base salary equals that of newcomers Rick Trickett (offensive line/assistant head coach) and Chuck Amato (defensive line/executive associate head coach).

Defensive ends coach Jody Allen and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator John Lilly each received raises to $140,000. Newcomers Lawrence Dawsey (receivers) and Dexter Carter (running backs) are the lowest paid coaches, both earning $130,000.

NC State Hires Defensive Backs Coach

North Carolina State hired former Philadelphia Eagles assistant Mike Reed as its defensive backs coach on Thursday.

Reed served as the Eagles' defensive assistant-quality control coach the past four seasons. Andy McCollum, the former head coach at Middle Tennessee who spent last season as a scout for the Tennessee Titans, was also hired to coach the Wolfpack linebackers.

"Both of these coaches bring unique experiences to our staff," new coach Tom O'Brien said. "I'm glad to have our complete staff in place and am confident that each coach has the same goal that I do for NC State football: to produce champions in the classroom, in the community and on the football field."

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Former UNC assistant Andre’ Powell interviewed Thursday to fill Clemson’s vacant running backs coach job. Other candidates are expected to be interviewed in the coming days.
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Butch Davis has already proven to be quite the draw at UNC. Since the official introduction of Davis as John Bunting's successor on Nov. 27, the school has sold more than 3,000 season tickets for its six-game 2007 home schedule. … Roughly 1,000 of the orders are from first-time customers. At $240 per seat, that's about $240,000 in new revenue and the peak period for ticket sales is still months away."

FSU Hosting Small Number Of Recruits This Weekend

FSU will be hosting only six recruits this weekend. If the Noles are looking to move up in the rankings and meet its needs, it is going to need a furious late push until signing day on February 7. The following recruits will be visiting:

Nole Devine of North Fort Myers who is regarded as the top running back in the nation.There are numerous concerns regarding Devine that include grades and some character issues but FSU is still recruiting him hard.

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Demetrius Byrd ,a coveted wide receiver from Miami, who's currently at Pearl River Junior College.
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OL Rodney Hudson who is a West Virginia commitment that was recently offered by FSU. Bobby Bowden visited Thursday night and he could commit this weekend. This may be the Rick Trickett influence working.
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S Stefoin Francois who is a free safety prospect that FSU really needs. LSU is the team to beat. Can Jimbo pull him in?
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DE Rae Sykes who will pick either FSU or Tennessee. Sykes will be hosted by former Alcoa teammate and friend Brandon Warren.
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LB Aaron Gresham who is a tough linebacker that committed to FSU last week.

Nole Ball

For all you diehard Nole fans, I have a new blog, Nole Ball, that will cover basketball and baseball in addition to football. The blog will probably be a little edgier also.

This blog will continue to be exclusively FSU football.

"He Had Poor Blocking"

"Their offensive line was weak, and their quarterback play was abysmal. Add those things together, and you have a guy who didn't have any help. He had poor blocking, and there was no threat to throw the ball. He was seeing eight in the box forever."
Frank Coyle, a draft analyst, commenting on Lorenzo Booker at the Senior Bowl

Poll Results

Poll results for:What grade would you give the 2006 season performance of Drew Weatherford? were 57.1% gave Weatherford a C. Second most response was 22.4%gave him a D.

New Poll

There is a new poll: What grade would you give the new coaching changes at FSU?

FSU Kicking Game Needs Kick Start (Third In A Series)

For far too many years, FSU fans have heard "It's wide right" or "wide left" in too many close losses because of missed field goals. For the 2007 season, the key will be to never let a field goal kick be the deciding factor in the game. I know that is easier said than done but I have very little confidence in returning senior place kicker Gary Cismesia.

For the 2006 regular season, Cismesia had a 64.7% field goal percentage and ranked seventh in the ACC.In comparison, Virginia Tech's Brandon Pace had a 94.4% percentage and Wake Forest's Sam Swank a 75% field goal percentage. If you count the Emerald Bowl, Cismesia had a slightly better percentage. Cismesia has always been able to talk a good game but hardly ever backs it up with his foot. It is difficult to understand why FSU has had such difficulty in recruiting a consistent field goal kicker. Outside of Sebastian Janikowski, FSU fans in recent times have had a lot of heartaches when it comes to watching field goals being kicked during critical times in a game.

