Going Old School: "We'll Install Some Old-School Tactics"

"We're going to wipe the slate clean. During the next 10 days we will re-teach everything they've ever done. We'll install some old-school tactics."
New strength coach Todd Stroud at press conference

Thomas Named National Player Of The Year

The postseason accolades continued to pour in for the Florida State baseball team in 2007 as the Collegiate Baseball newspaper announced the Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I All-America baseball teams and National Players of the Year on Wednesday, May 30. Tony Thomas, Jr. was recognized as a National Player of the Year while earning first-team All-America honors. Senior Bryan Henry and sophomore Buster Posey were also honored for their efforts this season receiving first-team All-American accolades.

Collegiate Baseball named Thomas as well as Vanderbilt's David Price as its National Players of the Year. Thomas leads the nation in doubles per game (0.55) and is tied for the national lead in runs per game at 1.50. He currently ranks fourth in hitting with a .442 average, the third highest single-season average in school history. At the ACC Tournament in Jacksonville, the junior second baseman became the first Seminole player to register 30 doubles, 100 hits and 30 stolen bases in a single-season. Thomas, the ACC Player of the Year in 2007, also leads the league in seven offensive statistical categories while ranking in the top 10 in four others.

Thomas becomes the third Seminole student-athlete to garner National Player of the Year accolades from Collegiate Baseball joining J.D. Drew in 1997 and Shane Robinson in 2005.

Noles To Host NCAA Regional

The NCAA announced on Monday, May 28 the field of 64 for the NCAA Baseball Championship. Florida State earned an at-large bid into the tournament after the Seminoles captured its first ACC Atlantic Division title en route to finishing the regular season with a record of 47-11. The Seminoles were also rewarded on Monday with a top eight national seed in this year's tournament.

"Back in August our goal was to get back to the College World Series and now we have that opportunity," said head coach Mike Martin. "We've got a chance to play all our games right at home and that's the reward that we get for what we accomplished during the regular season. Now we have a new season to focus our attention on. I was relieved when I saw our name come up as a national seed. I think our ball club deserves that recognition."

Florida State will be making its 30th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Baseball Tournament including 28 straight under Martin. The Seminoles have posted an overall record of 147-98 in 44 NCAA tournament appearances. FSU will also serve as a regional host in Tallahassee for the 25th time in school history.

Joining Florida State in the four-team regional in Tallahassee will be Mississippi State, Stetson and Bethune-Cookman. Play will begin on Friday, June 1 on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium

Stroud Named New Strength Coach For Noles

Florida State University Director of Athletics Dave Hart has announced that there has been a reorganization of the Florida State Strength and Conditioning department. Former Seminole Todd Stroud, who played nose guard for FSU from 1983-85, will return to his alma mater to handle the Strength and Conditioning responsibilities for the football program. Jon Jost, who has been with Florida State since February 2001, will continue as Director of Strength and Conditioning and will now work with the Seminole baseball team.

Stroud brings with him 21 years of coaching experience, including a seven-year stint at NC State as a member of Chuck Amato's staff where he served as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach from 2004-07 and Director of Strength and Conditioning coach from 2000-03.

"I am excited about the opportunity to come back home and get the chance to serve Coach Bowden and help FSU," Stroud said. "I have been a Seminole my entire life and this is a great time for Florida State football."

While with the Wolfpack, Stroud helped lead NC State to bowl game victories at the 2000 Micronpc.com Bowl, 2003 Gator Bowl and the 2003 Tangerine Bowl. He also coached Mario Williams, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, and Manny Lawson, a NFL first round pick in 2006, to the All-ACC first team in 2005.

Noles Get Number 11

The Seminoles picked up their eleventh commitment of 2008 and their third player on offense in less than a week when speedy athlete A.J. Alexander, one of the nation's top 75 overall prospects, confirmed Sunday that he has committed to FSU.

Alexander, who finished second in Pennsylvania Class 3A 100-meter dash and fifth in the 200, capped off his big weekend by committing to FSU assistant coach Rick Trickett on Saturday night. He was just one of three sprinters to make the finals in each event.

Alexander said that he received more than 40 scholarship offers before narrowing his final group to FSU, Georgia, Penn State and Pittsburgh. Alexander (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) finished his junior season at Altoona Area (Pa.) High with 26 touchdowns. He reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds and entered the state meet seeded first in the 100 meters with a time of 10.64 seconds.

In Memory

Gone!

ACC pitcher of the year Bryan Henry (14-1) lost for the first time this season as the Noles lost to Clemson 5-1 and were eliminated from the ACC tourney. He allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings. It was the first time he failed to pitch at least six innings since Feb. 23 against Appalachian State.

The Seminoles will return to Tallahassee and await the announcement from the NCAA to see whether Florida State University will serve as a regional site host beginning Friday, June 1. The regional site announcement will occur on Sunday, May 27 at approximately 3:15 pm on ESPN. The field of 64 for this year's NCAA Baseball Championship will be revealed on Monday, May 28 at 12:30 pm on ESPN

FSU Taken To "Woodshed" In Loss To Miami

Third-ranked Florida State (47-10) dropped game two of the 2007 ACC Baseball Tournament falling to Miami (36-21) 9-3 Friday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Tony Thomas, Jr. went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double, while Mark Gildea registered two hits in the loss. The Seminoles must now defeat Clemson on Saturday and have Wake Forest beat Miami to advance to Sunday's championship game.

Miami's Eric Erickson moved to 10-3 on the year as he pitched eight effective innings allowing three runs on seven hits. The freshman southpaw matched his career-high for innings pitched on Friday night as he struck out four and walked just one as he handed the Seminoles their first loss on Friday night in 17 games.

