Seminoles Chant

Kenny Shaw Happy to Fly Below Your Radar

The Florida State fanbase loves its wide receivers.

After all Fred Biletnikoff himself, the namesake of the trophy given annually to the nation's top receiver, was a Seminole. Peter Warrick is perhaps one of the most well-remembered Seminoles of all-time. Florida State loves its receivers and they gravitate to certain ones as if they're magnetic.

Kelvin Benjamin. Rashad Greene and lately Greg Dent have all received considerable hype and attention from the Florida State fanbase.

All the while Kenny Shaw just keeps on producing consistently.

But the lack of attention doesn't really bother him.

"As a player I just want a championship number one, and then number two I just want to be the best guy I can be to my teammates," said Shaw. "When you hear things like that I just throw it to the side because there’s always going to be little things like that to throw you off your game.”

Shaw has been on his game pretty consistently over the course of the last two seasons. He had 34 catches in 2011 followed by 33 in 2012. His receptions dropped by one, but his average improved. Over his career he's got 70 catches for 986 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Now headed into his senior year Shaw is looking to break out and finally claim some of the hype and acclaim that seems to find his teammates so often.

Shaw is one of the better technical route-runners on the team, he gets in and out of his cuts well and is very smooth catching the football. But more importantly he's good with making his reads at the line, he's open a lot.

He's also tough. Fans rememebr the shot he took in the Oklahoma game in 2011, one which could have ended another player's season. Shaw was taken to the hospital and made it back to the sideline by the end of the game. Two weeks later he was going over the middle again, getting blown up again and there wasn't a glimmer of hesitation in him.

That's a fearlessness that can't be taught.

At 5-11 170, Shaw is neither the biggest, nor the fastest receiver on the Seminole offense, but he's got a good combination of skills and consistency and he's blue-collar. So far that's helped him this Spring to lead the team in receptions at the scrimmages as well as to develop a good relationship with the quarterbacks currently vying for FSU's starting job.

Come Fall that could mean big things for number 81.

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Clint Trickett Is Shutting it All Out

You can cruise Florida State message polls for hours or search high and low on Twitter, there's not a ton of Seminole fans openly pulling for Clint Trickett to win the team's starting quarterback job.

“I thought the fans liked me, everytime I’ve gone in I’ve heard cheers," joked Trickett. "Coach Fisher deals with it, if the fans don’t like me I wish they would."

As the backup to EJ Manuel the past two years Clint Trickett is used to hearing the cheers when he came into the game. His arrival typically meant the Seminoles had blown the doors wide open and created enough space to warrant getting the back-ups some time.

But as a starter? A lot of Seminoles fans haven't bought into that quite yet.

"That comes with it," said Trickett. "I’m a three-star guy out of high school, there’s nothing I can do about that I just have to go out there and play.”

In a football city where the back-up quarterback is all too often the most popular guy in town, Trickett could soon find himself the victim of a role reversal. This time finding himself as a starting quarterback with a highly-recruited quarterback prospect sitting behind him.

“I know how Ponder and EJ both dealt with it and I’ll deal with it the same way," said Trickett confidently. "I hear the stuff that’s being said and I try to be oblivious to it but it’s a different world we live in now with the social media and everything and with my dad being on staff I knew that it would be even worse but you just have to deal with it and leave it behind you. I’m a tough-skinned kid, that’s the way you have to be one you grow up with my father.”

Trickett's father is Florida State's offensive line coach, a fiery, curse-loving, hard-nosed coach. But in many ways that sort of upbringing will likely be Trickett's biggest blessing as he attempts to be the Seminole starter.

Trickett has several advantages already. Aside from the thick skin, he's the only guy who's actually taken competitive snaps in a game.

“I have had some experience but I haven’t had a lot," admitted Trickett. "I don’t want to think I’m a veteran or anything, I’ve played in like six games. To some point I am but to some point I’m not. I’ve got a lot to learn but I do have that experience in my back pocket.”

But regardless of how much experience, the fact Trickett has started and won at Florida State in the past gives him the respect of his teammates. That's been obvious this off-season as it was Trickett who organized offensive team activities opposite Telvin Smith.

