Nole Ball

Noles On Thorpe Watch List And Tight End Position Thin

2007-07-27T20:40:00.000-05:00

Junior cornerback Tony Carter and sophomore rover Myron Rolle were both named as candidates to the Jim Thorpe Award pre-season watch list. as the top defensive back in the nation. Florida State tied four other schools with the most selections on the list.

Both Carter and Rolle have already been selected as members of the Bednarik Award watch list and both have been named to numerous pre-season All-ACC teams. Rolle was named the eighth-best safety in the nation by The Sporting News as well.
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Tight end will be a questionable position this year. With the transfer of Brandon Warren and the position change of Caz Piurowski, Madison County graduate Charlie Graham is the only tight end on the roster with playing experience.

"I Made Him Learn Patience"

2007-07-22T19:19:00.000-05:00

"When he(Bowden) recruited me he came to my house and one of the things he said was to myself and my Mom and Dad was I had to be patient if I wanted to play quarterback. One of the things now looking back, when I got the opportunity to play I made him learn patience."
Charlie Ward at College Hall Of Fame enshrinement commenting on the virtue of patience

Charlie Enshrined And Noles Pick Up Another Commit

2007-07-21T18:08:00.001-05:00

Heisman trophy winner and former Nole Charlie Ward will be enshrined today in the College Football Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a versatile quarterback who could beat opponents with not only his arm but his feet. Ward and Bobby Bowden are part of a group that will be enshrined at the Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.
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The Noles received another verbal commitment for 2008 when Madison County four-star standout safety Travis Arnold committed to the Noles on Friday. Among the schools that had been recruiting him were LSU and Florida.
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"Bubba Bowl" Gets More Seats

2007-07-20T20:42:00.000-05:00

The "Bubba Bowl" is getting larger. Due to high demand for tickets to the River City Showdown on Saturday, Sept. 29, the Gator Bowl Association will add more than 5,800 temporary seats at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The additional tickets will be split evenly between the participating schools. These tickets will only be available through the University of Alabama and Florida State University.

Houllis Gets Surgery And New Event For Fan Day

2007-07-19T12:17:00.001-05:00

Rover Anthony Houllis underwent surgery on Monday to clean up his left knee. The surgery was considered minor according to the FSU sports department. Houllis started the first three games last season before cartilage damage in his left knee forced him to miss the last three games. Houllis is listed as the No. 2 rover on FSU's official two-depth chart.
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Florida State Football fans will be treated to a new event this year at ABC 27's Fan Day as Seminole Superstars Strength & Skills Competition is added to the festivities. For the first time FSU football players will take part in a strength and skill exhibition open to the public.

The free exhibition will take place inside the Donald L. Tucker Center August 12th. Doors will open at 12:00 p.m. with the weight lifting and skills competitions set to begin at 1:00 p.m. Fans will be invited to watch Florida State football players compete in the bench press, power clean and vertical jump. There will also be a skills competition featuring the FSU quarterbacks.

'They Have A Shot At The Title"

2007-07-18T13:26:00.001-05:00

"They have a shot at the title -- the ACC title. Not the national title; there are too many good teams. Their big game is the opener against Clemson. They have to beat Clemson at night -- and it's tough to win there.

"Biggest thing for FSU is that staff needs a win to get the pressure off it."
ESPN Gameday analyst Lee Corso as quoted in Orlando Sentinel

Pie In the Face Award

2007-07-17T06:41:00.000-05:00

In light of all the inane sports lists and awards, I have come up with one of my own.The Pie In The Face Award will be awarded to those in college sports who in my opinion deserve a great big one in the face.

My first award goes to Kirk "The Homer" Herbstreit. This former football player from Ohio State is currently part of the College Gameday team. This is a guy who believes that there are only three college football teams in the entire country- Ohio State, USC, and Oklahoma. And please Kirk don't let objective analysis keep you from rooting for a mediocre Ohio State team. This fomer has been QB has been photographed on the sidelines while working for ESPN applauding and clapping for Ohio State.

If you are a betting person, bet the opposite of what this guy predicts on the games. More times than not,he is wrong. What I would really like to see would be Lee Corso slapping him in the face with a pie. You see this guy who has a smirk on his face when Corso talks. Like he knows a lot more than Lee. By the way Kirk, Lee has forgotten more than you will ever know. So take the pie in the face Kirk. Bon appetit!

Wake LB Ineligible And Miami QB Injured

2007-07-17T06:40:00.000-05:00

Wake Forest middle linebacker Eric Berry has been ruled academically ineligible for the 2007 season, athletic department officials announced on Monday. Berry will not participate in any football activities during the fall while he concentrates on academics.
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University of Miami freshman quarterback Robert Marve injured his left (nonthrowing) hand early Monday morning when a car driven by Hurricanes freshman receiver Jermaine McKenzie flipped over on Interstate 75 just north of Naples.

McKenzie -- who received a ticket for careless driving after telling troopers he fell asleep -- was not injured, according to his father, John, and was back in Miami on Monday afternoon.
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The Maryland football team began its summer testing Monday with a power clean weight lifting session in the Gossett Team House. Several players posted impressive numbers including tight end Tommy Galt and defensive tackle Dre Moore who set all-time team records for their positions.

