Defense Makes Statement In Second Scrimmage

Excerpts from the FSU Sports Information Department:

The Seminole football team held their second scrimmage in three days on Saturday and it was a big day for the FSU defense. Once again the offense got off to a fast start but over the duration of the scrimmage it was the Florida State defense that had the better evening. The team will take the day off Sunday before returning to practice Monday at 9:20 a.m.

Saturday morning's kicking scrimmage began with some position work before the team spent about an hour and a half working on all aspects of the kicking game.

Joslin Shaw, Preston Parker, Bert Reed and Jamie Robinson worked returning kicks. Parker and Reed spent the morning returning punts.

Gary Cismesia had a great morning kicking field goals. The senior hit from 21, 22, 31, 32, 32 and 43 yards and missed just one kick from 38. Graham Gano connected from 24, 30 and 37 yards but missed from 30, 41 and 47.

Just like Thursday's scrimmage, the offense got off to a fast start. The first team offense, which started with Drew Weatherford under center at the one yard line, picked up two big plays for first downs. The first jaw-dropping play was turned in by Antone Smith. With the ball at the one-yard line, Smith disappeared into a sea of Garnet jerseys but somehow broke loose and took the ball 54 yards up the sideline. The next big play came on a Weatherford to Richard Goodman pass for 33 yards. The first team defense then came out with the ball once again placed on the one and had a very impressive stand. Everette Brown tackled Jamaal Edwards inside the one, and close to a safety, and the second team offense was unable to get a first down.

In red zone the offense continued to struggle. The ones, with Weatherford at the helm, could not get into the endzone on any of their four tries. The biggest play was turned in by Smith who went for five yards on a third and goal from the eight. The two's came on and were unable to get in the endzone either. Lee did have a nice 10 yard completion to Jonathan Hannah from the 18 but after that Brown recorded a sack and knocked the ball loose. The next two plays netted three and one yards respectively.

In goal line drills, the defense allowed just three TD's in eight tries. The first team offense scored twice. The first came from three yards out as Smith got around the edge thanks in no small part to a nice Seddrick Holloway block. After an incompletion to Hannah, Weatherford hit Holloway on a three yard TD pass. Weatherford made a very nice throw as he lofted it over a defender in front of him and into Holloway.

The second team offense started off with a TD from Lee to Charlie Graham but after that it was big plays by the first team D. Nicholson had a big hit on Edwards, who kept his balance but was finished off by Guion. Lee then was forced into an incompletion when he was chased out of the pocket by Neefy Moffett.

The kickers each got one field goal attempt. Cismesia missed his from 36 and Gano made his from the same distance.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden

On the last two scrimmages
"I thought the last two scrimmages have followed the same pattern. The offense comes out scores a big one, gets the ball, scores another big one, the defense shuts them out the rest of the day."

"Defense, you've got to come out the first of the game, you can't spot people two touchdowns. Offense you've got to play 60 minutes so it's been two scrimmages in a row that it's been like that."