Jemile Weeks and Richard O'Brien provided the big hits in the win as both Hurricane batters drove in a game-high three RBI's. O'Brien hit a three-run homer in the second, while Weeks gave the Hurricanes the lead for good with a two-out, two RBI single in the fifth.

"Tonight Miami just took us to the woodshed," said head coach Mike Martin. "Eric Erickson is a very impressive pitcher. He's poised; he's got good stuff and locates well. He's a guy I am not looking forward to facing for the next two years."

Noles Get Verbal Commit Number 10 For 2008

Avis Commack, a talented 6'4" wide receiver from First Coast,was added to the long early list of FSU commitments for the 2008 recruiting class. Thursday Commack made public that decision to become FSU's 10th commitment.

Noles Snag Another Verbal Commit For 2008

The Noles secured another verbal commitment for 2008 when Lincoln junior Jabaris Little committed to Florida State on Wednesday.He is the ninth prospect to orally commit to the Seminoles.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end also had offers from several other programs including Georgia, LSU, Southern Cal, South Florida and Alabama, but he said there were too many positive aspects to joining the Seminoles.

“It's close to home and I was always a fan of Florida State,” Little said. “There are a whole lot of different reasons."

Noles Beat Wake In First ACC Tournament Game

Third-ranked Florida State (47-9, 24-6) got off to good start in its first game of the 2007 ACC Baseball Tournament posting an 11-2 victory over Wake Forest (31-26) Wednesday evening at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Senior pitcher Michael Hyde put together his best outing in over a month to win his 10th game of the season, establishing a new single-season career-high. Every Seminole in the starting line-up got a base hit including a three-hit performance by junior shortstop Mark Hallberg.

Hyde (10-2) pitched six solid innings allowing two runs on four hits as he walked four and struck out four. After a shaky first inning, Hyde settled down and scattered four hits over the next five innings to join senior hurler Bryan Henry in the double-digit win category in 2007. It's the first time since 2003 that Florida State has had two pitchers with 10 or more wins in a season.

Rolle In London

One FSU Seminole is spending time abroad. Sophomore rover Myron Rolle is spending part of his summer in London as part of FSU's International Programs. He provided some commentary from London:

"Big red busses, heavy foot traffic and smart-sounding accents. One can find all of these in London, England. I have been here for approximately two weeks. There are some experiences that I have enjoyed and others that I have not. Nevertheless, it is always interesting meeting new people, seeing historic sights and comparing my American culture with the British one.

We have visited several places around the city as well. We went to Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, London Eye, Trafalgar Square and even the place where William Wallace ("Braveheart") was executed. Our tour guide always had a Ripleys-believe-it-or-not type story to accompany any place we visited. I was leaning on the "believe it not" side, but it was still interesting to hear the tales.

I got to meet up with former FSU National Champion and All-American Garrett Johnson. We were close friends when he was in school so it was great to spend a whole day with him here in London. He is doing well and adjusting to the European lifestyle. He is truly my role model and embodies everything an ideal scholar-athlete must possess - intelligence, discipline, confidence and a heart for helping others. He has been competing all around Europe and I am planning on traveling to Scotland to see him compete. Garrett also helped me locate a weight room near the FSU Study Centre that was conducive to the type of lifts I needed to perform. The gym is in a school of a UK Olympic thrower named Scott Rider. Don't worry, Coach Jost, I am still training and eating right - currently at 214 lbs. " (I guess that Myron hasn't heard that Jost may be gone or reassigned by the time he gets back)

FSU-Colorado Game To Be Televised Nationally On ESPN

ESPN announced today that Seminole fans will be able to watch the Noles make their first ever trip to Boulder to face Colorado live on ESPN.

The Saturday, Sept. 15 game between the Seminoles and Buffaloes was picked up by the network today and is scheduled for a 10 p.m. EST kickoff

With ESPN's decision to televise the Colorado game, two {Clemson and Colorado) of FSU's first three games in 2007 are already set to be seen from coast-to-coast.

And in honor of this event, here again is Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins in his famous rant:

FSU Takes Home The "Bacon" In Awards

Florida State, the top seed in this week's ACC Baseball Tournament, tied North Carolina with seven players selected as All-ACC honorees announced today by Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford. The Seminoles also garnered three of the four individual accolades as Tony Thomas, Jr. was named ACC Player of the Year, Bryan Henry was recognized as ACC Pitcher of the Year and head coach Mike Martin was honored as ACC Coach of the Year. The league postseason awards are selected by a vote of the league's 12 head coaches.

In becoming the first Florida State player to earn ACC Player of the Year honors since 2001 and the fourth overall, Thomas currently leads the league in seven statistical categories and is ranked in the top 10 in four others. The Valrico, Fla., product leads or is tied for the lead, in the ACC in hits (101), runs scored (82), doubles (30) triples (6), total bases (173), on base percentage (.537) and slugging percentage (.752). In addition, Thomas is second in batting average (.439), third in stolen bases (28) and ninth with 10 home runs. Thomas joins J.D. Drew (1997), Marshall McDougall (1999) and John-Ford Griffin (2001) as past Seminoles to be recognized as ACC Player of the Year.

Senior Bryan Henry earns ACC Pitcher of the Year accolades in 2007.Henry was named ACC Pitcher of the Year after finishing the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record and a 2.50 earned run average. The Tallahassee, Fla., senior recorded his 14 wins in only 16 starts this season and along with Thomas, was named as a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award. In addition to the NCAA-best 14 wins, including nine in ACC play, Henry leads the ACC in strikeouts (107), innings pitched (104.1) and is sixth in opponents' batting average (.232). Henry sits eighth all-time with 32 career wins at Florida State, while he becomes just the eighth pitcher all-time to record 14 or more wins in a single season.