Galt, the son of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Dwight Galt, posted a clean of 385, which bested the previous record held by first team All-American Vernon Davis, who had owned all six testing records for the position. In spring 2007 testing Galt posted a clean of 370.

Assistants To Hart Leaving And No Need To Feel Sorry For Hart

2007-07-14T15:41:00.001-05:00

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that two Florida State senior athletic administrators have submitted letters of resignation effective Oct. 1. In response to a public records request, the letters of resignation were submitted by senior associate athletics director Charlie Carr and associate athletics director Pam Overton.
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According to published reports, two of the biggest items guaranteed in Dave Hart's contract are a $50,000 annual tax-free annuity and a $300,000 retention bonus. These items are mostly covered by money annually placed into the Athletic Developmental Fund that is part of the Seminole Boosters' budget.

FSU Verbal Commit Back In Hunt And Taiwan To Stay Nole

2007-07-13T22:38:00.001-05:00

Altoona,Pa. athlete A. J. Alexander has had a change of heart, putting himself back in the middle of the recruiting game.

The Altoona Area High School standout has backed out of his verbal commitment to Florida State, citing a desire to test the waters a little more before making his college choice.

Alexander is considered the most heavily recruited player in Altoona history, fielding offers from dozens of major programs around the country. The Seminoles remain in the hunt for his services, but now four other schools are back in the mix, including Penn State.

This illustrates the fact that football fans should not put too much faith in these verbal commitments.

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Taiwan Easterling, Mississippi's Mr. Baseball for 2007, says he won't sign a professional baseball contract this summer and will instead play football and baseball at Florida State.

Easterling, a football and baseball star at Oak Grove High School, was taken in the sixth round by the Florida Marlins in the Major League Baseball draft last month and has until Aug. 15 to sign a contract. He's enrolled at FSU, however, and is attending summer workouts.

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Center John Frady is on crutches following surgery to correct an ankle problem. His status for the preseason and early part of the season will be determined later.

Weatherford Goes From Mild Mannered To Man of Steel

2007-07-12T21:28:00.001-05:00

Some have compared Drew Weatherford to Clark Kent. A mild mannered man during the day and then rip off the suit and he is on the field doing rigorous summer workouts under new Strength and Conditioning coach Todd Stroud.

The Clark Kent part refers to Weatherford's job as an intern in the Florida Governor's Office of Legislative Affairs. Weatherford works from 8 to 11:30 a.m. each day, fielding phone calls from Florida citizens who have questions about legislation in the state's Senate and House of Representatives.

After work, Weatherford returns to Florida State's campus to take classes and work out with his teammates in preparation for two-a-days and training camp, which begin Aug. 7. He is one of the players that Todd Stroud has singled out as one of the players that has performed at an exceptional level this summer. Now he needs to turn that into exceptional play on the field in 2007.

FSU To Play In Orlando And True Pride Tees Launched

2007-07-11T20:17:00.001-05:00

Florida State University has reached an agreement with Florida Citrus Sports to play a neutral site football game in Orlando, pending a renovation of the city's Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. The game, which would pit the Seminoles against a quality non-conference opponent, would be played in either 2012 or 2013.

Although details of the prospective game will not be finalized until later this summer, the game would be a coup for Central Floridians and area businesses.
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The Seminole Student Boosters, in conjunction with Florida State University and Seminole Athletics, launched its TRUE Seminole campaign Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at the Moore Athletics Center.

Fact Sheet:

The TRUE Seminole Campaign is a student initiated movement to unite the Seminole Community and harness what is best about FSU: our Unconcerned spirit and our one sense of core values.

Vision: Inspire SPIRIT and SERVICE in the Seminole Community through students, alumni, faculty and friends.

Mission: The TRUE Seminole Campaign aims to build tradition and respect by unifying the Seminole community to achieve excellence. It is an honor to represent the Unconquered Spirit of the Seminole Tribe and we strive to uphold the ideals of our namesake and our University.

Values: Tradition, Respect, Unity, and Excellence
The TRUE Pride Tee program is just one of the first projects the campaign aims to implement.

Portions from every shirt sold will be donated back to Seminole Boosters, Inc. In turn, monies will be donated to a SGA financial aide account to help benefit need-based students. The other monies will be place into an endowment fund for student athletic scholarships.

The concept for the inaugural t-shirt design came from the whole idea that we are a "Seminole Community" and as a single person we each are Seminoles, but together We are Florida State.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden:
"When I first came to Florida State 31 years ago, we were always thinking of ways in which we could get spirit going. Remember when we used to take the balloons out there and release the balloons? I can't think of anything finer than to have the students come up with something like this that will really unite our fans and boosters and everything together, so we thank you for that."

