Notebook: Shaw Looking For Light At End Of The Tunnel

TALLAHASSEE Midway through his final season at Florida State, and not much has gone Joslin Shaw's way. A fifth-year senior who starred at Plant City High prior to coming to FSU, Shaw expected to be one of FSU's top receivers.

That was before he became entangled in an academic fraud scandal that forced him to miss the Noles' first four games. Shaw has since been cleared by the NCAA in an ongoing investigation that involves 23 student-athletes, but he remains in search of his first reception of the season.

"I'm just waiting on the opportunity to get in and play," Shaw said Thursday. "I didn't expect this to happen. I thought I would have an input in the offense right when I got back. It's kind of stressful to go through."

However, with the emergence of sophomore receivers Preston Parker and Damon McDaniel, and junior Richard Goodman getting a lot of playing time with veterans Greg Carr and De'Cody Fagg, Shaw has found himself standing on the sideline since returning two weeks ago against N.C. State.

Shaw has yet to line up for a regular play, but he has seen spot duty on special teams. As a junior, Shaw played in all 13 games and had career-high 12 catches for 159 yards. Shaw, who practiced with the team during his four-game absence and is in game shape, said he remains uncertain of whether he'll get any more playing time in the second half of the season.

"I'm just kind of pushing through and trying to stay positive," Shaw said. "Hopefully things will turn around and there will be light at the end of the tunnel somewhere."

KICKING IT: When FSU and Miami met in the 2006 season opener at the Orange Bowl, FSU's kicking game was a hot topic for several reasons. The most prominent, of course, centered on the Noles' wide-right history against the Hurricanes. Plus, in FSU's final game of the previous season - an overtime loss to Penn State in the Orange Bowl - FSU K Gary Cismesia missed an extra-point and two field goals.

But in the Noles' 13-10 win last season, Cismesia's 33-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter proved the game-winner. A finalist for the Lou Groza Award, Cismesia is quietly enjoying another good season, hitting 8 of 11 field goal attempts and 15-for-15 on extra points to quiet any talk of FSU's lackluster kicking game.

"I'm happy about that," he said. "Hopefully, if [Saturday's game] comes down to that again, I'll make it again and it'll be over."

NOLE NUGGETS: Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix was Auburn's quarterback in the early 1990s when FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher was Auburn's QBs coach. ... Freshman OL Antwane Greenlee, who suffered a cervical neck sprain during practice earlier this season, is not expected to need surgery and will likely redshirt. Greenlee is back around the team but unable to practice. ... FSU coach Bobby Bowden is urging all FSU fans to wear garnet TRUE Pride T-shirts to Saturday's game. Seminole Student Boosters say nearly $100,000 has been raised through the T-shirt purchases to go toward an endowment fund for student-athlete scholarships.

Scott Carter