Martin was voted by his peers as ACC Coach of the Year for the fifth time after leading the Seminoles to the Atlantic Division title and the No. 1 seed in this week's ACC Baseball Tournament. Florida State is 46-9 overall and, with its' 24-6 record in league play, tied the ACC single-season conference game win mark of 24 set by Clemson a year ago. The Seminoles have been ranked among the top three teams in the nation by three major polls since February 20, including a spot at No. 1 for six weeks (March 21-April 29). Martin was previously honored as the top coach in the league in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2001.

ACC Takes On Wake In ACC Tourney On Wednesday

Top seeded Florida State will open the 2007 ACC Baseball Tournament at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla. on Wednesday, May 23 at 7:00 pm against No. 8 Wake Forest. The Seminoles claimed their first Atlantic Division title in 2007 as they finished the ACC regular season with a record of 24-6, marking the most wins in league play for FSU.

A total of eight teams qualified to compete in the league championship for the second year in a row. The top teams from both divisions, determined by conference winning percentage, and the next six teams with the best conference winning percentage regardless of division advanced to the postseason event.

The ACC will use a new format for this year's tournament as teams were divided into two brackets with seeds #1, 4, 5 and 8 in bracket one and seeds #2, 3, 6 and 7 in bracket two. Each bracket will compete in round robin action through the first four days of the tournament with one day being marked as a rest day. The team with the best record in their respective brackets will advance to play in the championship final on Sunday, May 27 at 1:00 pm.

Florida State has been paired with No. 4 Clemson (36-20, 18-12), No. 5 Miami (35-20, 17-13) and No. 8 Wake Forest (31-25. 14-16 ACC) in its bracket. The Seminoles will open the tournament against the Demon Deacons on Wednesday. FSU will then take Thursday off before returning to action on Friday at 7:00 pm against Miami. The Seminoles will wrap-up round robin action on Saturday, May 26 as they take on Clemson at 4:00 pm.

King Of The One Liners

Booby Bowden is known for his wit and sense of humor and during his booster tour in Naples,he showed it with the following:

Someone asked him why Jimbo Fisher, Florida State's new offensive coordinator, left SEC juggernaut LSU to take the same position in Tallahassee. Before talking of Fisher's history with son Terry Bowden, the Florida State coach put his new assistant's decision to leave Baton Rouge in simple terms.

"We paid him more money," Bowden said, "than they did."

Another one-Someone else asked him about the quarterback situation at Florida State, where fourth-year juniors Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee are expected to battle through fall drills for the No. 1 spot. Bowden mentioned the heritage of QB excellence at the school, reminding that most of the great ones didn't start until late in their careers.

"Now Weinke started as a sophomore," Bowden said of Heisman winner Chris Weinke, who arrived at Florida State after playing six seasons of pro baseball, "but he was older than I was."

And it wouldn't be complete without a Chuck "The Chest" zinger:
Bowden also talked of the return of Chuck Amato to the Florida State coaching staff. He brought up the success the Seminoles had in Amato's first stint with the team, before the longtime Bowden assistant left to take the head job at N.C. State.

"And he beat us four times when he wasn't with us," Bowden said of Amato, who was fired after seven seasons as the Wolfpack coach. "So we bought him back."

FSU Gets Sweep Of Jackets

Third-ranked Florida State (46-9, 24-6) earned its first three-game series sweep over Georgia Tech (31-23, 15-14) in Atlanta with a 17-11 victory on Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium to close out the 2007 regular season schedule. The Seminoles recorded double-digit runs in all three games against the Jackets for the first time since 1997 when the Garnet and Gold took 2-of-3 in Atlanta. The Seminoles also took advantage of 13 walks in game three as they tallied 44 runs this weekend, marking the third time FSU scored 44 runs in a three-game series this weekend.

Ohmed Danesh recorded his first collegiate three-hit game going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI's. Jason Stidham capped off a fantastic weekend with four more RBI's in game three bringing his series total to 10. The freshman third baseman went 2-for-4 on Saturday and hit .571 for the series.

Getting Them Early

At one of his recent booster outings, Bowden was asked about the early commitments FSU has in recruiting. Bowden responded by talking about the effect new player personnel director Bob LaCivita has had on recruiting. He said LaCivita's job is to get kids right after birth, put a ruler on them and if they measure up, sign them.

Noles Hammer Jackets Again

Third-ranked Florida State (45-9, 23-6) scored a combined seven runs in the first two innings as they cruised to a 10-2 victory over Georgia Tech (31-22, 15-13) on Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Seminoles recorded double-digit runs in back-to-back games against the Yellow Jackets for the first time since 2002, while FSU took its first series victory from Tech since 2003 when the Garnet and Gold won 2-of-3 in Atlanta. Four Seminoles recorded two hits a piece including right fielder Jack Rye who went 2-for-2 with a home run, three runs scored, two RBI's and three base-on-balls.

Freshman Matt Fairel (1-0) got the win in relief as he threw a career-high 4.1 innings for his first collegiate victory. The southpaw allowed just four hits and did not face more than four batters in any inning that he pitched. Fairel did not issue a walk while striking out a career-high five.

FSU Hammers Jackets In Game One

Third-ranked Florida State (44-9, 22-6) got its first win in Atlanta since 2003 and tied the school record for the most ACC wins in school history as the Seminoles defeated Georgia Tech (31-21, 15-12) 17-2 Thursday night at Russ Chandler Stadium. FSU pounded out 15 hits and scored nine runs on two outs as the Seminoles snapped their eight game losing streak to the Yellow Jackets in game one of a three-game set. Jason Stidham registered four hits for the second time this season and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle as the freshman third baseman went 4-for-5 with a home run, double and two singles.

