FSU Seminoles: Florida Gators
For most college football recruits, announcing a top 12 doesn’t attract a ton of views. For someone like ESPN 150 safety Jamal Adams (Lewisville, Texas/Hebron), a top 12 is news that many programs have anticipated for months.
That’s because Adams, a 6-foot, 199-pound, four-star defensive back, has been quite vocal about his high school football team's expectations and teammates but very tight-lipped about his recruiting. Many have speculated his interest, but he’s rarely confirmed or denied any reports.
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- ESPN 150 outside linebacker Jacob Pugh (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby) has aspirations to play in the NFL, just like many players his age. Regardless of where his football career takes him, this 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete has another dream that he plans to fulfill.
"I want to own my own trucking company," Pugh said. "For one, my uncle had a trucking business for a long time. A couple people that go to my church are truck drivers. They just talk to me about what they do and it seems fun and interesting. It's something I'd really like to do.
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In this episode of the Official Visit, receiver Markell Pack signs on with Florida State, ESPN 150 linebacker Jacob Pugh names a top three, and more.
PERRY, Fla. -- When former Florida State defensive ends coach D.J. Eliot left to take the defensive coordinator position at Kentucky, four-star wide receiver Moral Stephens (Perry, Fla./Taylor County) was caught off guard.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Stephens had built a strong relationship with Eliot, and his departure affected the recruitment of Stephens.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Stephens had built a strong relationship with Eliot, and his departure affected the recruitment of Stephens.
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As of today, there are 100 days until the start of the college football season.
You bet we’re counting.
If you’re Scot Loeffler, Virginia Tech's new offensive coordinator, 100 days must feel like a nanosecond. The Hokies aren’t the only ones, though, with plenty of work to do before the season begins. Here’s a checklist of five things the ACC and its teams must accomplish before the opening kickoff:
1. Name starting quarterbacks. Syracuse can’t even talk about Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen yet because he’s not on campus and won’t enroll until next month, but the Orange are just one of several teams in the ACC that still have an ongoing quarterback competition. Virginia’s quarterback controversy has seemingly gone on for years, and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher has yet to officially anoint Jameis Winston as EJ Manuel’s successor. Pitt is also still searching for a dependable leader, along with NC State.
2. Find an offense in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech has become one of the ACC’s brand-name programs, a consistent winner and a representative in the Top 25 and BCS standings. That changed last season when the Hokies bumbled their way through their most disappointing season in 20 years. Coach Frank Beamer made sweeping changes to his offensive staff, but little improvement was seen in the spring game. Loeffler said it wasn’t a true indication of the progress that was made in the other 13 practices, but also conceded there is still a lot of work to be done. With Alabama looming in the season opener, all eyes will be on the ACC in Week 1. When the Hokies are good, the ACC is better.
3. Improve defensively. With the exception of Florida State, which finished the season ranked No. 6 in the country in scoring defense, 2012 wasn’t a banner year for ACC defenses. The conference usually has some of the nation’s best defenses -- including Boston College -- but there was no Luke Kuechly and no identity for the Eagles last fall. Miami beat Duke 52-45. Georgia Tech beat North Carolina 68-50. Clemson beat NC State 62-48. Clemson took a major step forward defensively with its bowl win against LSU, but the defense must become elite in its second season under coordinator Brent Venables if Clemson is going to be a national-title contender.
4. Minimize the turnovers. Virginia Tech was No. 86 in turnover margin last year, and quarterback Logan Thomas threw three picks in the spring game. Boston College was No. 88 in the country in turnover margin, FSU No. 93, NC State No. 99, Maryland No. 104, Virginia No. 110. That’s almost half the league ranked among the worst in the country in turnover margin. The Hokies play Alabama. Virginia plays Oregon. BC plays at USC. FSU is at Florida, and the Seminoles turned it over five times versus the Gators in FSU's 37-26 loss last year. The Gators scored 10 points off turnovers in that game. If the ACC is going to stand a chance, it can’t give away freebies.
5. Stay out of the trainer’s room. Virginia Tech standout corner Antone Exum is still rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered in a pickup basketball game. The bulk of Wake Forest’s offensive line was walking wounded all spring, and that group will make or break the Deacons' season. Clemson backup quarterback Chad Kelly and starting tight end Sam Cooper both tore their ACLs this spring. If the ACC is going to beat the best this fall, it needs its best players on the field. For some programs, like Boston College, the depth isn’t there to afford injuries.
You bet we’re counting.
If you’re Scot Loeffler, Virginia Tech's new offensive coordinator, 100 days must feel like a nanosecond. The Hokies aren’t the only ones, though, with plenty of work to do before the season begins. Here’s a checklist of five things the ACC and its teams must accomplish before the opening kickoff:
1. Name starting quarterbacks. Syracuse can’t even talk about Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen yet because he’s not on campus and won’t enroll until next month, but the Orange are just one of several teams in the ACC that still have an ongoing quarterback competition. Virginia’s quarterback controversy has seemingly gone on for years, and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher has yet to officially anoint Jameis Winston as EJ Manuel’s successor. Pitt is also still searching for a dependable leader, along with NC State.