Where you can purchase the true Pride Tees:

"He Will Be Judged On Who He Replaces Dave Hart With"

2007-07-10T18:15:00.001-05:00

"Let me tell you the one thing that is important for people to understand. President Wetherell will not be judged on what he does with Dave Hart. He will be judged on who he replaces Dave Hart with."
Palm Beach lawyer Peter Mettler, a former board member of Seminole Boosters Inc. commenting on Dave Hart situation

Hart Wants To Stay And FSU In Top ACC Games For 2007

2007-07-09T14:28:00.000-05:00

An article in The Tallahassee Democrat reports that Dave Hart has released a statement saying that it's his desire to"finish my athletics administration career as a Seminole." Hart and Wetherell are scheduled to meet later this week.
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If you were planning on going out to purchase Athlon or Street & Smith to see where FSU is ranked in their top 25, save the money. The answer is that FSU is absent in both.
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According to one of the many sports sites, FSU is involved in three of the Top 10 Games Involving ACC Teams:
3. FSU at. Clemson

4. FSU at Wake Forest

8. FSU vs. Alabama

Bama Self-Reports And Gators Take Disciplinary Actions

2007-07-08T21:20:00.001-05:00

The University of Alabama has self-reported three secondary violations committed by its football program since Oct. 16, 2006, according to documents obtained by The Birmingham News.

Two of the violations occurred after Nick Saban was announced as the Crimson Tide's coach on Jan. 4, though one of those happened "unbeknownst to (Saban and his) staff," documents say. Two of the violations involved a representative of athletics interest (booster) having an impermissible contact with a recruit.
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Colorado head football coach Dan Hawkins is eager to have the football season begin. "I just see much more assertiveness, much more confidence, much more twinkle in the eye," he said. "I know we're going to be a lot stronger than we were last year. That will help us just physically."
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Florida offensive lineman Ronnie Wilson has been suspended for the 2007 season and running back Brandon James is suspended for Florida's opener because of separate off-the-field incidents, according to The Gainesville Sun. Wilson is facing misdemeanor charges after allegedly taking a rifle from his trunk and firing it in the air to intimidate a man during a disagreement.

It's About Time

2007-07-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

A story in the Tallahasssee Democrat today indicates that T.K. Wetherell does not plan to renew Dave Hart's contract when it expires in 2009. The only thing that I can say is that it's about time.

I have written several My Views regarding Hart and the FSU program. On April 4 of this year, I criticized Hart because of his lack of leadership regarding the basketball program. At that time, I said that I had..."had enough Hart. It is time for someone new." Apparently T.K. thinks so also.

Dave Hart in many respects has gained what influence he has by being in the right place at the right time. He has been able to ride Bobby Bowden's coattails for all these years. However, when you look at those things that he actually did, the proof as they say is in the pudding. His hires relating to the basketball program have been awful. His inaction regarding to the Jeff Bowden situation and the subsequent payoff of Bowden were examples of his lack of leadership.

Dave Hart has been a great promoter for Dave Hart. A lot of fluff but very little substance. The decision by T.K. Wetherell to say goodbye to Hart if the story is accurate is good news. We need an athletic director who can take FSU to the next level in all sports.

FSU In Middle Of Pack According To Some For 2007

2007-07-06T19:38:00.000-05:00

Rivals.com apparently doesn't think much of FSU's football team for 2007. They have FSU ranked 23rd in their Top 50 countdown.

In addition, their most overrated player is Greg Carr who"can frustrate coaches with his inconsistent effort." Their most underated player is De'Cody Fagg.

FSU ACC Stadiums For 2007: Boston College Alumni Stadium

2007-07-05T17:22:00.000-05:00

FSU has another payback game when they take on Boston College at Boston College on November 3. The Noles lost at home to the Eagles 19-24 in 2006.

Opened in 1915 as "Alumni Field," Boston College's first stadium was located just south of Gasson Quadrangle, on the site of the present "Campus Green", better known as the "Dustbowl." While today that area of BC's campus is grass-covered and landscaped, the Dustbowl nickname originated as a description of Alumni Field in the years when it was intensely-used not only as a gridiron, but a practice field, a baseball diamond and a running track. Formally dedicated "as a memorial to the boys that were" on October 30, 1915, Alumni Field and its distinctive "maroon goal-posts on a field of green" were hailed in that evening's edition of the Boston Saturday Evening Transcript as "one of the sights in Boston."

On September 21, 1957 Alumni Stadium opened on Boston College's lower campus. The new stadium incorporated a football field encircled by a regulation track with a seating capacity of 26,000. The dedication game, a match up with the Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy, was orchestrated with the help of BC benefactor and then-Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy. Kennedy, who had received his honorary degree at Commencement Exercises in Alumni Field the previous year, would return to Alumni Stadium on a number of occasions over the course of his political career, including a 1963 Convocation Address, one of his last public appearances. Alumni Stadium has hosted numerous intellectual and cultural luminaries, religious leaders and heads of state as the venue for Boston College's annual Commencement Exercises since 1957.

As the home of the Boston College Eagles, Alumni Stadium has been the site of numerous notable moments in Boston College football history. On September 17, 2005, Alumni Stadium hosted BC's inaugural game as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference

Can't Duck This List

2007-07-04T18:55:00.001-05:00

Under the heading of Can't accuse these teams of ducking anyone, ESPN has the Noles schedule ranked as the second toughest in the nation behind Wshington.

Happy Fourth Of July!

2007-07-04T11:36:00.001-05:00

Want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Fourth!

"Bowden Bowl" Sold Out And Another List

2007-07-03T16:42:00.001-05:00

The Clemson Athletic Ticket Office announced that the highly anticipated match up against Florida State is now Sold Out. The Kick Off packages went on sale to the public Monday, July 2nd, 2007. The Florida State game is scheduled for Monday, September 3rd, 2007. Kickoff is set for 8pm and will be televised on ESPN.
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Sporting News columnist Tom Dienhart did a subjective ranking of The Top 40 ACC Players. Here are where he ranked Nole players:

10. Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State

16. Myron Rolle, S, Florida State

22. Antone Smith, RB, Florida State

25. Greg Carr, WR, Florida State

30. Geno Hayes, LB, Florida State

40. John Frady, C, Florida State
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Scottsdale, Az. Notre Dame Prep quarterback Sean Renfree has given Georgia Tech a commitment to play football.

Renfree was set on leaving the state from the beginning, but the push that Arizona State made under new coach Dennis Erickson made his decision more difficult

"The Bubba Bowl" Makes A List

2007-07-02T17:44:00.001-05:00

Apparently someone else has a lot of time to kill.

The MZone(a Michigan blog)posted 100 things to look forward to this college football season. There are some FSU moments:

10. Antone Smith trying to become Florida State's first 1,000-yard running back since Warrick Dunn in 1996.

15. The Bowden Bowl on Monday, September 3.

16. The Bubba Bowl (i.e. Alabama vs. Florida State in Jacksonville) on Saturday, September 29.

94. Watching Myron Rolle continue his progression towards superstardom as he patrols the defensive backfield for the Florida State Seminoles.

"We Have To Do A Better Job Locally"

2007-07-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

“Coach Fisher told everybody that Coach (Bobby) Bowden told him that if we're going to get this thing back like we need to do, then we have to do a better job locally.”
Godby Head Coach Shelton Crew's comments after Jimbo Fisher spoke to a meeting of local coaches as quoted in The Tallahasse Democrat

Defining Moments

2007-06-30T21:57:00.000-05:00

Ivan Maisel of Sports Illustrated has too much time on his hands and decided to put together The 100 Moments That Have Defined College Football. Here are the ones that involve FSU:

11. Raising Cane: Miami's fourth-quarter comeback knocks out Florida State. (Oct. 3, 1987)

47. Twice As Nice: FSU holds off Nebraska for Bobby Bowden's first title. (Jan. 1, 1994)

52. Well Dunn: 79-yard TD catch/run by Noles Warrick Dunn seals Florida's fate. (Nov. 27, 1993)

60. Wide Right I:: Trailing Miami by 1, FSU's Gerry Thomas misses 34-yard FG. (Nov. 16, 1991)

84. Road Kill: Nebraska fans applaud FSU after Noles upset Cornhuskers. (Oct. 4, 1980)

86. Death Valley Deception: Florida State's puntrooskie to topple Clemson. (Sept. 17, 1988)

S.I. Is Nuts

2007-06-29T18:28:00.001-05:00

Sports Illustrated has a Mascot Power ranking on their site. Chief Osceola and Renegade only rank eighth in the poll below a fake alligator(Albert), a poisionous nut (Brutus Buckeye), and one of the ugliest dogs ever (UGA). Are they out of their minds?

"They Are Going To Tell Me What I Need To Hear"

2007-06-28T21:11:00.000-05:00

"I'm pretty intelligent, I like to think. So (offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and I will see eye to eye. I'm a competitor. I'm not going to be afraid of playing in the Miami game or anything like that. I see a lot of similarity (in Fisher) that I see with coach (Darnell) Moore at my high school. They are going to tell me what I need to hear not what I want to hear.”
E.J. Manuel regarding his commitment to the Noles

Noles One Two Punch Secures Manuel Commitment

2007-06-27T21:39:00.001-05:00

E.J. Manuel becomes the 12th commitment for FSU's 2008 recruiting class. It goes without saying that his commitment will be a big boost to the Noles recruiting and their pitch to other recruits.

Manuel's high school accomplishments are impressive. He passed for almost 2,000 yards as a junior and completed 56 percent of his passes last season for 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions

This illustrates that Bobby Bowden is still a terrific recruiter and the fact that Jimbo Fisher is the offensive coordinator was certainly a great attraction to the 6'5", 210 pound Manuel. It was thought until recently that LSU was the school to beat. The Bowden mystique and the Fisher asset were a perfect fit to attracting a five star athlete and from all accounts a great kid.

Greg Carr Among Four Seminoles On Watch Lists

2007-06-26T20:21:00.001-05:00

Four more Seminole football players landed on watch lists for major awards on Monday. Greg Carr headlined the group as he was the only FSU player named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is presented to the outstanding player in college football. Tony Carter, Andre Fluellen and Myron Rolle were all named to the Bednarik Award watch list given to the best defensive player in college football.

Colorado Hit With NCAA Penalties And Saban Gets Dissed

2007-06-25T13:29:00.001-05:00

Colorado's loss of one football scholarship per year for the next three seasons isn't expected to impact the football team according to head coach Dan "This Ain't Intramural Football" Hawkins. The NCAA handed down its ruling on June 21.