Trickett is one of the players who has been instrumental in helping the younger players get comfortable in the Florida State offense since last season ended. That even extends to the other quarterbacks he's competing with.

“I help them, I’m not going to be that guy who holds anything back," said Trickett, doing his best to channel Brian Piccolo. "If I’m going to win, I want to win being the best. If they need something then I’ll let them know and then I’ll still try to beat them.”

Trickett entered Spring as the starter, the job isn't necessarily his to lose, but he also may have the best shot. He knows the offense, he makes good reads, he understands the concepts and he's won before.

In other words he's the safest pick. If it's Trickett he will run the Florida State offense efficiently, even if it never hums on all cylinders under him. He will be steady.

“I had a time where I was once the first guy so that was good experience," said Trickett. "It is a little different [competing this Spring] but it’s still football. You’re still playing for coach Fisher, every day it’s a battle. I’m competing against them but the way I like to look at it I’m just competing against Coach Fisher. If he believes in me and he wants me to be the guy alright, and if not, well, hopefully he will.”

Whether or not Seminoles fans will want him to be is another story. But not one Trickett or Fisher are likely to lose much sleep over.

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Unhappy Fisher Ends Sloppy Practice Early

Jimbo Fisher did not like what he saw on the practice field on Wednesday afternoon as Florida State conducted one of its final practices before Saturday's Spring game.

After attempting to impart a message about toughness and being a hard-nosed football team just two days ago, Fisher watched his team turn in one of its worst practices of the Spring on Wednesday afternoon

"It kept dragging and dragging and getting worse, so before somebody fooled around and got hurt," said Fisher. "It just got to be a waste of time at the end there.

"Defense wasn't lining up right, then the offense would get confused and run a play and it was going back and forth. And it was just, 'if you don't want to play, we'll go again tomorrow.' It happens one, twice, three times a year in whatever sport you're in. they go and feel sorry for themselves, and they've gotta go wake up."

Florida State held its second scrimmage of the Spring on Monday. It was a tough, hard-hitting affair that left the team bruised and battered. Fisher tried to get his team to play mean, hard-nosed football without provocation, he wanted them to come out and swing hard first.

"The overall thing he said was he didn’t want it to be like we have to get busted in the nose first before we take it to that level and get hard-nosed like that," said RB James Wilder. "He wants us to come out like that from the beginning."

The team did a lot of goal-line work during the scrimmage, a lot of running between the tackles to be specific, and they really exchanged some vicious blows.

“That was the biggest practice, scrimmage, everything since I’ve been here," said Wilder afterwards. "Towards the end it was just crazy. I mean just straight hard-nosed, no pass plays, just straight hard-nosed up the middle. Even when you don’t get the ball there’s not going to be a play that you just don’t get hit. You’re going to knock somebody’s helmet off or somebody’s going to knock your helmet off. And you’re tired so you just have to dig deep and go. It was definitely the toughest practice I’ve had so far.”

Apparently the hangover on Wednesday was pretty severe.

Mario Pender took a shot to the head and left early on Monday, he was not on the field on Wednesday either. James Wilder also aggravated a rib injury that plagued him at the end of last season too and will miss the rest of Spring. With Devonta Freeman doubtful for Saturday with a high ankle sprain, FSU could potentially be without all three of their backs.

The bigger disappointment to Fisher though was that his message about toughness- one which he thought got through on Monday- didn't carry over to the next practice.

On Wednesday, Fisher's team did not display the toughness he was looking for.

"You've got to bounce back," said Fisher. "Back in the day, you'd go 20, 25 days, went live and tackled every day. It's a mentality. Our kids today, we get softer and softer. Our society gets softer and softer and it trickles down. When it's time to work, it's time to go to work.

"Turn it up from the first play to the last. Play the whole time. You can't pick and choose. What were we, a handful of plays last year from winning every game? Five or six plays? How do you know what five or six plays those are? If you don't turn it on in practice every day, how do you know what you're turning on in a game? You don't."

After witnessing enough sloppiness and mental errors Fisher opted to end the practice prematurely, sending his team back to the lockerroom after a thorough tongue-lashing.

