TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Players, Coaches Glad For A Practice In Rain

ADVERTISEMENT

Corey Clark

Tribune Correspondent

Published: August 12, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Thirty minutes after practice had ended, Florida State linebacker Toddrick Verdell still couldn't hide his smile.

Not only did the Seminoles put on full pads Tuesday and get to tackle for the first time this preseason, but also they got to do it in a driving rain storm.

"It reminded me of the old days, when I used to watch those Dallas Cowboys games with Emmitt Smith at running back," Verdell said. "It was like one of those old NFL games. So it kind of gets you excited."

The first half of practice was dry, but then the skies opened up and a hard, sideways rain began pelting the players and coaches.

Since there was no lightning, the team was able to remain on the field despite the brief monsoon - much to the delight of Verdell and company. After about 20 minutes, the torrential rain turned into just a steady one as the Seminoles finished up their fifth official practice of 2008.

"There's a chance we're going to have to play in it," said FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews. "We know when every game is scheduled and we know who we play. But we don't know what the weather is going to be like."

From what he saw in Tuesday's practice, Coach Bobby Bowden is hoping for a fall full of storm-free Saturdays.

"We found out we can't handle the ball in the rain," he said. "We must have fumbled six, seven, eight times. And that's due to the wet weather. That shows you why you need to work in it every now and then."

Though the sloppy, slippery conditions during the last half of practice led to a slew of dropped passes and fumbles, offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher seemed much more pleased with his unit Tuesday than he had been the previous day.

"We had balls on the ground in the rain that we've got to get taken care of," Fisher said afterward. "But as far as effort, our mind was back in practice today."

It certainly didn't hurt that the full pads came on.

Through the first four days of practice, the Seminoles were in shoulder pads and shorts. Tackling was strictly forbidden.

Tuesday morning, everything changed.

"It is a different mind-set," senior linebacker Derek Nicholson said. "Now you can take the ball carrier down and you don't have to thud him up anymore, which in my opinion is kind of annoying. I think hitting a guy and not wrapping him up teaches bad tackling.

"So I like having full pads on."

Fellow linebacker Recardo Wright believes the defense got the better of the offense when the two units were pitted against each other near the end of practice.

The junior didn't seem surprised either.

"A continuation of the spring," Wright said. "We dominated in the spring. Everybody could see that. Today, it was raining and guys were slipping all over and stuff but we brought the same speed from the spring."

BIG HITS: Wakulla freshman linebacker Nigel Bradham had the hit of the day when he slammed into running back Carlton Jones and knocked him backward during short-yardage drills. The tackle elicited a mini-celebration among Bradham and his defensive teammates, but it wasn't nearly as fever-pitched as the one wide receiver Corey Surrency was involved in a few minutes earlier.

In Oklahoma drills - where a running back is given a narrow space to avoid three defenders who are being blocked by offensive players - Surrency bulldozed and then pinned down defensive back Ochucko Jenije. After the block, position coach Lawrence Dawsey leapt in the air and Surrency's fellow receivers excitedly mobbed him, pushing the JuCo transfer back to the ground and eventually piled on top of him.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT