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Lee Seeks To Remain Starter This Time

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By SCOTT CARTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 1, 2007

Tallahassee - Tallahassee - Now that he knows he will start Saturday's game against N.C. State, Florida State QB Xavier Lee is focused on keeping the job, something he was unable to do last season.

FSU coach Bobby Bowden officially announced Monday during his weekly luncheon with boosters that Lee, named ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, will make his first start of the season. Lee, who found out later in the day from offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, says a renewed focus has him better prepared than a year ago when he made three starts in place of Drew Weatherford but handed the job back to Weatherford with a poor performance in a 30-0 home loss to Wake Forest.

"I just knew that this was pretty much my last hoorah if I don't practice hard and if I don't show the coaches what I can do and just practice like I play,'' Lee said Monday. "I just want to do my role for the team. I'm going to be as consistent as I can, try not to turn the ball over, be a leader and just try and have fun.

"I came here for a reason. I know I have the ability to play here.''

Fisher is optimistic Lee has turned a corner. Despite the Noles' offensive struggles with Weatherford at the helm, Fisher was reluctant to play Lee because he didn't trust him enough based on Lee's effort in practice. That changed last week when Fisher and Bowden noticed Lee's intensity increase.

"That's the way it's going to be done,'' Fisher said. "He got an opportunity and he made the most of it. We'll see where it goes from here.''

SHAW SPEAKS: Plant City's Joslin Shaw found out around 1 p.m. Saturday from senior associate athletics director Bob Minnix that he was cleared by the NCAA after being implicated in an academic-fraud scandal that involves FSU 23 student-athletes. Shaw, who has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation the school conducted prior to informing the NCAA, is ready to return his focus to the field.

"I had a feeling it was going to come through for me once everything got settled,'' Shaw said following Monday night's practice. "I mean, I wasn't that worried about it. I had no doubt I would be back on the field.''

TACKLING MACHINES: In FSU's season-opening loss at Clemson, defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews couldn't believe the Noles missed 30 tackles, more than double the number considered acceptable. Against Alabama, the Noles missed only eight tackles.

"It was maybe the best we tackled in 24 years,'' said Andrews. "We played an outstanding football game for 3 1/2 quarters. That's the best football game we have played around here in a while.''
FSU's stellar performance against the Crimson Tide followed a win at Colorado in which the Noles missed just nine tackles. The back-to-back games with single-digit missed tackles impressed even the veteran and often-critical Andrews.

"I don't recall having over one a year,'' Andrews said. "Two, back-to-back, we've never done that.''

PIUROWSKI STAYING PUT: With RT David Overmyer (sprained knee) doubtful for Saturday, Fisher said not to expect to see Caz Piurowski, who waged a strong competition in fall camp with Overmyer for the starting job, back on the offensive line. Piurowski has played TE the past two games – his position last season – including his first start of the season against Alabama.

"He did a really good job,'' Fisher said. "He's a big target. He's blocking well. He catches well.''

With Piurowski staying at TE, Shannon Boatman will start in place of Overmyer. Boatman started at RT last season but moved to RG this season.

NOLE NUGGETS: Bowden said there is renewed talk of building an indoor practice facility … With starting FB Marcus Sims (fractured ankle) lost for the season, TE Matt Dunham will start working behind new starter Seddrick Holloway ... The ACC announced Monday that FSU's game at Wake Forest on Oct. 11 will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

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