With just one practice remaining before Saturday's Spring finale there's a good chance the Seminoles are in for a very tough day tomorrow.

Hell hath no fury like an angry head football coach.

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Receivers Looking to Pick Up Quarterbacks For Once

The questions for Florida State in 2013 is not whether they have any receivers.

No that's never been a question. Whether or not someone can get them the ball consistently could be an issue, but the Seminoles enter the season with considerable depth at the receiver position.

Rashad Greene, Greg Dent, Kenny Shaw, Kelvin Benjamin and Christian Green have all had solid Springs for the Seminoles and that's important because the Florida State quarterbacks are going to need all the help they can get as they fight to replace EJ Manuel.

“I think Dent and Greene are playing the best, by far playing the best," said Jimbo Fisher recently. "I think Christian Green is making progress too.”

Greene has been the Seminoles best receiver the past two seasons. The junior receiver from Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas broke on to the scene as a freshman before injuries derailed his season. Last year he lead the team in receiving again. 

Greene isn't getting complacent. His goal is to lead the team in receiving for a third year in a row.

“I'm just always trying to chase perfection, you’re never too good to get better," said Greene. "I can always work on the little stuff as far as things I’d done last year as far as not going deep enough on a certain route, you know analyzing those things and getting those things down pat because you know that can take you a long way, just having those fundamentals.”

“Greg Dent’s been having a blowout Spring too," added CB Nick Waisome. "He’s just been making catches out of no where, you know amazing catches.”

Dent is heading into he senior year and most players will tell you he has been the most transformed of any player in camp. He's been making big plays all over the field and really making a case for significant playing time come next season.

“He’s stepping outside of his role of what he was when we were coming in as freshmen," said Kenny Shaw. "He’s just a different guy.”

Kenny Shaw continues to be consistent as well. He lead the team in receptions during the last scrimmage. Of all of Florida State's receivers he may be the most workmanlike. Despite not getting some of the same hype as the other receivers Shaw makes the right reads at the line on a consistent basis and is usually open. 

Kelvin Benjamin continues to try to live up to his potential, Fisher says he needs to see more consistency from the 6-5 receiver, but has also been encouraged by some of the plays he's made on the field.

All of the receivers have been working to try and build a rapport with quarterbacks to ensure that whoever wins the starting job is on the same page with them. It sounds like it would be difficult to keep switching in and out, constantly trying to catch balls from different guys, but they insist it hasn't been.

"It’s all about making that QB feel confident," said Greene. "When he throws you the ball he knows you’re going to try your best to get the ball and you’re going to catch it, and that’s my job to go out there every day, I try to get reps with all the quarterbacks and just make them feel comfortable.”

It's a bit of a role reversal from when they were all young players but the lessons are largely the same.

“We were the inexperienced ones when EJ was here so it’s our job to take that role now," said Greene. "We have to pick them up when things aren’t going good and make those plays when the ball is not so perfect for you.

"Just make them look good.”

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Seminoles Commit Comedy of Errors in 4-3 Loss to Rival Gators

Florida State University (27-6) entered Tuesday night's game with a chance to finish a season sweep of the University of Florida (16-18) at home in front of the sell-out crowd of 6,719 fans- the fifth highest turnout in school history.

But the Seminoles couldn't get out of their own way in the series finale against the Gators, committing four errors and allowing the final two Florida runs to score without a hit. 

If it's possible for one team to gift-wrap a game for another, the Seminoles did their best to accomplish that on Tuesday night.

"To sit here and smile takes an awful lot because I'm awfully disappointed," said FSU head coach Mike Martin after game. "We did not deserve to win, they played better, they didn't walk as many as we did, they didn't make four errors [like] we did. And when you do that you're going to get beat."

Asked about the Seminoles' errors and the fact the final two Gator runs crossed without a hit, Martin just chuckled.

"I really appreciate you bringing that up. It really made my night,"  he joked.

"All I knew is I saw that run coming across, it was- from a fan's standpoint- it was a good ballgame it was just we happened to be on the losing end. When you make four errors and walk four times as many as they did, you deserve to lose."