The infractions involved CU undercharging walk-on athletes for meals. Despite calling the infractions "limited in nature and narrow in scope," the NCAA hit CU with a $100,000 fine — nearly $40,000 more than CU recommended — along with two years' probation and the loss of three football scholarships.
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Quarterback Jimmy Barnes' decision to leave the University of Alabama football program had nothing to do with the California native being homesick or disgruntled over a lack of playing time, according to his father.

"To be honest with you, it's the way (Alabama head coach Nick Saban) is treating kids," said John Barnes, a longtime head football coach at Los Alamitos High in Southern California. "What Jim told Saban was he was not going to give up his dignity and be treated like that."

Manuel To Announce Choice On Wednesday

2007-06-24T21:13:00.001-05:00

The visit by E.J. Manuel is over. Escorted by Myron Rolle among others, Manuel was pleased with his weekend visit and liked the family atmosphere at FSU. The highlight of the visit was with Bobby Bowden. According to an article in the local paper, Manuel stated, “Coach Bowden was awesome. At first, I was hung up on the glitz and glamour of meeting a legend. I like all the things he has to say to me and my family, too.”

He will announce his commitment this Wednesday. Stay tuned.

"Manuel Hasn't And Won't Change

2007-06-24T13:38:00.001-05:00

"I've seen many recruits turn from humble to haughty overnight based on attention, but Manuel hasn't and won't change.College coaches, as jaded as they come, continue to rave about his rare character."
Mike Farrell in Sports Illustrated article regarding E. J.Manuel who visited FSU this weekend

FSU Schedule Creating Buzz

2007-06-23T20:01:00.000-05:00

This time of year we see lots of polls and conjectures about what teams will do for the 2007 college football season. Not to be outdone, Sports Illustrated has compiled it's top 25 toughest schedules. FSU is ranked as having the third toughest schedule in the nation.It is also important to note that FSU is one of the rare BCS teams that didn't schedule a Division I-AA opponent. Compare that to the Gators scheduling of Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic this upcoming season. Sports Illustrated ranks the Noles as having the toughest schedule in the ACC.

"People Are Happy, And We're Happy"

2007-06-22T13:26:00.001-05:00

"People who were Golden Chiefs are double Golden Chiefs. In terms of people who have said, in terms of when X happens I'll become a million-dollar donor or we'll give a scholarship, we've seen a lot of that. One guy called one of our fundraisers and said 'I told you I'd do it. Come pick up the check.' People are happy, and we're happy."
Seminole Boosters Inc. executive director/senior vice-president Charlie Barnes comments regarding Booster reaction to FSU coaching changes

1987 FSU-Florida Game

2007-06-21T20:12:00.001-05:00

On June 23 at 10 P.M.,Sun Sports will air a new "Gridiron Great" featuring the 1987 FSU-Florida game played on 11/28/87.

Down 14-3 after nearly two quarters of play, FSU mounted a second-half comeback to beat Florida 28-14. The win broke a six-game losing skid to the Gators. This was a pivotal year in that FSU has been 12-7-1 since that game against the Gators.

There will be commentary by former Nole players Danny McManus, Sammie Smith, Dane Williams and Herb Gainer.

“What you’re seeing in 1987 is the berth of something special at Florida State from the class of 1985. In 1985 we had a recruiting class featuring Odell Haggins, Eric Hayes, Pat Tomberlin, myself and Deion Sanders. We knew it was just a matter of time before we were a national powerhouse.”
Former Nole running back Sammie Smith

"Without Losing His Platinum Legacy"

2007-06-20T19:13:00.001-05:00

"The reality is this: Bowden's gutting of his longtime, like-minded staff will allow him to gradually and gracefully walk away from the game a winner instead of going out kicking and screaming -- and losing. All without damaging his platinum legacy."
Matt Hayes, Sporting News

"I'd Rather Be Playing Middle Tennessee"

2007-06-19T12:53:00.000-05:00

"I hear people say,`Coach Bowden is so happy, he gets to play Alabama'. I tell'em, `I can pick someone a lot easier for us play than Alabama.' This was set up by our athletic director, an Alabama grad.

"Me? I'd rather we be playing Middle Tennessee."
Bobby Bowden comments to The Birmingham News columnist Ray Melick

Saban Contract And Gator Charged

2007-06-18T13:09:00.001-05:00

University of Alabama trustees approved the eight-year, $32 million contract for football coach Nick Saban late last week. Under the contract, Saban does not have to speak or appear at more than 15 engagements unrelated to endorsements, such as alumni and booster clubs.

Among other contract incentives are a country club membership, two cars, a luxury box at Bryant-Denny Stadium and up to 25 hours of yearly flight time for personal travel in a noncommercial plane.
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Prosecutors have filed two charges against suspended Florida player Ronnie Wilson in an early April shooting incident.

Wilson, 19, allegedly fired a semiautomatic weapon into the air after being chased following a nightclub incident. He was charged with battery and discharging a firearm in public. Arraignment was set for July 3. Wilson was a redshirt freshman offensive lineman for the Gators last year.

