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Seminoles Using Unknown Factor To Their Advantage

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 27, 2007

Updated: 12/27/2007 11:55 pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - In the wake of an academic cheating scandal that forced Florida State to leave 25 scholarship players home, a lot of uncertainty surrounds what kind of team FSU will have in Monday's Music City Bowl against Kentucky.

The Noles will be without seven players (LT Daron Rose, RG Jacky Claude, TE Charlie Graham, LB Dekoda Watson, DT Budd Thacker, DE Neefy Moffett and CB Patrick Robinson) who started the final regular-season game at Florida, and six others (LB Marcus Ball, TE Caz Piurowski, DT Letroy Guion, DE Justin Mincey, DT Paul Griffin and CB J.R. Bryant) who played regularly throughout the season.

Still, despite the massive loss in experience and talent, FSU seems to be playing the unknown factor up to its advantage.

"That's the thing that athletics brings to the table that nothing else in this world does, that you never know the outcome no matter the odds," offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said Thursday. "In the movies, you eventually know the outcome. You know what's going to happen, and if you screw it up, you get to retake and get a body double do it when you get hurt."

O-LINE SHUFFLE: The offensive line, one of FSU's top concerns all season, will be without two starters in Rose and Claude. OL coach Rick Trickett tinkered with his unit all week in practice, and if he sticks to his projected lineup on Monday, he will move regular starting LG Rodney Hudson to LT, and play seldom-used Evan Bellamy at LG. C Ryan McMahon will play his normal position, but regular starting RT David Overmyer will move to RG, and Shannon Boatman will start at RT.

BOWL BITS: Kentucky sophomore C Jorge Gonzalez, a product of Tampa Catholic, defended his rib-eating title at the Wildhorse Saloon as part of Thursday night's Music City Bowl Welcome Party. ... FSU will hold its first practice since arriving in town this afternoon at Goodpasture High School. Kentucky is practicing at Vanderbilt University. ... FSU coach Bobby Bowden was unavailable to the media on Thursday but will hold a news conference prior to practice today.

Scott Carter

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