The 15-run win on Thursday night was the largest margin of victory over the Yellow Jackets since Florida State posted a 19-0 shut out back on April 28, 1985 in Atlanta.

"It was good win for us," said head coach Mike Martin. "Bryan Henry pitched obviously exceptional baseball. We know that Georgia Tech is just like Clemson in that they can come in a wear us out the next two games, so we have got to be ready to go to work."

Dexter Carter Goes Country

As Bobby Bowden continues his golf tour around the state,Dexter Carter attended the recent Jacksonville booster event.In introducing Coach Bowden, Dexter told a story of when coach Bowden came to his house 21 years ago to recruit him. Dexter said he didn't have to come because he "had him at hello."

He further thanked Bowden for taking a chance on a 150-pound "soaking wet, runny-nosed Georgia kid" 21 years ago.

FSU Takes On Jackets Tonight

GEORGIA TECH SERIES

Florida State and Georgia Tech square-off on the diamond in the final regular season series for both teams. The Seminoles lead the all-time series 56-37 including a mark of 18-14 in games played at Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have had the upper hand in the series as of late, winners of 14 of the last 17 games including a current streak of eight wins in a row. This marks the eighth series played in Atlanta since FSU joined the league in 1992 with the Seminoles taking four of the first seven. Georgia Tech has swept the last three season series against the Seminoles including the 2005 series played on the Yellow Jackets' home turf. FSU's last regular season victory over GT was May 4, 2003 in Atlanta, a game won by Florida State 12-7.

THE YELLOW JACKETS IN 2007

Georgia Tech currently sits third in the Coastal Division with a league mark of 15-11. The Yellow Jackets enter the series with a record of 31-20 and 21-7 at home. Thursday's game marks the first home for Georgia Tech in the month of May as they last played a home game back on April 22, a 7-3 victory over NC State. The Jackets have lost three of their last four games and three of their last four ACC series. Danny Payne and Matt Wieters lead the offensive charge for Georgia Tech in 2007. Payne leads the team in hitting with a .393 avereage, while Wieters leads the team with 10 home runs and 56 RBI's. As a team, GT is batting .297 while fielding .968. On the mound, the Jackets come into the series with a team ERA of 4.66. David Duncan has 14 starts and is 6-3 with a 3.34 ERA.

AGAINST THE JACKETS

Brian Chambers is the only player on the current Seminole roster to have faced the Yellow Jackets at least once over the last three seasons. He has made five appearances pitching 5.1 innings allowing a combined two runs and five hits while striking out three. Jack Rye has had the most success at the plate hitting .300 (9-for-30) in eight games. Rye scored six times, registered two doubles and two RBI's.

Buster Posey and Dennis Guinn each hit .333 last year (4-for-12). Guinn hit a home run, drove in six and scored once, while Posey hit a home run, had one RBI and scored twice.


Bryan Henry (0-0) and Mike Hyde (0-0) have combined for two starts in four career appearances, while Ryan Strauss pitched an inning in relief in `05 striking out a batter without giving up a run or hit.

Is Another Coaching Change Being Weighed?

It is being reported that probably another coaching change is in the offing and it involves the strength and conditioning position currently held by Jon Jost.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the rash of injuries that FSU football players have incurred for the last several years.

For the past two weeks, negotiations have apparently been under way that will restructure that program and responsibilities. FSU athletic department officials however are close mouthed in regard to any changes.

Former FSU defensive lineman Todd Stroud, who has served as a director of strength and conditioning at North Carolina State, Auburn and Samford, is being discussed as the likely candidate. That speculation was fueled during Stroud's long visit with Bobby Bowden on the practice field tower during spring drills

Trickett In The House

During the Bobby Bowden golf tour, there are other speakers that join the coach. Rick Trickett joined Bowden recently in Orlando and had some remarks:
Trickett joked about how running backs coach Dexter Carter has in his office every game ball he won and all these pictures. He said that if you are ever in Tallahassee, for $5 he would take you into the Dexter Carter Museum.

One player's mother apparently called Trickett talking about how her son was a five-star player and how great he was. Trickett said he told her that a bar had been set at FSU and it will not be lowered. If her son did not meet the bar, Trickett said, he would not play.

Trickett talked about the weight loss he's required of his players and how David Overmeyer's mother didn't recognize her son.

Is Tampa In the Running For ACC Championship Game?

The inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference football championship game in 2005 was a huge success as a packed stadium showed up to watch Florida State upset Virginia Tech before a prime-time national TV audience.

However, that was short lived as the ACC learned this past December. While other major conference championship games around the country were sold out - including the SEC Championship Game a few hundred miles away in Atlanta - Georgia Tech and Wake Forest played in a half-empty Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

The two teams were not the draws of a FSU, Virginia Tech, or Miami. The game was bad (Wake Forest squeezed out a 9-6 thriller) and the weather worse (rain and wind), leaving ACC officials contemplating moving the game from Jacksonville after only two years. In February, the league opted to pick up just one year of a two-year option with Jacksonville to serve as the game's host, a sign the league is ready to listen to other cities interested in the game.

With Tampa, Charlotte, N.C., Orlando and Baltimore competing for the game, Tampa is now considered Jacksonville's strongest rival at this point. Officials from those cities will be in Amelia Island at the ACC's annual spring meetings this week to gauge the league's interest. While the conference isn't expected to take official bids until after the 2007 game, the prep work has begun.

"We're just standing by waiting to see if, or when, the league sends it out to bid," said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. "We really enjoyed hosting the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament and we enjoy our partnership with the ACC. If anything does become available, we would love to be considered."