Florida State struck first when LF Marcus Davis launched a two-out double off the wall in right-centerfield to score CF DJ Stewart in the bottom of the first inning. But the Gators evened things up a couple of frames later when a sacrifice fly from CF Richie Martin scored LF Harrison Bader in the top of the 3rd.

In the top of the 5th the Gators took their first lead of the series when SS Cody Dent scored on a bloop double to shallow rightfield by Martin.

Without starter Josh Delph in right the Seminoles have been forced to go with Brett Knief, that potentially cost FSU an extra base on Martin's hit. Delph is day-to-day with a viral infection.

The Gators' lead was short-lived though. Stewart collected his third hit of the evening in the bottom of the 5th inning when he connected with a 2-2 pitch from new UF pitcher Justin Shafer for a solo homerun over the right-field wall. The swing removed Bobby Poyner as the pitcher of record for UF, leaving the sophomore LHP with a no-decision.

Poyner finished the day with 4 innings pitched, 4 hits allowed, one earned run, three K's and two walks but left the game before the start of the fifth inning as a result of a controlled start and was forced to watch Stewart undo his claim to a win from the bench as the ball traveled over the wall and tied the game at two just moments after he was replaced.

Florida State starter Peter Miller also failed to factor into the decision despite a solid outing. Miller pitched five innings, gave up five hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out a batter. He was replaced by Gage Smith with the game tied heading into the sixth inning.

"[Peter] had a good outing, he really did I was very, very pleased with him," said Martin. "He just had a couple of pitches [not go his way], I mean one was not hit well at all and that should have been another error because we threw to the wrong base."

In the bottom of the 6th inning the Seminoles retook the lead when DH Jameis Winston doubled to right-centerfield and scored Casey Smit from third, but once again the lead was short-lived. The following inning the Gators scored from first without a hit on a stolen base, an error and a wild pitch to tie the game at 3. 

Both teams had a chance to pull ahead in the 8th. The Gators used an error against Winston (who came on to pitch at the start of the 8th) and a single to put two men in scoring position with one out. After issuing an intentional walk to load the bases Martin opted to replace Winston with Robbie Coles who managed to get out of the jam for Florida State without allowing anybody to cross.

In the bottom of the inning C Stephen McGee lead things off with a single and Casey Smit was able to draw a one-out walk, but after McGee advanced to third on a wild pitch Jose Brizuela couldn't manage to elevate a ball to the outfield and drive him in, instead hitting into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.

Things got worse for Brizuela as the ninth inning started. After fielding a hard grounder to third the sophomore made a throwing error across the infield that allowed Bader to reach and advance to second. Robby Coles made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt moments later which let Bader advance to third with no outs.  After that 2B Josh Tobias had no problem hitting a ball to right field to score Bader and give Florida a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th inning.

The capacity crowd at Dick Howser tried to urge the Seminoles on in the final inning but it wasn't enough. Florida State went down 1-2-3 as Florida closed the game out, escaping Tallahassee with a win and leaving the Seminoles with a sick feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

"I really, really like this groups of guys, and this baseball team," said Martin. "This too shall pass, the sun will come up tomorrow and we will play Friday God willing.

"But I am disappointed."

Florida State hosts Duke this weekend for a three games series starting on Friday evening.

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Seminoles 2014 Schedule Looking Potentially Brutal

Back in January when Florida State announced its 2013 opponents I wrote that the home schedule left something to be desired.

With the best two games on the slate coming on the road at Florida and Clemson and the toughest home game against Miami, the Seminoles have a fairly favorable schedule ahead of them as this season approaches.

2014 will be another story.

Florida State opens the season with a neutral site game against Oklahoma State in Cowboy Stadium. Unfortunately for the Seminoles that plays out as more of a homegame for the Cowboys than they'd probably like to admit.

It doesn't get any easier from there either. 

Now, according to several reports, Florida State will also play host to Notre Dame during the 2014 season. 

That means the Seminoles will start with OK State, host Florida, Clemson and Notre Dame and also travel to Miami and potentially Louisville during the course of the season. That could potentially be the toughest schedule in the entire country. 

Without Notre Dame in the mix, the opener against Oklahoma State is a solid decision. It's early enough to shake off should the Seminoles drop the game, and it's also a good out of conference game against a bona fide opponent. But with both Notre Dame and Oklahoma State on the schedule and the obligation to play Florida at the end of the year, the Seminoles are going to really have a brutal route ahead of them.

The schedule is a great way to ensure you get national respect. But it's also a great way to potentially go 8-4. 

Granted, a lot changes in two years. But as of right now it doesn't look like Florida State is going to make things easy for themselves come 2014.

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Florida State Conducts Brutal Second Scrimmage

Florida State didn't hold anything back in Monday's scrimmage, the second and final one of the Spring.

After conducting a typical scrimmage at the opening though, Jimbo Fisher decided to challenge his team's toughness at the end by having them run a brutal goalline set at the end. The offense and defense lined up and just pounded on one another.

"Coach has gotten worked up and been like 'it's live' before [in practice]," joked LB Christian Jones afterwards. "But this was completely different."

“That was the biggest practice, scrimmage, everything since I’ve been here," said RB James Wilder. "Towards the end it was just crazy. I mean just straight hard-nosed, no pass plays, just straight hard-nosed up the middle. Even when you don’t get the ball there’s not going to be a play that you just don’t get hit. You’re going to knock somebody’s helmet off or somebody’s going to knock your helmet off. And you’re tired so you just have to dig deep and go. It was definitely the toughest practice I’ve had so far.”

Wilder was the only back toting the ball over the final moments of practice as a result of injuries to Devonta Freeman and Mario Pender (who got dinged earlier in the scrimmage). 

It was a back and forth affair with neither the offense nor the defense consistently gaining the upperhand.

“It was tough, but it’s good for us," said Jones. "We don’t get too many chances to hit like that at practice so it’s good to get that out of the way.”

The point of such a brutal exercise was to try and challenge the team to play a more hard-nosed, smashmouth brand of football from the outset. Fisher wanted to see his team compete at the highest level for as long as they could

“If they don’t want to create [competition], then I’ll create it a bunch of ways," said Fisher. "If you’re the right guy it comes from within. It comes from you. I saw guys doing that today. I think you’re starting to see those young guys grow up.”

“We’re always a physical team but towards the end we were doing goal-line and just straight runs plays, just hard-nose football and he said he didn’t care what the result was he just wanted to see when you’re tired are we going to quit are we going to fake hurt are we going to lay down," said Wilder.

"We really took a lot of reps on the goal line just to show toughness and just execution and just straight competition. I mean he made a point and we all showed a point that we were going back and forth, offense and defense, offense and defense, but the overall thing he said was he didn’t want it to be like we have to get busted in the nose first before we take it to that level and get hard-nosed like that. He wants us to come out like that from the beginning.

"Overall we just looked tough.”

Here are the stats from the second scrimmage:

Passing

Clint Trickett: 17-28, 195 yards, 2 TD

Jameis Winston: 8-15, 129 yards, 1 INT; 2 rush, 16 yards, rush TD

Jacob Coker: 10-17, 162 yards, 1 INT

Sean Maguire: 8-15, 102 yards, TD

 

Rushing
James Wilder Jr.: 13 carries, 69 yards TD; 1 catch, 40 yards
Chad Abram: 5 carries, 24 yards, TD; 3 catches, 31 yards
Mario Pender: 6 carries, 20 yards

 

Receiving
Kelvin Benjamin: 6 catches, 131 yards
Christian Green: 7 catches, 130 yards
Kenny Shaw: 11 catches, 115 yards, TD
Willie Haulstead: 5 catches, 51 yards
Rashad Greene: 2 catches, 63 yards

Defense
Mario Edwards Jr.: 6 tackles, 1 TFL
Nile Lawrence-Stample: 6 tackles
Lamarcus Joyner: 9 tackles
P.J. Williams: 8 tackles, TFL
Karlos Williams: 8 tackles, TFL
Colin Blake: 6 tackles
Eddie Goldman: 4 tackles, 3 TFL
Giorgio Newberry: 3 tackles, 2 TFL

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Tim Jernigan Ready to Lead

Last season the Florida State defensive line was one of the most veteran units on the team. Seniors like Bjoern Werner, Tank Carradine, Brandon Jenkins, Everrett Dawkins and Amp McCloud were all on the field regularly and the unit performed at a high level all year. They were consistent like a group of veterans should be.

