Countdown to kickoff: Florida State preview

Florida State ranked second in the ACC in total offense, averaging 421.4 yards per game. The Seminoles return the players responsible for 345 of the 391 points scored last year … Florida State had 21 scoring drives of 10 plays or more, resulting in 14 touchdowns and seven field goals. They had 12 scoring drives of 80 yards or more, and 17 scoring drives that took five minutes or more off the clock … FSU hired new defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Mark Stoops, running backs coach Eddie Gran, assistant head coach defense/linebackers coach Greg Hudson, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator Dameyune Craig and defensive ends coach D.J. Eliot … Junior running back Jermaine Thomas rushed for four 100-yard games over the final six contests … The five returning offensive lineman have combined for 142 career starts. Senior left guard Rodney Hudson won the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy, and could become the league’s first lineman to earn All-ACC honors for four straight years.
Overview: The Florida State offense is nfl jerseysstacked again with the return of nearly every key player from last year.
Keeping Ponder healthy is the key. The signal caller became a dominant quarterback last year before his season came to an end in the ninth game. He passed and rushed for over 300 yards in six games, and came up two yards short in a seventh. He torched North Carolina for 395 yards on 33 of 40 passing and three touchdowns, and threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns against Georgia Tech the previous game.
Thomas and scatback sophomore Chris Thompson return in the backfield. Thomas rushed for 823 yards on 163 carries and nine touchdowns, plus caught 17 passes for 129 yards and a score to earn third-team All-ACC honors. Thompson added 120 yards on 23 carries and two scores. Fullback Lonnie Pryor started four games and is flexible enough to play both backfield positions if needed.
Juniors Bert Reed and Taiwan Easterling return at wide receiver. Reed is quick in the slot, but the smallest of the group at 5-10 and 167 pounds, but he caught 60 passes for 710 yards, but no touchdowns. Easterling also works well out of the slot, and added 35 catches for 442 yards and two touchdowns. FSU lost one of its big-play targets, Jarmon Fortson, who was kicked off the team. The 6-3 and 221-pounder caught 45 receptions for 610 yards and four scores last year.
Junior tight end Beau Reliford started five games because of Pittsburgh Steelers jerseyinjuries, and added 11 catches for 101 yards and two scores.
Florida State’s offensive line allowed just 20 sacks and all five starters are back. Hudson and junior left tackle Andrew Datko will both challenge for post-season honors again. Hudson was first-team All-ACC, while Datko landed on the third team. Senior center Ryan McMahon, junior right guard David Spurlock and junior right tackle Zebrie Sanders round out the line. The group has been banged up in August, allowing for some younger players to gain experience.
The Florida State defense allowed 30.0 points and 435 yards per game (ACC-high 204.6 rushing yards) last year. Opponents scored at least 27 points in nine games, and four scored 38 or more, topped by Georgia Tech’s 49.
The front seven returns plenty of experience, and the Seminoles should be solid at cornerback. Several true freshmen are expected to crack the two-deep.
Defensive ends Everett Dawkins, a sophomore, and senior Markus White, and sophomore defensisve tackle Jacobi McDaniel, all played extensively. FSU turned to outside linebacker Mister Alexander for a pass rush, and the senior responded with five sacks. Junior defensive tackle Moses McCray is out for the season with an injury.
Bradham and senior middle linebacker Kendall Smith are both returning starters. Smith ranked second on the team behind Bradham with 82 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception.
Sophomore cornerback Greg Reid boasts star potential in the secondary. He picked off two passes and recorded 23 tackles and six passes broken up. He is also a talented return man, leading the Seminoles San Diego Chargers jersey in kick returns (25.5) and punt returns (18.4 plus a touchdown).
Senior Ochuko Jenije started every game last year, and tied for team honors with four interceptions, to go along with his 31 tackles. He’ll be pushed by the younger defensive backs.
The two safety positions are wide-open, but sophomore Nick Moody, who is 6-2 and 226 pounds, started twice last year and had 33 tackles.
Sophomore kicker Dustin Hopkins went 19 of 27 on field goals with a long of 52, and 40 of 44 on extra points. He nailed 24 kickoffs for touchbacks, which ranked fifth in the NCAA. Junior punter Shawn Powell averaged 41.6 yards on 43 punts, and landed 13 inside the 20-yard line.