In March, Tampa received mostly rave reviews when the ACC's premier postseason event made a four-day stop at the St. Pete Times Forum. ACC commissioner John Swofford left town impressed, saying Tampa would be strongly considered as a future host of the tournament.

FSU Taken To "Wood Shed " In Losing Series To Clemson

Second-ranked Florida State (43-9, 21-6) dropped its first three-game series of the season as the Seminoles were defeated by 16th-ranked Clemson (34-18, 17-10) 11-6 Sunday afternoon at Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium. The Tigers collected a season-high eight extra base hits off Seminole pitching in the series finale as FSU lost for just the fourth time in 37 homes games this year.

Tony Thomas, Jr. capped off a fantastic weekend going 2-for-4 in the series finale with a home run, two RBI's and a runs scored. The junior second baseman hit .636 (7-for-11) in the three-game series with a homer, three doubles and four runs scored. Mark Hallberg and Buster Posey each recorded two hits on Sunday in the loss.

After being down by as many as eight runs heading into the bottom of the seventh, Florida State scored four runs on three hits as the first four batters to go to the plate reached safely. Thomas highlighted the late inning rally with a two-run homer to left. Five batters later Clemson brought on Stephen Clyne to stop the rally as he got the final out in the seventh. Clyne pitched the eighth and ninth innings to earn his third save of the season.

"Clemson took us to the wood shed plain and simple," stated head coach Mike Martin. "They got the big hits, as seven runs were scored on three home runs. You have to take your hat off to them. They did a good job."

FSU Stumbles In Ninth To Lose to Clemson

Second ranked Florida State (43-8, 21-5) had never lost a game this year when leading any time after the third inning; that was until Saturday afternoon. No. 16 Clemson (33-18, 16-10) scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take game two of the series 7-6 at Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium. Mark Gildea posted his fifth three-hit ball game of the year going 3-for-4, while Ohmed Danesh hit a two-run homer in the third to pace the Seminole offense in the loss.

Walks came back to haunt Florida State as six Seminole pitchers combined to issue nine free passes. Of those nine walks, four came around to score. Luke Tucker (0-1) entered the top of the ninth looking for his second save in as many tries with the Seminoles leading 6-4. After getting Addison Johnson to groundout to second base to start the inning, Tucker gave up a single to Marquez Smith squeezed in between walks by Wilson Boyd and Andy D'Alessio. With the bases loaded, Taylor Harbin doubled down the left line scoring Boyd and Smith to tie things up at six.

Noles Clobber Clemson

Florida State used dominant starting pitching and a 15-hit attack to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division on Friday with an 11-1 win over Clemson.

The Seminoles (43-7, 21-4 ACC) hold a six-game lead over the second-place Tigers (32-18, 15-10) with just five games remaining and are now guaranteed a top-two seed at the ACC tournament.

Bryan Henry (13-0) allowed one run in eight innings to add to his ACC-leading win total. He gave up eight hits, walked none and struck out eight.

FSU Takes On Tigers At Home

CLEMSON SERIES

Florida State returns to Mike Martin Field for its final regular season home series of the season as the Seminoles welcome the Clemson Tigers to town for a three-game conference set beginning Friday, May 11. FSU leads the all-time series 57-46-1 including a record of 31-10-1 in games played at home. The Seminoles are 15-6 in their last 21 games against the Tigers but its Clemson who enters the weekend winners of four straight in the series. Florida State has won the last six series at home including a pair of three-game sweeps in 1995 and 2001. The Tigers took 2-for-3 from the Seminoles in Tallahassee back in 1993. Last year, Clemson won all three games on its home turf outscoring FSU 24-6.

AGAINST THE TIGERS

Tony Thomas, Jr. is the only player on the current Seminole roster that has played in every game against Clemson over the last two years. Jack Rye is a career .333 (5-for-15) hitter against the Tigers with three walks and two runs scored, while posting a perfect fielding percentage. Dennis Guinn hit .300 a season ago against Clemson, while Buster Posey drove in three of the six total runs scored last year.
On the mound, Bryan Henry is the lone pitcher on the Seminole staff with two starts against the Clemson Tigers. Michael Hyde made a start in 2005 earning a no decision after throwing 5.1 innings. Brian Chambers has three appearances to his record over the last two years. He has thrown a combined 2.1 innings giving up a run on three hits and two strikeouts.

FLORIDA STATE IN ACC PLAY

Florida State is 20-4 in the ACC and has won all eight, three-game series in 2007. The Seminoles reached the 20-win plateau with last Sunday's victory at Maryland. It marked the third time in school history that Florida State has won 20 or more ACC games in a season. The school record for the most league victories in a season is 22 set in 1999, that year the Seminoles finished league play at 22-2. The series against Clemson is the final three-game home set of the regular season. The Seminoles own an 11-1 mark at home in the ACC posting series sweeps against Wake Forest, Boston College and Virginia Tech, while taking 2-of-3 from North Carolina. With two victories over Miami in Coral Gables, Florida State surpassed last year's ACC win total of 16. Since joining the league in 1992, FSU is the only team in the ACC to post 14 or more league wins in each of the last 16 seasons. FSU started 9-0 at home for the fifth time overall and for the first time since 2002. In 2001 and 2002, the Seminoles went undefeated at home in conferece play posting a perfect 12-0 record. This year Florida State won its first seven conference games before falling at Duke in game two of the series. It was the Seminoles' best start in ACC play since 1999 when the Garnet and Gold started 13-0. Since joining the ACC in 1992, FSU started league play winning its first six games three times

" I Doubt I Can Go Past 87"

"This is my last shot. I'm 77 and I doubt I can go past 87."
Recent comment by Bobby Bowden

"The Plug Was Pulled"

"But something happened on Wednesday that rarely did during his Seminole days - the plug was pulled on the electrifying Deion. The former FSU cornerback and punt returner was not among the 12 former players and two coaches to be inducted as members of the hall's 2007 class. "
Steve Ellis, Tallahassee Democrat, regarding Sanders not being inducted into HOF
Comment: I think Deion Sander's big mouth is the reason why he is not being recognized. He is unquestionably one of the best players ever to play at FSU but he has little regard for FSU or anything else.