Most ACC teams have a coach that has special teams responsibility and Wake Forest even has a coach with specific responsibilities for kicker. FSU has neither. Perhaps there should be more emphasis on coaching the kicker at FSU. It is apparent that what FSU has been doing has not worked.

Graham Gano, who will be a junior in 2007, was the kickoff specialist and punter for the Noles in 2006. He was a star field goal kicker in high school. Gano was a first team USA Today All-American, named a three-star player by Rivals.com and was the nation's No. 3 ranked kicker. In high school. Gano kicked a state record 65-yard field goal as a senior and during his senior season he kicked three field goals over 55 yards (57, 64, 65). Perhaps the Noles should throw open the field goal kicker position in the spring and let Gano compete with Cismesia.

Stick A Fork In Him, He's Done

Enrique Davis, the 4-star running back prospect, visited FSU this past week despite having verbally committed to Auburn. FSU was still holding out hope that they could sway the talented recruit.

Regarding FSU, he said, "I had a real good visit there. That's a great school and a great program and it's close to home. But I'm done with my visits and I'm solid with my commitment to Auburn."

"It's over," he said. "I enjoyed the process. I enjoyed the extra visit. But I'm done. I'm going to Auburn."

ACC Releases 2007 Football Schedules

The 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference football schedule released today by Commissioner John D. Swofford is comprised of 96 games, including 48 conference match-ups, over a span of 13 weeks.

Twenty-four of the league's 48 non-conference games (50 percent) are against 18 teams that earned bowl berths in 2006 including defending national champion Florida, third-ranked LSU and No. 6 Louisville. In all, seven of the non-conference games are scheduled against five opponents - Florida, LSU, Louisville, Notre Dame (three games) and Oklahoma - that comprised half of the teams that played in BCS bowl games this past season. Eight of the 17 non-conference opponents were ranked in last season's final polls.

Non-conference opponents who earned bowl bids this past season are Alabama, Central Michigan, East Carolina (3 games), Florida, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Middle Tennessee State, Navy (2), Nebraska, Notre Dame (3), Ohio, Oklahoma, Rutgers, South Carolina (2), South Florida, Texas A&M and West Virginia. In addition, two other non-conference opponents, Pittsburgh (vs. Virginia, Sept. 29) and Wyoming (vs. Virginia, Sept. 1), were bowl-eligible with 6-6 records.

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Two Clemson stars - offensive lineman Dustin Fry and wide receiver Chansi Stuckey - are among the 100 top NFL draft prospects participating in the 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Alabama.
Fry and Stuckey will play on the Senior Bowl's South squad, which is being coached by San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan and his staff.
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Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams was named to all five official All-America teams acknowledged by the NCAA in 2006, one of seven unanimous All-Americans this year.

2007 FSU Football Schedule Released

2007 FSU Football Schedule

Sept. 3 at Clemson (Monday)
Sept. 8 UAB
Sept. 15 at Colorado
Sept. 22 Open
Sept. 29 Alabama (Jacksonville)
Oct. 6 NC State
Oct. 11 at Wake Forest (Thursday)
Oct. 20 Miami
Oct. 27 Duke
Nov. 3 at Boston College
Nov. 10 at Virginia Tech
Nov. 17 Maryland
Nov. 24 at Florida

FSU Number 8 In ACC In National Recruiting Rankings

ACC National Team Recruiting Rankings:
1. Georgia Tech- #13

2. Clemson- #14

3. Virginia- #17

4. Virginia Tech- #25

5. Miami- #29

6. Maryland- #33

7. UNC- #35

8. FSU- #41

9. BC- #42

10.NC State- #60

11. Duke- #73

12. Wake- #82

Buster Davis Impressive At Senior Bowl Practice

Reports from the Senior Bowl say that Florida State ILB Buster Davis continues to disprove the theory that his 5-9 frame will prevent him from playing at the next level. The report is that Davis is one of the toughest and most instinctive linebackers in this year's class. He really stood out in terms of his recognition skills and pursuit angles during inside-run and team drills in Tuesday's Senior Bowl practice.

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Add another former FSU player to the growing list of coaches making a name for themselves.Dedrick Dodge ('86 - '89) recently resigned as head coach of Victory Christian, a 1-B high school in Lakeland,Florida to become defensive coordinator at Fort Valley State, a Division II school in Georgia.
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Former FSU great and Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn had arthroscopic surgery for a damaged shoulder that bothered him much of the season.

Dunn will need several months of rehabilitation before he's able to resume football workouts, the team said. But he should make a full recovery.

FSU Third In ACC Atlantic Division In Recruiting Rankings

ACC Atlantic Division National Team Recruiting Rankings:
1. Clemson- #14

2. Maryland - #33

3. FSU - #41

4. BC- # 42

5. N.C. State- #60

6. Wake- #82

Three Noles Playing In Senior Bowl

Three Florida State stars - running back Lorenzo Booker, linebacker Buster Davis and wide receiver Chris Davis -- are among the 100 top NFL draft prospects participating in the 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Alabama.

The Seminole trio will play on the Senior Bowl's South squad, which is being coached by San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan and his staff.

The players will have one practice per day during Senior Bowl Week, January 22-26, capped off by the 58th annual Under Armour Senior Bowl game on Saturday, January 27. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium and the contest will be nationally-televised by the NFL Network.

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Reports from the Senior Bowl indicate that Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker caught the ball well and made some nice moves in space. He also made crisp cuts and exploded through holes, but scouts will want to see how Lorenzo does when the South goes to full pads and the linebackers can wrap up.

FSU Far Behind In Sunshine Recruiting Race

Rivals.com National Team Recruiting Rankings for the Big Three Sunshine Schools:
3. Florida

29. Miami

41. Florida State

Austin Likes Haggins In Seminole Rap

Marvin Austin was impressed by his visit to FSU but especially impressed by the performance of coach Odell Haggins in the Seminole Rap, a video that was made when Haggins was playing at FSU. The rap was the highlight of his trip.Said Austin, "It's too funny."

FSU Gets New Jersey Offensive Tackle Commitment

Fresh off his weekend visit to FSU, Matawan, New Jersey (Matawan High School) offensive tackle Anthony Grosso made a quick decision after returning home from his official visit.

"It was yesterday," Grosso said. "Just a little bit after the official(visit) I called Coach Bowden to let him know."

Grosso, who says he is now 6-foot-6, 290-pounds and benches 435 pounds, committed to the 'Noles publicly on Monday after talking to his parents and coach about his decision.

His commitment marks the first for new offensive line coach Rick Trickett.

FSU Recruit Prospect: Marvin Austin

The nation's No. 1 defensive tackle, Marvin Austin from Washington (D.C.) Ballou, is done with his official visits after taking a trip to Tallahassee this past weekend to check out the Noles.

Austin, the number one ranked defensive tackle said "The visit was good, I got to spend some more time with Myron Rolle and there were a bunch of other recruits down there as well," said the 6-foot-2, 297-pounder. "I got to see their state-of-the-art broadcasting studio and it turns out they've sent some 20 or more students to ESPN for broadcasting. That's what I want to major in so it was good to see and learn all that."

Austin is an elite player because he has God-given talent and he works as hard as anyone you will find. He has that rare combination of speed, power, agility, toughness and desire that sets all the great ones apart from the rest. He could have a Warren Sapp-type of impact at the college level."

As a senior, Austin tallied 85 tackles and 17 sacks. He was selected as a U.S. Army All-American and was named to the Washington Post All-Metro first team. Earned All-Met honors as a junior after he registered more than 80 tackles including 12 for loss, eight sacks, nd five forced fumbles.