Top Ranked QB Visits FSU June 23

2007-06-17T17:42:00.001-05:00

Ranked by many as the number one quarterback prospect in the country, E.J. Manuel from Virginia Bayside High (Va.) will visit FSU on June 23. The five-star quarterback will receive the red carpet treatment as he, his dad, mother, and grandmother can't wait to make the trip from Virginia Beach to Tallahassee. He will meet with Bobby Bowden and FSU President T.K.. Wetherell. Several sources are saying that FSU is his top pick and he should make his decision known shortly after his visit to Tallahassee.

Among the schools he is considering are Alabama,Florida,LSU, and Miami.

"You'll See A New Swagger Out There"

2007-06-16T21:49:00.000-05:00

"It was my childhood number, the first number I had when I played Pop Warner since I was 7. I came here and I was disappointed that I couldn't get number 4, but I saw the number open up and I just had to get it. Hopefully you'll see a new swagger out there."
Cornerback Tony Carter on getting "his" number 4 back

"Everything Else Will Happen"

2007-06-15T20:32:00.000-05:00

"Basically, just stay healthy. That's one of the things you really can't control, getting hurt, so I'm just going to come out and bust my butt every day. If I go down, I'm going to go down fighting. I don't have any numbers I have to put up, no touchdowns or anything. I'm just going to work hard and everything else will happen. "
Running back Antone Smith regarding season expectations

Fluellen Outland Nominee And Noles Road Schedule Toughest In Nation

2007-06-14T09:51:00.001-05:00

Seminole senior Andre Fluellen was one of 41 linemen named to the watch list for the 2007 Outland Trophy. The Outland Trophy has been awarded to the best interior lineman in college football since 1946. The winner is selected by the FWAA's All-America Committee, which selects the association's 25-man All-America team and picks the three Outland Trophy finalists and the winner. The Outland Trophy is named after the late John Outland, a lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas won the 2006 Outland Trophy.
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Yahoo Sports has ranked the Nole's road schedule as the toughest in the nation for the 2007 season. It is not surprising given the fact the Seminoles must travel north to Boston College and to the Rockies to Colorado.They face four teams (Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia Tech and Florida) that won at least 10 games last season.

Coker Haunted By Fight And Nagurski Nominee

2007-06-13T07:09:00.000-05:00

Larry Coker, former head coach for the Hurricanes, admits that the brawl between the Hurricanes and FIU has impacted his getting another football job. "The image that created was a big thing," he told Jorge Milian of the Palm Beach Post. "I'm going to have to remove myself from this incident with FIU. It takes time."
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North Carolina State Wolfpack and Nevada Wolf Pack officials are planning to meet via conference call this week on issues regarding infringement of similar logos. N.C. State trademarked its logo, "Toughie," in 1984, but Nevada officials say its logo dates to the 1950s. By the way, the logos are almost identical.
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Amid the discussions about where the University of Miami will play its football games, Greg Cote of The Miami herald says the following,"At the Orange Bowl, UM is king. At Dolphin Stadium, UM would be the third tenant, after the namesake NFL club and the calendar-dominating Marlins."
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University of Maryland linebacker Erin Henderson was named to the preseason watch list for the 2007 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Tuesday in an announcement by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football and is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

Summer Conditioning Program Underway

2007-06-12T07:54:00.000-05:00

The summer conditioning program is underway at FSU under new Strength and Conditioning Coach Todd Stroud.

The following are the NCAA rules for this program:

* Returning athletes and signed incoming athletes may participate in voluntary strength and conditioning programs during eight of the nine weeks in the summer.

* An athlete's participation is limited to a maximum of eight hours a week.

* Strength and conditioning staffers, not the football coaches, oversee out-of-season workouts.

* Those strength and conditioning coaches must be certified in CPR and first aid.
(Source: NCAA Division I Manual)

Rolle Headed Back To Tallahassee

2007-06-11T19:00:00.001-05:00

Nole Defensive back Myron Rolle is wrapping up his school work with the London program in London, England. Rolle made a visit to Morocco where he encountered camels and cobra snakes. Thankfully he won't have those to contend with when the season begins.
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University of Maryland linebacker Erin Henderson garnered one of the first accolades of the 2007 football season when he earned a spot on the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team.

This is the 51st year of the Playboy All-America team tradition, which has included players such as Dan Marino, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders and Peyton Manning.
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Virginia and Penn State will renew their football rivalry for a two-game series in 2012 and 2013 the schools jointly announced this past week. The Cavaliers and Nittany Lions have met seven times with the most recent contest taking place in 2002. The series will mark the fourth time the teams have met in back-to-back seasons during their respective football histories.

Will Taiwan Land In Tallahassee?

2007-06-10T17:59:00.000-05:00

Taiwan Easterling. The name sounds like it should be involved with the United Nations. It is the name of a two star athlete from Mississippi who signed with the Noles in the last signing day period.The gifted receiver had originally committed with Southern Miss until he changed his mind and signed with the Noles at the last minute. He is not only a gifted football player but he was named Mr. Baseball by one Mississippi paper.

Now he has another decision to make. The question is whether he will ever set foot in Tallahasee again. He was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the MLB Draft in the sixth round last week. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet," said Easterling, who graduated with a 3.3 grade-point average and is on course to meet NCAA freshman eligibility requirements. "I'm just going to sit down and talk it over with my dad. I could go to Florida State for a few years, do both and still get drafted in a few years."

