Noles Must Be Disciplined As They Begin Practice For Yellow Jackets

FSU Sports Information Excerpts:

After ascending to 16th in the AP and USA Today polls and 15th in the BCS standings, the Seminole football team took to the practice fields Monday afternoon. Florida State has won four straight games and got an early practice in on Monday due to the Golden Torch Gala. The awards banquet honors the teams and individuals with the highest grad point averages. FSU will get back to preparations for Georgia Tech on Tuesday.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden:

Is there a big difference between beat up and injured:

“Yea, there is a big difference. I’m trying to think if anybody got hurt enough that can’t play. Antone (Smith) was riding a bicycle today. I think he’ll be okay. Bert (Reed) comes back this week. (Jermaine Thomas) seems to be okay. He’s was out there running today. I didn’t see any effects of it.

What are some basic keys to slow the option offense down?

“You have got to be disciplined. It’s assignment football. You have got him and you have got him and you better not forget it. If you do something spits out all the way. Whereas when we play a normal team you hit the blocker then you throw him down and go get the ball. With this thing you better get the dive and you’d better get the quarterback and you’d better get the pitch. When you get to doing that too good they will fake all of that and drop back and throw on you with one on one downfield. It’s seems like you slow it down, slow it down, slow it down and then all of a sudden bop! You’ve got to slow that thing down I know that.

Tailback Antone Smith:

On his health:

“I’m feeling alright. I not my best – I’m not at 100 percent right now but I feel pretty good. My legs are fresh but my ribs are a little banged up. Other than that I feel pretty good. The elbow is feeling good it’s still swollen little bit but it’s more ribs that anything else. That’s back to the first play of the Colorado game. It got aggravated Saturday.