Noles Hold Saturday Scrimmage

FSU Sports Information Excerpts:

Friday the threat of serious weather caused the Seminole coaches to cancel practice. On Saturday the threat of bad weather was even worse and the coaching staff adjusted again moving practice up three times. The move paid off, despite dark skies and high winds, there was no rain or lightning and the team was able to get in a two-hour scrimmage Saturday morning.

The biggest storyline of the day was the defense’s intensity right from the start. The first team offense went three-and-out twice on its first possession. It started with Ochuko Jenije laying a big hit on a screen pass. Patrick Robinson broke up a pass intended for Avis Commack and then Kendall Smith held up Jermaine Thomas in the backfield on third down.

Jarmon Fortson picked up a few yards on a pass from Christian Ponder but Nigel Carr helped stall the drive with a sack. The final play was a nice run by Ty Jones who leapt over a would-be tackler but did not pick up enough for a first.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden
Opening statement:
“The offense made first downs but they didn’t make that many touchdowns. Carlton Jones broke one about 40 something yards then Louis Givens got one on a reverse – and when they got down on the goal line (Daniel Gard) caught a touchdown pass. But the offense – we are making first downs, not bad, but they couldn’t sustain a drive for a touchdown. The defense has a lot to do with that.

“In the second half of the scrimmage I thought the offense moved the ball better. They were hindered by bad snaps, they were hindered by a fumble, and they were hindered by penalties. I thought our pass rush was better; we got a little bit better of a pass rush. They had more sacks then they did last week.”