"Every Muscle Is Hurting This Year"

2007-06-09T20:11:00.001-05:00

“Every muscle is hurting this year.Coach (Todd) Stroud really has us working hard. I am very, very sore right now. Hopefully my body can catch up and I can get on a steady pace.”
Defensive linemen Letroy Guion regarding new strength coach Todd Stroud and the summer workout program

Popcorn And A Nole Game

2007-06-08T20:56:00.001-05:00

On Gridiron Greats on Sun Sports, Seminole fans can tune in and watch the 1989 FSU @ Florida game. Eight former FSU players, seven of which went on to play in the NFL, gathered recently inside Doak Campbell Stadium to watch the game and add their insights. P.T. Willis, Terry Anthony, Bruce LaSane, Lawrence Dawsey, Odell Haggins, Reggie Johnson, LeRoy Butler and Dexter Carter sat with host and former FSU DB Keith Jones to relive some of the memorable moments from that game.

The show airs on Sat. at 9:30 P.M.

Brooks To Be Honored In Pensacola

2007-06-07T23:10:00.001-05:00

The Pensacola Sports Association (PSA) will join with the City of Pensacola and Escambia County to honor former Seminole great, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star and Pensacola native Derrick Brooks as the fourth inductee to the City of Champions Wall of Fame exhibit at Pensacola Regional Airport.

The exhibit will be unveiled at a banquet on June 28th at the Pensacola Civic Center, starting at 6:00 PM. The evening will include dinner, celebrity guests and a video tribute to Derrick. The festivities will culminate in the unveiling of his brand-new portion of the Wall of Fame. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Pensacola Sports Association and Derrick Brooks Charities, Inc. Congratulations to a most deserving player and an even better human being !

Prediction: Noles Will Win ACC Atlantic Division

2007-06-06T15:44:00.000-05:00

As stated previously in another post, preseason polls and predictions are fun to read but not particularly useful. In the interest of fun, here is another one. The Sporting News is predicting another ACC Atlantic Division Championship for Florida State. The magazine is predicting a 10-2 mark for FSU and has the Seminoles ranked 11th in its pre-season Top 25. Also the magazine ranks three Seminoles in the top 10 at their position nationally in the magazine. Andre Fluellen is rated as the fifth-best defensive tackle in America, Myron Rolle the No. 8 strong safety and John Frady the 10th-best center. Xavier Lee was named the QB in the ACC with the strongest arm and De'Cody Fagg as the conference's most physical receiver. So much for fun.

Stadiums Of 2007 FSU ACC Foes: Wake Forest Groves Stadium

2007-06-05T17:54:00.001-05:00

It is payback time at Wake Forest. As Nole fans remember, the Seminoles were humiliated by Wake at home 30-0.

The home of Wake Forest Football is Groves Stadium. The facility, which celebrated its 35th season in 2002, underwent a $1.5 million refurbishing in recent years which added significantly to both its appearance and utility heading into the 21st century. Of course, the most obvious and striking improvement to the complex is Bridger Field House. The third phase of Wake Forest University Football Project has hit full stride with the demolition of the existing press box and construction of the new Deacon Tower. The estimated completion date of phase three is June 2008.

Dedicated on September 14, 1968, in a 10-6 loss to rival NC State, Groves Stadium represents an extensive fund-raising effort undertaken by the college during the mid-1960s which, for all practical purposes, made possible Wake Forest's continued membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The stadium, which has 31,500 permanent seats and boasts a splendid natural grass playing surface, is located between Reynolds and Deacon Boulevards, one mile from the Wake Forest campus. It also is part of the athletic center of Winston-Salem which includes Lawrence Joel Coliseum, home of the Demon Deacon basketball teams, as well as Ernie Shore Field, where the professional minor league baseball Winston-Salem Warthogs play each summer.

The history of Groves Stadium can be traced back to the original home of the university in the eastern North Carolina village of Wake Forest. When the school announced its planned move to Winston-Salem in 1948, the Groves family, led by Henry (the original stadium's primary benefactor) and his brother Earl, made an additional financial commitment to insure that their family name would remain on whatever new facility that the football program would construct.

FSU and the Deacons tangle at Groves Stadium on Oct. 11.

FSU-UAB Game Scheduled For ESPNU

2007-06-04T19:59:00.001-05:00

The Noles are scheduled to open the 2007 football season with night kickoffs for four of the first six games. Starting times haven't been announced for the Sept. 29 game vs. Alabama in Jacksonville and the Oct. 6 game vs. N.C. State at Doak Campbell Stadium. However, the The Seminoles' game against UAB on Sept. 8 will begin at 5 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium and will be shown on ESPNU.

Colorado Uniforms And Saban Response

2007-06-03T21:39:00.001-05:00

The tale of Colorado's latest football uniform innovation is in the tape - the reflective fabric on the jersey numerals.

"It's going to be awesome when we play Florida State Sept. 15 at 8 at night. Absolutely awesome," Buffs linebacker Jordon Dizon said at the uniform unveiling.
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The University of Alabama will submit a report to the Southeastern Conference office regarding possible NCAA recruiting transgressions by first-year coach Nick Saban in southern Florida, a source close to the university athletic department said Thursday.

