Spring Practice Begins

On paper,the 2006 Florida State football team looks like it might be going through a rebuilding year with just six scholarship seniors on the roster. But, when you talk to the coaches and players, they are confident that this team has as a good a shot as any at making a run at another national championship. A total of 27 true and redshirt freshmen saw action last year for the Seminoles, more than any other school in the country. It has always been said that Florida State doesn't rebuild, it reloads.

So what is the prognosis for the 2006 year? For starters, only one experienced QB,Drew Weatherford will be in spring practice. Xavier Lee will not participate due to surgery on his right shoulder.

THE SEASON AHEAD

In Florida State's favor in the fall is a 12-game schedule that features an unprecedented eight games on Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, a home field advantage as significant as there is in college football. For the second year, the Seminoles and Hurricanes will open on Labor Day (Monday, September 4th at 8:00 p.m.) That game in the Orange Bowl will again go a long way in deciding the ACC title race as well as the national championship. After an October that includes four road games, Florida State closes with four straight home games in November concluding with the Florida Gators on November 25th. If the Seminoles can get through the league schedule, they will have a chance to defend their ACC title in Jacksonville on December 2nd.

"We've got a very favorable schedule which really sets Miami up as a very big key," said Bowden. "It's not a game where if you lose, there goes the season. It's not that kind of game, but it will really set the tone. The schedule is favorable because we have eight home games. Then if you make it to the championship game, it's also in Florida. Now it's just a matter of staying healthy and gelling. It's not like we have to break in a new quarterback which we've had to do two of the last five years. Although we have 10 starters back, we play so many people that that's not a real big factor for us. We may not have a lot of starters back but we have a lot of experience coming back. Our speed should be an advantage because this team is as athletic as we've had."