Evaluation:Austin flashes the tools to be a disruptive player at the college level. He has good size for his age and moves well with it. He has the ability to get some penetration but will most likely be a two gapper at the college level. He gets off on the snap of the ball well and does a nice job of getting push. When he fires out low, he does a good job of deriving power from the hips and can push blockers onto the offensives side of the line of scrimmage. He does a good job of shooting his hands and being able to create separation. He displays good overall power and strength to not only push blockers around but to also hold his ground. He is physical at the point of attack. He displays the ability to be able to shed. He can play tall at times and be pushed back like most players, but even when he is high, he displays the ability to fight through blocks. He will need to be more consistent though with his pad level as competition will be tougher at the next level. He has solid change-of-directions skills in the short area. He shows a good motor for a big man and really hustles around. He is an adequate tackler. As a pass rusher, he displays the ability to execute a quick move to beat blockers at the line of scrimmage. He has the ability to get push and collapse the pocket. Austin shows he can get off the ball and cause penetration. As he grows, he will develop into more of a true two gapper who can cause problems in the middle of the line. If he can continue to add bulk properly, keep improving his technique and keep his motor, he could be a very good player.

Austin: "I just have a lot of athletic ability for my size. I'm really quick and powerful."

Austin is ranked #1 at his position and is rated 5 stars.

FSU Gets Commitment From Middle Linebacker

FSU picked up a commitment on Sunday. Several sources are reporting that middle linebacker Aaron Gresham (6-1, 215) of Mayo Lafayette in Florida has committed to the Seminoles. He visited Louisville in December. South Florida was also among the schools recruiting him.

During his senior season, Gresham racked up 120 tackles, 6 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. His play helped lead his team to the district championship. He was named Small School Player of the Year by the Gainesville Sun.

ACC And Gator Bowl Association Have Tough Decision To Make

The Atlantic Coast Conference and the city of Jacksonville had hoped to hit upon the same formula when the league put its first two championship games at Alltel Stadium, but there remains uncertainty whether that hookup will become permanent.

Last month's pedestrian turnout for a surprising Wake Forest-Georgia Tech matchup has raised red flags on both sides. The Gator Bowl Association, which runs the championship game and lost more than $1 million on the weather-marred contest, and the ACC are still trying to decide if they want to exercise a two-year option, modify the agreement and limit the city to a one-year extension, or immediately move the game elsewhere.

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Chan Gailey, Georgia Tech's head football coach since 2002, announced Friday that he will remain at Tech.

"I'm excited about the future here at Georgia Tech," Gailey said at a Friday afternoon press conference. "We have 17 of the 22 returning starters from the bowl game. We've got a great recruiting class. We've got a (Coastal) Division title to defend. It was a great opportunity for me and an honor to visit with these people but, I'm excited about the future here at Georgia Tech and where we're headed and what we're going to do for the next few years."

September Will Be Tough Test For Noles

You have to wonder why FSU chose to schedule three tough teams on the road in September. September is usually designed to get some "cupcakes" and get the kinks worked out. In 2007,FSU will start out with Clemson at Clemson, play Colorado at Colorado, and then take on Bama in Jacksonville.

The Noles better work out the kinks prior to September or it could get ugly early.

2006 FSU Football Awards

The Florida State football team held its annual awards banquet Saturday night. Lawrence Timmons and Chris Davis took home MVP honors while Buster Davis and Lorenzo Booker won the Leadership Award.