This year the talent level along the Seminole defensive line is just as high but the experience level is not. The consistency level is not.

"It’s so many things that you’ve got to be consistent with, that’s what’s hard about it," said DT Eddie Goldman. "From your stance to what you’re looking at to the plays, when the ball snaps where your hands go, where your eyes go. Doing all of that, day in and day out, that’s the hard part.”

The new coaching staff has been hard at work trying to drive home the right techniques and a good work ethic, but coaching can only go so far.

“I have to step up and I’ve been doing everything to prove to my teammates that I’m a leader and they look at me like a leader," said Tim Jernigan. "Mario Edwards is going to step up big-time, Demonte McAllister, he’s hurt right now but when he’s off of his surgery [he will]. And then we’ve got Jacobbi and guys who’ve played at this level.”

But Jernigan knows above all else, it falls on him to become the leader of the unit.

“I don’t really say too much, I like to lead by example," said Jernigan. "But when it’s time to say something I’m not afraid to come out and tell somebody we’ve got to step it up, or that person’s got to step up. I can be both.”

Over the past two seasons Jernigan has been impressive in his time as a reserve. He's tallied 73 tackles, 14 TFL and 4 sacks in his first two seasons.

Now he has a chance to start and a chance to lead and he plans to make the best of both.

The Florida State defense will be switching things up this year, employing more of an attacking style of defense. They blitz more, they make calls and adjustments at the line.

That should give the linemen some newfound freedom and the ability to impact the game even more, which is just fine with Jernigan. According to him, he's ready to take his game to a whole new level.

“I want to be the best player I can possibly be and I feel like when I work at it and put in the time in the offseason, I really rededicated myself to the game," said Jernigan. "I’ve always been dedicated but this year’s going to be a little bit different for me I really want to do something that hasn’t been done here in a while.

"I want us to be the best.”

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

PJ Williams Making the Most of His Opportunities

The Florida State secondary has been without some of their key players this Spring.

The team's Defensive Rookie of the Year Marvin Bracy has missed the entire Spring recovering after surgery for a sports hernia. Nick Waisome is out recovering from a Labrum injury. Tyler Hunter is out. There are plenty of chances for some of the young defensive backs to step up and shine given the number of players missing right now.

The guy who's making the most of those chances is PJ Williams.

“It’s been real good because I know this is going to be my opportunity to step up and make a lot of plays and just prove myself so it’s been real good," said Williams. "I’ve been getting a lot of reps and just competing every day. It’s been a really good spring for me.”

While the starters are out Williams has been running with the first team and that suits him just fine. 

“It really gives you extra push because you’ve got to make plays, you don’t want to be the only one messing up so you’ve got to mature and step up and be making plays with all the other players," he said. "I think I fit in real good because I knew this was going to be my opportunity to come and just do a lot so I think I got a lot better and being with the first team just gets you that much better.”

So far the rest of the team is sitting up and taking notice, from coaches to players Williams has been one of the first names mentioned when you ask who is standing out. 

“PJ I’ve been very pleased with. He’s making progress every day and he’s got a chance to be a very good player," said Jimbo Fisher. "Guy shows a lot of toughness too, physical guy.”

“I think he’s going to be a key player like just in case, depth-wise he can come in and play, he can relieve if someone’s tired and I mean he’s definitely a great player," said Nick Waisome. "He needs to be on the field, he’s been working hard and it’s kind of like coach is going to have to find a spot for him to play.

“He’s a real physical guy, kind of reminds of Xa[vier Rhodes] sometimes, but he stays to his technique and I think he’s good at finishing the play at the end.”

If PJ Williams reminds people of Rhodes it's with good reason. After growing up idolizing safeties like Ed Reed, Williams thought he was coming to FSU to play there. When he moved to corner he gravitated towards Rhodes, who was of a similar ilk- big athletic CB's who came to FSU thinking they'd be playing another position.

“That last year was a good learning year for me," said Williams. "Just looking at technique, looking at him sticking people, he’s a big corner, I’m a big corner so it was big.

“He helped me a lot with that, he told me how he came in and he didn’t get to play much he was like mad and stuff but he told me just get better every day. He taught me just be patient and work hard.”

That patience seems to be paying off this Spring. Williams is impressing coaches and as he likes to say, 'making plays.'

To PJ, playmaking is a mindset. One that he happens to live in.

“It’s always been my mindset," said Williams. "And especially this year getting a lot better, I’m trying to make a whole lot of plays. Just competing and then making plays.”

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH

Bobby Hart Growing Up and Growing Into Starting Role

Bobby Hart came to Florida State as a 16 year old wunderkind from Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. He had considerable hype given his youth and impressive ceiling.

By the end of his freshman year he was starting for the Seminoles. Heck, by the bowl game when the team started four freshman linemen, he was one of the most experienced guys in the trenches that day.

Then last year happened. A couple of junior college transfers Menelik Watson and Daniel Glauser came to Tallahassee and beat Hart out. As a result the 17 year-old sophomore was forced to ride the pine and learn an important lesson in humility.

“It was definitely tough, for any athlete it would be tough," admitted Hart. "But once you sit back and you understand why you’re in that predicament you mature and you learn from it, it can be a good thing, it just helps you be- in my case- more hungry and not be so complacent when you get back to that spot.”

It wasn't that Hart lost his hunger so much as immaturity got the best of him. As young as he was, to find himself starting for the Seminoles as a true freshman and playing in a bowl game against a team like Notre Dame, it got to his head a little bit.

“In a sense like unconsciously that’s just something you do like, 'oh you did everything to start as a freshman,'" said Hart. "I don’t know it's just like something that set in, you’re just not as hungry as you were before when you got it and now that it’s been taken away from you, now I understand it can be taken away at any moment so you just want to go out there and do everything you need to do in every moment.

“You just see the picture. When I first got here I was very narrow-minded, you just see things as they’re happening. Now I see things as a bigger picture like why things are happening, why I need to do things and stuff of that nature.”

Hart is 18 now, he will be 19 next season. He's still young, but his maturation is a welcome sign from coaches and teammates a like.

“Bobby’s actually my roommate so me and that guy, going back to high school and playing with him I can see a lot of maturity," said WR Rashad Greene, a teammate of Hart's at St. Thomas. "He’s taking things a lot more serious, you know coming up to the Spring we always had our talks and I can tell he really wants it bad and he’s going to do all he can to go out there to compete and do the best he can and take the coaching and just be ready at all times. We had all those talks and I can honestly say he’s ready, he’s focused.”

“He has improved probably the most of the whole entire offensive line, obviously he’s younger than us so he had to grow up a little but we as a unit have actually noticed how much he’s grown up," said C Austin Barron, another of Hart's former high school teammates. "Because he knows the role he has on the team right now that he’s the guy, he has to produce and he’s really taken his time and thought about what he has to do and he’s just executing out there and doing really well.”

Hart is challenging for the job as the starting right tackle. A job many believed he would win last year. But then Menelik Watson showed up and plans changed. 

Nowadays Watson is looking like a potential first round NFL draft pick. The fact Hart wasn't able to beat him out seems a bit more understandable given the age difference between the two. Even despite the competition between though, Watson was still able to mentor Hart and help him become a better player.

“Menelik, what he did, he didn’t play much [before last year] but the way he made up for everything was by going full speed everything," said Hart. "So if he made a mistake he made it 100 miles an hour and that made up for everything. When you do that, I picked that up from him, when you do that you don’t make as many mistakes but when you do it’s more understandable because at least you were doing it 100%.”

Now Hart hopes those lessons and his newfound maturity will lend itself to a successful 2013 season.

“Really I’m not worried about whether I’m going to start right now," he said. "I’m just trying to go out there making sure I do everything right, taking all the coaching in, making sure I do everything to my full ability. Then I’ll leave that up to the coaches.”

 

For all the latest Florida State news and updates follow Patrik Nohe on Twitter...

Follow @PatrikNohe_MH