Deion Sanders In Running For HOF And Barnhart Picks

Former FSU All-American Deion Sanders is one of 75 former college players on the ballot for the 2008 hall of fame class that will be announced Wednesday during a noon press conference in New York City. Defensive lineman Ron Simmons, FSU's first two-time consensus All-American at FSU , is also on the ballot. Simmons (1977-80) was considered to be Bobby Bowden's first nationally visible signee.
___
Tony Barnhart, Mr. College Football at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, says FSU and Georgia Tech represent the best of their respective divisions. His picks in the Atlantic Division:
1) Florida State
2) Clemson
3) Wake Forest
4) Boston College
5) Maryland
6) NC State

"They Have Me Excited"

"Whether that's 10 with a bowl game or 11 with a bowl game, that's what I would want to happen. They have me excited. I think the quarterbacks will play better; the offensive line will play better. I think they will be more balanced on the offense. I think Chuck Amato on defense will be an impact and will create a nice working relationship with Mickey (Andrews) like the old days and (it) will result in a few more wins."
Terry Bowden commenting on the upcoming football season

Noles Get Sweep As Rosen Gets 12 Ks

Second-ranked Florida State (42-9, 20-4) earned its first three-game road sweep of the season as the Seminoles held on for a 3-2 victory over Maryland (25-27, 7-20) on Sunday afternoon at Shipley Field on the campus of the University of Maryland. FSU starter Danny Rosen struck out a career-high 12 batters in 7.1 innings as the junior right hander picked up his first win for the Seminoles as a starter.

Rosen faced just two batters over the minimum through the first seven innings as he gave up just two hits while striking out 11. He struck out three batters in the first and third innings and set down the final two batters in the seventh on strikes. He started the eighth striking out Will Greenberg as he set the season-high for strikeouts in a ball game by a Seminole pitcher passing Bryan Henry, who struck out 11 against Tennessee back on opening day.

Ouch! Noles Throttle Terrapins

A season-high in hits plus a solid performance by starter Michael Hyde (9-2) gave second-ranked Florida State (41-7, 19-4) its eighth consecutive ACC series win with a 20-5 victory over Maryland (25-26, 7-19) on Saturday afternoon at Shipley Field. On an unusual cool May afternoon on the campus of the University of Maryland, the Seminoles kept things warm pounding out 26 hits on eight doubles and one home run. Florida State has now won 29 straight over the Terrapins and 21 in a row at Shipley Field.

Shortstop Mark Hallberg became the first Seminole this season to record five hits in a ball game, while every Seminole in the starting line-up recorded a hit in game two. Hallberg's five-hit performance was the first since Tony McQuade went 5-for-5 against the Miami Hurricanes on April 20, 2003.

Mark Gildea was a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI's and Brandon Reichert tallied five RBI's as he hit his second home run in as many days. Travis Anderson, Buster Posey and Reichert each recorded three hits, while Jason Stidham and Ruairi O'Connor both got a pair.

It was the fourth game this year that the Seminoles have reached the 20-hit plateau. The 26 hits was also the most recorded in a conference game by FSU since 2004 when the Garnet and Gold pounded out 27 against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, a game in which the Seminoles won 27-3.

Long Balls Rule As FSU Defeats Terrapins

Long ball was the name of the game on Friday night at Shipley Field on the campus of the University of Maryland as Florida State hit six home runs to take a 9-3 victory in game one. Five Seminoles registered a home run including designated hitter Travis Anderson who hit two to pace FSU to its 28th straight win over Maryland including 20 in a row on the Terps' home turf. Bryan Henry remained perfect on the year with his 12th win in 14 starts.

The six home runs hit by Florida State were the most since equaling that amount in a 27-3 victory over Wake Forest in Winston-Salem back on May 21, 2004. Anderson became the second Seminole to hit two home runs in a ball game this year as Tony Thomas, Jr. hit a pair in games one and three against Duke. Of the 41 home runs hit by Florida State in 2007, 25 have come away from the friendly confines of Mike Martin Field.

ACC Football And Clemson Violations

Atlantic Coast Conference football coverage on FSN South and SportSouth kicks off with a spring football edition of ACC All-Access hosted by reporter Heather Catlin. ACC All-Access debuts Tuesday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET on FSN South and Wednesday, May 9 at 10 p.m. ET on SportSouth.

Reporter Paul Crane highlights all 12 conference squads in a spring football round-up and provides key insight and commentary on the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions.
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Clemson revealed seven NCAA secondary violations Friday, including an instance in which an athlete's brother received free transportation, lodging and meals from an athletic booster while attending one of his sibling's road games last September.

That was among the two most serious, Level I violations the athletic department reported directly to the NCAA between July 1 and Feb. 1, according to documents released by the school. The names of those involved and the teams were not released, as per school policy, sports information director Tim Bourret said.

FSU On The Road Against Maryland

MARYLAND SERIES

Florida State ventures north to face Maryland in a three-game conference set beginning Friday, May 4. FSU leads the all-time series 48-3, including a 20-1 record in games played in College Park. The Seminoles enter this weekend's series winners of 27 straight games over the Terrapins including 19 consecutive victories on Maryland's home turf. The Terps last victory over Florida State came on March 26, 1998 in Tallahassee. Maryland defeated FSU 5-2 back on May 2, 1993 in the Terps' lone home win over the Seminoles. Florida State has won all 15 series against Maryland since joining the ACC in 1992. FSU's .941 winning percentage over Maryland is the second highest among ACC opponents trailing only Boston College, who the Seminoles have defeated in all six games since the Eagles joined the conference in 2006.