Don Powell Award (Unsung Hero) - Joslin Shaw

Bob Crenshaw Award (Player with Most Heart) - Darius McClure

Bill McGrotha Spirit Award - Andre Fluellen

Academic Awards
Freshman Class - Christian Ponder, 3.89 gpa
Sophomore Class - Derek Nicholson, 3.09 gpa
Junior Class - Drew Weatherford, 3.417 gpa
Senior Class - Darrell Burston, 3.018 gpa

Scout Team MVP
Offensive (awarded by defensive coaches) - Pat Davis, running back
Defensive (awarded by offensive coaches) - Andre Durham, def. back

Strength and Conditioning Awards
Defensive Warrior - Buster Davis
Offensive Warrior - Antone Smith
Top Conditioned Athlete - Chris Davis

Special Teams Awards
Offensive Special Teams MVP - Everette Brown and Mikhal Kornegay
Defensive Special Teams MVP - Patrick Robinson

Top Newcomers
Offense - Brandon Warren and Caz Piurowski
Defense - Myron Rolle

Most Improved Player
Offense - Joe Suratt
Defense - Kevin McNeil and Geno Hayes

Leadership Award
Offense - Lorenzo Booker
Defense - Buster Davis

Most Valuable Player
Offense - Chris Davis
Defense - Lawrence Timmons

Dexter Throws The Flag

New running backs coach Dexter Carter was involved in one of the funniest incidents against Miami when he was a player at FSU.

Big Recruiting Weekend For FSU

With the national signing day of February 7th very close, FSU is doing a full court press with a host of recruits visiting FSU this weekend:

DT Marvin Austin:Washington (D.C.) Ballou (6-2/295 4.65) 5 star #1 ranked defensive tackle

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DE Antoine Carter:Ft. Lauderdale (FL) Dillard (6-4/230 4.8)
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DE Brian Coulter:Poplarville (MS) Pearl River CC (6-4/250 4.65)
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RB Enrique Davis:Lynn Haven (FL) Mosley (5-11/215 4.39) #3 ranked RB
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RB Robert Elliott:Okolona (MS) Okolona (6-0/191 4.58) # 13 ranked RB
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OL Anthony Grosso:Matawan (NJ) Matawan (6-6/270 5.12)
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WR/Ath Markish Jones:Spartanburg (SC) Broome (6-0/185 4.4)
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S Michael McNeil:Mobile (AL) Davidson (6-2/200 4.56) #5 ranked safety
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WR Brandon Paul:Tallahassee (FL) Lincoln (5-10/180 4.3)
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LB Kendall Smith:Bushnell (FL) South Sumter (6-1/210 4.48) #2 ranked outside linebacker
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WR Cameron Wade:Cairo (GA) Cairo (6-5/190 4.55)
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OL Alex Williams:New Orleans (LA) O.P. Walker (6-5/288)

FSU-Clemson Game Will Be Labor Day On ESPN

Florida State will open its 2007 football schedule at Clemson on Labor Day night in a game that will be televised nationally on ESPN at 8:00 p.m.. This will be the third season in a row that FSU has opened on national television on Labor Day having played at Miami in 2006 and hosting Miami in 2005. The Seminoles were also scheduled to play at Miami on Labor Day in 2004 but the game was pushed back to September 10 because of weather.

"The Clemson-Florida State game is one of our most viewed telecasts, and eagerly anticipated match-ups each year," said Dave Brown, Vice President, ESPN programming and acquisitions. "The popularity of our Labor Day primetime window is a natural fit for this game and we look forward to showcasing the Clemson-Florida State game to a national audience in an exclusive college football window."

Last year's Labor Day night game between Florida State and Miami averaged 6,330,000 households, was the sixth most viewed regular season college football game on national television in 2006, ranked as ESPN's highest-rated college football game since 1994 with a 6.9 rating, and was the most viewed college football game in ESPN's history.

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Ron West, hired by West Virginia as assistant head coach and offensive line coach, has decided to return to Clemson.

"Ron West called today to inform me that he has changed his mind and has decided to stay at Clemson," Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez said Thursday. "Coach West cited family considerations as his reason, and I understand his decision."

The move leaves the Mountaineers with three assistant coaching vacancies.
West would have replaced Rick Trickett, who left for Florida State. WVU also recently lost Herb Hand, the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, to Tulsa; and wide receivers coach Butch Jones became the head coach at Central Michigan.
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Miami has chosen Patrick Nix of Georgia Tech as its new offensive coordinator, a source close to Nix said Friday.

