Noles Resume Practice- Friday Spring Practice Report

FSU Sports Information Excerpts:

The Seminole football team got sent off the field on Wednesday due to lightning. Due to class schedules the team was unable to practice on Thursday but on Friday the weather held off just long enough to allow FSU to get in its second full scrimmage of the spring. After a defense-dominated outing last time, the offense showed considerable improvement Friday but getting in the endzone continued to be a challenge against Mickey Andrews' defense.

FOOTBALL NEWS

Florida State's homecoming game with Boston College November 15 has been designated a Blackout game.

Parent's Weekend will be October 25 when the Seminoles host Virginia Tech.

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

After individual drills, the scrimmage got started right away as special teams was moved to the end of practice incase the scrimmage was cut short.

Despite sometimes heavy winds, the rain held off until the players cleared the field and the team got through the entire session.

The first part of the scrimmage was run in game situation and the first team offense went three-and-out and then drove down but missed out on points due to an errant 20-yard field goal. Antone Smith, who had an impressive scrimmage, started things out with a solid gain by slicing through the line but he was limited to just four yards by a big hit from Darius McClure. Other highlights included a tackle for loss by Derek Nicholson as he dragged Smith down from behind and a QB pressure by Kevin McNeil who was another star on the day. The offense faced a 3rd-and-6 on the second drive but Christian Ponder and Bert Reed moved the chances on a short play that Reed broke for 40 yards. Korey Mangum helped keep the offense off the board as he broke up a pass on a fade to Rod Owens. On 3rd-and-goal from the 10 Reed caught a Ponder ball and took it to the three yard line but a nice tackle by Jamie Robinson forced the field goal attempt.

The second team offense couldn't get anything going from the 30 either. Ochuko Jenije had a pass break-up to start things but the offense started rolling after that. D'Vontrey Richardson picked up 11 on a designed run and then rolled out and found Louis Givens on a 20 yard pass. Brandon Paul got 11 on a reverse pitch but was knocked down on a big hit by Jenije. The defense them put the clamps down as Patrick Robinson broke up a pass and Jamar Jackson recorded a sack.

Things didn't get better for the ones on the next series as they went out on downs, had a turnover and then left the field when the script came to an end. Brown and McNeil combined on a coverage sack to start things off. Myron Rolle had a pass break-up and Jamie Robinson ended the drive when he came down with a Ponder pass that deflected off Rod Owens. With the offense back at the 35, Ponder got great protection from his line and was able to wait for Greg Carr to come free and the two hooked up on a 33-yard pitch and catch. Patrick Robinson turned in a big play for the defense as he broke up a deep pass into the endzone.

The twos were unable to score from the 35 either. Despite a couple eight yard runs from Givens and Paul and a 3rd-and-short conversion by Joe Surratt, the second team offense ran out of plays.

The scrimmage moved into short yardage and the offense did well during this drill. Smith ran for an eight yard gain and then for 27 yards on the next play as he got around the corner. D'Vontrey Richardson broke off an 18 yard run and Marcus Sims took a toss, cut inside and converted a 3rd-and-1.

Before break, the ones and twos ran the 2:00 drill with 1:30 on the clock. Things got off to a good start for Ponder. The sophomore found Owens for 18 yards. The pass was a little high and McClure lit him up but the Jacksonville native held on. Reed hauled in a pass for 17 yards and got out of bounds to stop the clock. Ponder moved the team down to the 25 on a hook-up with Carr. Antone Smith followed with an eight yard run and then Ponder and Owens picked up another three but the drive would stall. On 2nd-and-2 with :08 left there was an offsides by the offense and then Everette Brown ended the scoring threat with a nine yard sack as time expired.

The second team offense was able to score on their series. McNeil looked like he was going to set the defense up with a sack on the first play but Richardson spun away from the end and threw the ball away. Paul followed with a short gain and then Dionte Allen had a pass break-up. On third down Richardson found Taiwan Easterling who picked up seven yards and a first down despite absorbing hit after hit in fighting for the first. The twos faced another third down after back-to-back incomplete passes but Reed and Richardson picked it up on a 13 yard gain. Following a spike, Richardson once again avoided a sack by Emmanuel Dunbar and spun out of trouble but this time he found Carr for 21 yards. With :12 remaining Richardson went to Givens for nine yards and then Reed for four more. On 4th-and-2 with :05 on the clock the sophomore QB found Reed on a slant for the TD.

After break, the one and twos each ran 14 plays from the 50. The first seven plays for the ones ended with a field goal. Ponder and Smith started the drive off with a 39 yard gain on a flare out. After two plays netted seven more yards, Reed looked like he had TD number two but Jamie Robinson had a huge hit on the freshman right as the ball got to Reed at the one yard line breaking up the play. Zack Hobby did connect from 21 yards to put up some points.

The twos ended their drive with nothing to show as far as points go. McNeil had a 10 yard sack on the second play after a five yard Sims run, Kenny Ingram got pressure on Richardson and forced him into the waiting arms of Benjamin Lampkin at the line. The drive ended with the defense stopping Surratt on 4th-and-1.

The second try for the ones was even less productive. Neefy Moffett and Justin Mincey recorded sacks on two plays for a three-and-out. Ingram had a QB pressure on the next play and followed it with another one but this time he skied up to knock down Ponder's pass attempt as the defense forced another 3-and-out. It did end on a positive note for the offense though as Smith broke tackle after tackle on the seventh and final play for a 28 yard gain.

The twos saw their first try end on downs and then the drill ended with a Lampkin sack and strip.

In red zone Moffett opened the drive getting to Ponder and hitting his arm as the sophomore let go of the pass for an incompletion. Smith sliced through the line for five yards and Owens hauled in a Ponder pass for four but Budd Thacker ended the drive stuffing Smith for a loss on 4th-and-1.

The twos got a few yards on their first play with a Paul run but that was quickly wiped out on second down by a McNeil sack. Reed took a short pass and turned it into a 10 yard gain setting up a field goal try but a bad snap and hold resulted in a Graham Gano miss from 30.

It wasn't any easier getting in the endzone for the ones in goal line as the group went 0-for-4. A bad snap led to a Thacker fumble recovery, Smith was stopped up the middle twice from the one and Thacker caused a turnover on a hit on Sims and Dekoda Watson came up with the recovery.

The twos had a completely opposite experience as they went 4-for-4. Smith started out scoring on a sweep but Aaron Gresham made a great play to track him down and almost dragged Smith down before the goal line. Richardson took the next one in on a sweep as did Smith on the next play. Surratt finished the drill off getting in on a great second effort up the middle.

With a tricky wind, the field goal kickers went a combined 3-for-8 during special teams with one block. Patrick Robinson also recorded a block in punt team.