Wednesday Practice Punctuated By Big Hit

After Tuesday's two practices, the Seminoles returned to the field Wednesday morning for a 24-period practice in pads. The practice was the final tune-up before the full team will hold its first scrimmage Thursday evening. The scrimmage will take place in Doak Campbell Stadium and will last approximately two hours.

Xavier Lee took most of the reps in 1-on-1. He connected on passes with Joslin Shaw, Preston Parker, Taiwan Easterling, De'Cody Fagg, Cameron Wade and Greg Carr. Dionte Allen recorded another pass break-up as the highly recruited corner continues to have an impressive preseason.

In 7-on-7 Lee and Carr connected for a completion. Weatherford hit Richard Goodman, Brandon Paul and Damon McDaniel. McDaniel turned a short pass into a big gainer but then let one slip away from Weatherford after he had beat a defender on a deep route. Jamie Robinson, Korey Mangum and Tony Carter all broke up passes.

After the offense dominated goal line yesterday, the defense had something to prove but the unit still struggled stopping the first team from getting in the endzone. Sims scored on the first carry and Surratt got into the endzone on the next two plays. After that Geno Hayes' 1-on-1 stop right at the goal line seemed to inspire the group as the defense did not allow another TD. Mister Alexander followed Hayes' stop with the biggest hit of the preseason so far completely wiping out Damon McDaniel. Marcus Ball followed by tackling Xavier Lee in the backfield on a broken play. The seventh play never got off due to a bad exchange and then Recardo Wright ended the day with a stop of Ball.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden

On practice in general:

"Terribly hot day again. Very hot. Kids withstood that part of it pretty good. Had a pretty good goal line scrimmage--it was more even today. The first goal line scrimmage, the defense got the best of it, second one the offense got the best of it. Today it was more even."

"Mister Alexander had the best hit. He had the best hit of the day. Get hits like that we can win some darn games."

"We're moving along, still got a long way to go, but moving along."