Saban's recruiting activity in the Miami area was first questioned by the Web site canesport.com, which suggested Saban had more than the allowed "greeting" with prospects. During the evaluation period between April 15 and May 31, college coaches are allowed to evaluate prospects on their campuses, but NCAA rules state "no contact may occur in this evaluation.

Done !

2007-06-03T21:35:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since the Noles were at the College World Series. The Seminoles will miss another one for the seventh consecutive season.MSU handled the Noles 9-4 and advances to the Super Regional.

Noles Still Alive As They Demolish Stetson 17-1

2007-06-03T16:02:00.001-05:00

FSU is still hanging in as the Noles improve to 49-12. They must now beat Mississippi State twice in order to advance to the super regional.

Brian Chambers retired the side in order to end the game for FSU.

Ryan Strauss earned the win to improve to 10-3. Jake Hitchcock takes the loss for Stetson.

Noles In Deep Hole With Loss To MSU 3-0

2007-06-02T20:52:00.000-05:00

De ja vu all over again? FSU falls to 48-12 and now has to win three consecutive games to advance to the super regional. The Seminoles face Stetson at 1 p.m. Sunday, with the winner playing Mississippi State at 7 p.m

Preseason Polls and Miami Schedules Another In State Foe

2007-06-02T18:07:00.001-05:00

We all know how much stock to put into preseason polls but it still is fun to debate them. Athlon Sports has come out with their Top 25 and FSU is nowhere to be seen. However, ACC teams Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech are respectively ranked at number 9 and 14. Miami is at 24. Powerhouse Hawaii is at number 19.
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The University of Miami and University of South Florida will play four games on Thanksgiving weekend from 2010 through 2013.

Two new games have been added to the schedule, on Nov. 27, 2010 in Miami and Nov. 26, 2011 in Tampa. The dates of games already scheduled in September of 2012 and 2013 (which were announced a year ago) were changed to Nov. 24, 2012 in Miami and Nov. 30, 2013 in Tampa.

Noles Rally To Win Over Bethune-Cookman

2007-06-01T22:11:00.000-05:00

Florida State (48-11) rallied from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh to take the opening round game of the Tallahassee Regional with a 6-2 victory over Bethune-Cookman (33-26) on Friday night. The Seminoles were kept off the scoreboard through six innings before sending nine batters to the plate in a five-run seventh to take the lead for good. The win was FSU's 15th straight to open regional play.

Mark Hallberg and Buster Posey provided a good portion of the offense on Friday night as the two combined for five hits, three RBI's and two runs scored. Hallberg gave the Seminoles their first lead of the game as he drove home Brandon Reichert on a double to the gap in right center. Buster Posey followed with a monster, two-run homer which cleared the scoreboard in left giving the Seminoles a 5-2 advantage.

Florida State will return to action on Saturday, June 2 for day two of competition at the 2007 NCAA Tallahassee Regional. The Seminoles will square-off against Mississippi State at 7:00 pm. FSU will throw right hander Bryan Henry, while the Bulldogs will counter with left hander Justin Pigott. Saturday's game will be shown live on Sun Sports.

Retro Look Back: Danny McManus

2007-06-01T17:08:00.001-05:00

Danny McManus spent four seasons at Florida State University, from 1984 to 1987. McManus spent his first two years as a Seminole on the bench, but in 1986, despite a pair of concussions suffered the previous year, QB McManus was named the Seminole's offensive most valuable player, after a season that saw him come out of the backup position to end the year as the starter, throwing for 872 yards and seven touchdowns.

In 1987, McManus started every game for Florida State, leading them to an 11-1 record and a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, which they won 31-28 over the University of Nebraska. McManus, who threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns in the bowl game, was named the most valuable player, and wound up with 1,984 yards and fourteen touchdowns on the year. After this season, McManus was selected in the NFL draft, but late: in the eleventh round by the Kansas City Chiefs.

After a one year stint in the NFL, McManus traveled north to the CFL. He managed to accumulate a record 53,255 career yards- yards that a Manning or Brady would love to have in their careers.

He was inducted into the FSU Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

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

2007-05-31T23:39:00.001-05:00

"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

2007-05-30T20:45:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-29T14:20:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-29T12:28:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-28T16:38:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-27T22:10:00.000-05:00

Gone!

2007-05-26T20:04:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-25T22:30:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-25T08:46:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-24T15:58:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-24T00:43:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-23T16:33:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-22T16:31:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-21T15:14:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-21T15:12:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-20T19:41:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-19T21:06:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-19T19:13:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T23:44:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T19:20:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-17T20:08:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-17T16:18:00.001-05:00

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?

2007-05-16T18:08:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-15T19:38:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-05-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-13T19:46:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-11T22:26:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

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"

2007-05-10T21:31:00.000-05:00

"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"

2007-05-09T20:32:00.001-05:00

"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

2007-05-08T21:06:00.000-05:00

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.
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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"

2007-05-07T20:38:00.000-05:00

"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

2007-05-06T21:00:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-05T00:11:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-04T20:24:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-04T16:59:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-03T16:52:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-03T16:51:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-02T20:08:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-02T20:06:00.001-05:00

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.