Nix has been offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech for the last three seasons, taking over playcalling responsibilities from Chan Gailey this year.

He is a former standout quarterback at Auburn, where as a sophomore in 1993, he helped lead the school to an 11-0 record.

Goodbye Mr. "Chips"

Lost in all the unabashed joy regarding the needed coaching changes was the role of "headmaster" T.K. Wetherell. Wetherell who insists that he was only involved in negotiations to the extent of finding the money wanted to make sure his assistant coaches weren’t being paid more in base salary than his academic deans. He clearly had a bigger role than most presidents might in the recent hires. This illustrates the clash between the academic side and the athletic side of the university. It should be noted however that FSU did not prostitute itself as Bama did in its recent hiring of Nick Saban.

Bama Raids Another ACC School

Alabama coach Nick Saban has filled the final spot on his coaching staff, hiring running backs coach Burton Burns away from Clemson. The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C. reported on its Web site that Burns had resigned from Tommy Bowden's staff to accept the Alabama job. The newspaper said that Burns would coach running backs at Alabama.

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New UAB football coach Neil Callaway will make $360,000 a year plus incentives for various achievements, including conference crowns and bowls. The University of Alabama Board of Trustees Compensation Committee approved the five-year contract on Tuesday.
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Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins said he feels very good about the players who have committed to come to Boulder in 2007, but he never has and never will put much stock in what the recruiting Web sites say about the players he chooses to award scholarships to.

"I think we've done a good job," Hawkins said Thursday in offering a brief early assessment of the 2007 class, which will be announced in less than a month on national signing day Feb. 7. "I like the guys we have. I feel good about them as people and as football players."

Ga. Tech's Gailey In Final Two For Dolphins Job

At least four candidates have told University of Miami coach Randy Shannon they are not interested in becoming the Hurricanes' offensive coordinator.

John McNulty, Rutgers' assistant offensive coordinator, was offered the UM job but told Shannon he is remaining in his present position, according to The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J.

UM Athletic Director Paul Dee said that he expected an offensive coordinator to be hired this week.

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N.C. State's new defensive coordinator has head coaching experience, once served on a staff with Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien and comes from a program that won eight games, including a bowl, this past season.

O'Brien, as expected, announced Tuesday that Mike Archer would head up his new defensive staff. Archer was at Kentucky the past four years as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
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The process to fill the Dolphins' head coaching vacancy is believed down to a two-man race between Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey and San Diego offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

"Every Reason For Our Fan Base To Be Excited"

“I just think there is every reason for our fan base to be excited about the finalization of the hiring of the new staff members. I know Bobby is genuinely very excited. I think there is a lot of diversity, and I am speaking beyond the racial diversity, and certainly I am very pleased with where we ended there. I just think this is just a blend that you hoped you could strike in terms of the mixture of veteran coaches, and youth, great recruiters and technicians.”
Dave Hart regarding new coaches hired

Offensive Coaches Have Lots of Work For Spring Practice

FSU 2006 Numbers and Rankings Nationally:

Scoring Offense: 45th

Passing Offense: 30th

Rushing Offense: 103rd

My View: A Wake Up Call

Sometime in the future, we may be able to look back at November 11, 2006 as the date of the wake up call for the FSU football program. As all Nole fans will unfortunately recall, that was the date of the home game when Wake Forest beat FSU thirty to nothing. A shocked crowd left early for the exits and Bobby Bowden was left to ponder what had happened.

Since that time, FSU finished the season 6-6 and headed to a lower tier bowl. It also marked the time that Bobby Bowden and others in the administration woke up to the fact that the program was in need of an extreme makeover. Whether Bobby Bowden was forced to make the changes kicking and screaming, the fact is that significant coaching changes have been completed.

The changes were long over due. It is now time to hopefully get the program back to the place that it once occupied. I have been a tough critic of Bobby Bowden and the administration but I have to give credit when due. These changes are nothing but positive. It is time to move on.