THE TERRAPINS IN 2007

Maryland currently sits in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a league mark of 7-17. The Terrapins moved back to .500 on the season with a 1-0 shutout over Towson on Tuesday. They faced Maryland Eastern Shore in a mid-week match-up on Wednesday. Maryland has lost six of its last seven games including five straight in ACC play. The Terps finish their regular season schedule at home with a pair of three-game sets against Florida State and North Carolina. Maryland is 13-8 overall at Shipley Field and 3-6 in league play. AJ Casario leads the team in batting with a .320 average, while Mike Murphy and Dan Melvin are tied for the team lead with five home runs. Roger Clemens Award Watch List candidate Brett Cecil heads up the Maryland pitching staff as he leads the team with five wins, eight saves and 53 strikeouts.

AGAINST THE TERRAPINS

Jack Rye and Tony Thomas, Jr. are the only two players on the 2007 roster that has played in all six games against Maryland over the past two seasons. Rye is a career .316 (6-for-19) hitter against the Terrapins with a double, two runs scored and two RBI's. Thomas has also collected six career hits against Maryland.

On the mound, the Seminole pitching staff has posted an ERA of 2.67 the last two years. Bryan Henry is 2-0 as a starter throwing seven innings in each of his two starts. Michael Hyde and Brian Chambers are the only other pitchers on the current staff to have at least two appearances against Maryland. Luke Tucker earned two saves in as many appearances last year pitching a combined two innings of shutout baseball. He gave up just one hit and struck out two over those two innings of work.

FLORIDA STATE IN ACC PLAY

Florida State is 17-4 in the ACC and has won all seven, three-game series to start the 2007 season. The series against Maryland is the fourth three-game set on the road for the Seminoles this season. FSU is 6-3 away from home in 2007 collecting series victories over Duke, NC State and Miami. The Seminoles have posted series sweeps against Wake Forest, Boston College and Virginia Tech. With the two victories over Miami last weekend, Florida State surpassed last year's ACC win total of 16. Since joining the league in 1992, FSU is the only team in the ACC to post 14 or more league wins in each of the last 16 seasons. The school record for the most ACC victories in a season is 22 set in 1999 that year the Seminoles finished league play at 22-2. The Seminoles lost at home for the first time in league play to North Carolina and now stand with a record of 11-1 in Dick Howser Stadium. FSU started a season 9-0 at home for the fifth time overall and for the first time since 2002. In 2001 and 2002, the Seminoles went undefeated at home in conferece play posting a perfect 12-0 record. This year Florida State won its first seven conference games before falling at Duke in game two of the series. It was the Seminoles' best start in ACC play since 1999 when the Garnet and Gold started 13-0. Since joining the ACC in 1992, FSU started league play winning its first six games just three times.

THE PROBABLE STARTERS FOR FLORIDA STATE

FRIDAY: Senior Bryan Henry will make his 14th start of the season, all on Friday, as Florida State travels to face Maryland for its fourth road conference series of the season. Henry is 11-0 on the year with an ERA of 2.45. He earned his sixth consecutive ACC victory last weekend at Miami, but not before getting some offensive help from his teammates in the top of the ninth to cap a four-run come-from-behind victory over the Hurricanes. Henry pitched eight innings allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits. He struck out eight while walking just one. The senior right hander has now posted at least seven or more strikeouts in nine of his last 13 starts this season and in eight of his last nine outings. The Tallahassee, Fla., native also pitched eight innings of four hit ball against North Carolina two weeks ago. Against Boston College, Henry also pitched eight innings allowing one run on four hits while striking out 10. He has allowed a run or less in eight of his 13 starts this season. Henry has pitched a season-high eight innings four times this season including consecutive back-to-back games against North Carolina and Miami. He kept Indiana scoreless on six hits, while giving up one run on four hits to both BC and UNC. He has worked three games this year where he has pitched at least six innings without issuing a free pass. Henry has made 25 career starts against league opponents posting a career record of 15-5 with an ERA of 2.73. He has registered 145 strikeouts against ACC teams and just 43 walks. In 2007, Henry is 6-0 in six ACC starts throwing 49 innings and posting an ERA of 2.76. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.86 to 1 in league play this season. Henry is 2-0 in two career starts against Maryland. Two years ago in College Park, Henry led the Seminoles to a 7-2 victory as he threw seven innings allowing one run on four hits and three strikeouts.

Noles Get Another Verbal Commitment for 2008

The Noles have grabbed their eighth verbal commitment for 2008.Defensive tackle Moses McCray (6-foot-4, 270 pounds) of Tampa Middleton High becomes the seventh high-school prospect to commit to FSU since last month's spring game.

McCray, the seventh defensive player to commit to FSU, confirmed his decision late Wednesday. He said opportunity on FSU's defensive line after the 2007 season figured into his decision. So did defensive-line coach Odell Haggins, who recruited him.

“I've been a 'Nole fan since I was little," McCray said. "(Haggins) is from the same area (Bartow). He's a religious man. He's real cool and nice. He's a good person.”

Henry And Thomas Nominated For Awards

Bryan Henry and Tony Thomas, Jr., were recognized on Tuesday, May 1 for their outstanding play thus far in 2007 as they were named semifinalists for both the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.

As Florida State's Friday starter all season long, Henry has led the Seminoles on the mound posting a perfect 11-0 mark in 13 starts. He ranks first in the ACC and is tied for second nationally in wins. The senior right-hander currently leads Florida State in games started (13), wins, innings pitched (84.1) and strikeouts (88) while holding opponents to a .227 batting average. The Tallahassee, Fla., native has given up a run or less in eight of his 13 starts, while posting seven or more strikeouts in four straight games and in nine of his 13 starts. Henry has earned ACC Pitcher of the Week and Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors once this season.

"It's an honor," said Henry. "These are the top players in the country and to have my name associated with them is definitely special. This has been something that I've worked hard for, so hopefully I can continue to get better and help our team win."

Thomas ranks in the top five nationally in three offensive categories, while leading the ACC in a total of eight offensive categories. Through 46 games this season, Thomas has already surpassed his previous season-highs during his freshman and sophomore seasons in runs scored (70), hits (86), doubles (25), triples (6), home runs (8), total bases (147) and stolen bases (21). The junior second baseman has reached base safely in 45 of 46 games this season, while six of his team-leading eight home runs in 2007 have come on the road. Thomas, a native of Valrico, Fla., has been named ACC Player of the Week three times this season, while earning National Player of the Week recognition from Louisville Slugger and the NCBWA.

"It is just a big accomplishment to be named a semifinalist," said Thomas. "It's a great achievement; hopefully I can continue doing what I have been doing throughout the season and to help this team achieve our ultimate goals."

"Under The Lights" Set To Air

Press Release for Sun Sports Special:

Back for the second consecutive year, Sun Sports' acclaimed UNDER THE LIGHTS: SEMINOLES SPRING FOOTBALL is a one-of-a-kind television show that is sure to have FSU football fans pumped up for this coming fall. Not only does the show offer early insight from the players and coaches on the `Noles upcoming season, it also offers fans a backstage pass to the unique sights and sounds from FSU spring football in Tallahassee. It's a show unlike any other offering rare access with players wearing microphones during scrimmages and letting fans see and hear first-hand what goes on. Sun Sports goes inside the locker room, into the conditioning room, around campus and closer to the action, uncovering the personalities of players and coaches.

Hosted by Sun Sports' Tom Block, this season's UNDER THE LIGHTS: SEMINOLES SPRING FOOTBALL begins by introducing fans to the new, and some familiar, faces on the FSU coaching staff. Jimbo Fisher, offensive coordinator, and Rick Trickett, offensive line coach, are charged with reinvigorating the offense and fans will hear from them first-hand and watch as they guide players through spring practice. Viewers will also hear from former FSU players and now members of Head Coach Bobby Bowden's coaching staff, Dexter Carter and Lawrence Dawsey, as well as Chuck Amato, who has returned to FSU as executive associate head coach and linebackers coach.

Finally, it's time for the big game - the annual Garnet & Gold game. UNDER THE LIGHTS®: SEMINOLES SPRING FOOTBALL follows all the excitement from the tailgaters in the parking lot, to the mood in the locker room during pre-game preparations, to the action on the field. Rolle and receiver De'Cody Fagg wear microphones during the game so fans can listen in.

UNDER THE LIGHTS: SEMINOLE SPRING FOOTBALL premieres statewide 5/4, 6pm with replays scheduled on Sun Sports 5/7, 11:30am; 5/13, 3:30pm; 5/15, 5pm; 5/18, 6pm; 5/21, 9pm; 5/22, 4pm; 5/28, 11:30am; 6/3, 1pm; and 6/11, 11:30am (ET).

Rimington Nominees And USC-Virginia Game

Georgia Tech center Kevin Tuminello has been named to the Spring Watch List for the 2007 Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center.

A senior from Youngstown, Ohio, Tuminello enters his third season as the starting center for the Yellow Jackets. He has helped Tech to productive rushing offenses the last two years, paving the way for Atlantic Coast Conference rushing leader Tashard Choice in 2006.
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The Virginia football team will open its 2008 season at home against Southern California on Aug. 30 at Scott Stadium both schools announced today. Virginia will play the second game in the series during the 2010 season at The Los Angeles Coliseum on September 11. The 2008 match-up will be the first meeting between the Cavaliers and Trojans in football.

"The opportunity to open the 2008 season at home against a team of this caliber is truly exciting," said Executive Associate Director of Athletics Jon Oliver. "Coach Groh has worked hard to create a great college football atmosphere at Scott Stadium and our fans have been tremendous in supporting this effort. They deserve to see this type of game. I can promise we will introduce a couple of game day initiatives to support the excitement around the game."

The game marks a rare trek by USC to an Atlantic Coast Conference venue. The only previous occurrence was in 1998 when USC played at Florida State and lost 30-10 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Trojans have played at current ACC member schools Miami (1966, L 10-7), Georgia Tech (1973, W 23-6) and Boston College (1988, W 34-7), but none of those games took place while their football programs were members of the ACC.
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University of North Carolina senior center Scott Lenahan has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the nation's top center. Former Tar Heel Jason Brown was a finalist for the award in 2004.

Lenahan started 11 of 12 games last season. The 6-1, 290-pound senior from Marietta, Ga., played on the first-team offense during the spring under new head coach Butch Davis. He will compete with Ben Lemming for the starting spot this fall.

Bobby Bowden Response To Warren Appeal

Bobby Bowden was not present at the Brandon Warren hearing last Friday. He did however submit a letter which in part said:

""When Brandon came by my office in January 2007 to tell me he wanted to transfer from FSU, I told him I would not even consider it. If players are allowed to break a contract whenever they wish, we do not need the national letter-of-intent. Without it, we would allow unscrupulous coaches to steal players from other schools. It would cost thousands of dollars every time this occurs.

"I would like to see Brandon become a man and honor his commitment."

I agree. Commitments and your word should mean something.