2. Find an offense in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech has become one of the ACC’s brand-name programs, a consistent winner and a representative in the Top 25 and BCS standings. That changed last season when the Hokies bumbled their way through their most disappointing season in 20 years. Coach Frank Beamer made sweeping changes to his offensive staff, but little improvement was seen in the spring game. Loeffler said it wasn’t a true indication of the progress that was made in the other 13 practices, but also conceded there is still a lot of work to be done. With Alabama looming in the season opener, all eyes will be on the ACC in Week 1. When the Hokies are good, the ACC is better.
3. Improve defensively. With the exception of Florida State, which finished the season ranked No. 6 in the country in scoring defense, 2012 wasn’t a banner year for ACC defenses. The conference usually has some of the nation’s best defenses -- including Boston College -- but there was no Luke Kuechly and no identity for the Eagles last fall. Miami beat Duke 52-45. Georgia Tech beat North Carolina 68-50. Clemson beat NC State 62-48. Clemson took a major step forward defensively with its bowl win against LSU, but the defense must become elite in its second season under coordinator Brent Venables if Clemson is going to be a national-title contender.
4. Minimize the turnovers. Virginia Tech was No. 86 in turnover margin last year, and quarterback Logan Thomas threw three picks in the spring game. Boston College was No. 88 in the country in turnover margin, FSU No. 93, NC State No. 99, Maryland No. 104, Virginia No. 110. That’s almost half the league ranked among the worst in the country in turnover margin. The Hokies play Alabama. Virginia plays Oregon. BC plays at USC. FSU is at Florida, and the Seminoles turned it over five times versus the Gators in FSU's 37-26 loss last year. The Gators scored 10 points off turnovers in that game. If the ACC is going to stand a chance, it can’t give away freebies.
5. Stay out of the trainer’s room. Virginia Tech standout corner Antone Exum is still rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered in a pickup basketball game. The bulk of Wake Forest’s offensive line was walking wounded all spring, and that group will make or break the Deacons' season. Clemson backup quarterback Chad Kelly and starting tight end Sam Cooper both tore their ACLs this spring. If the ACC is going to beat the best this fall, it needs its best players on the field. For some programs, like Boston College, the depth isn’t there to afford injuries.
CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. -- He's only a freshman, but Wakulla wide receiver Keith Gavin has already garnered offers from Florida State, Florida, Clemson, South Carolina and Ole Miss.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound 2016 prospect is just starting the recruiting process but has caught the eye of many college across the southeast.
"It's been crazy," Gavin said. "Just about every week I've been having a different coach come to see me and watch me practice."
Gavin acknowledges that it's still too early to narrow down his choices, but he admits there is a school he grew up rooting for.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound 2016 prospect is just starting the recruiting process but has caught the eye of many college across the southeast.
"It's been crazy," Gavin said. "Just about every week I've been having a different coach come to see me and watch me practice."
Gavin acknowledges that it's still too early to narrow down his choices, but he admits there is a school he grew up rooting for.
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LAKE CITY, Fla. -- Safety Trey Marshall (Lake City, Fla./Columbia) has offers from schools such as Miami, Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
The 6-foot, 194-pound athlete grew up rooting for the nearby Florida Gators, who just recently offered him a scholarship, but Marshall said there is another team out front.
"Florida State is standing out to me right now," Marshall said. "It's the connection I have with them. I have a really good relationship with coach [Jeremy] Pruitt.
The 6-foot, 194-pound athlete grew up rooting for the nearby Florida Gators, who just recently offered him a scholarship, but Marshall said there is another team out front.
"Florida State is standing out to me right now," Marshall said. "It's the connection I have with them. I have a really good relationship with coach [Jeremy] Pruitt.
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John Saunder gives his take on Texas, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Florida State and other schools offering eighth-grader Dylan Moses a scholarship.
Now that spring ball has started, ESPN 150 defensive tackle Gerald Willis III has been inundated with interest from college recruiters visiting New Orleans Edna Karr High School. He expected that.
That’s why, even if he’s comfortable with naming his top four schools, his list remains a fluid one. New schools are working hard to get in the mix, and Willis is ready to hit the road for more visits this summer.
That’s why, even if he’s comfortable with naming his top four schools, his list remains a fluid one. New schools are working hard to get in the mix, and Willis is ready to hit the road for more visits this summer.
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Official Visit: Thomas’ trouble; AU heats up
May, 8, 2013
May 8
10:34
AM ET
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
NoleNation’s Corey Dowlar talks with Phil Murphy about the latest in Florida State 2013 signee Matthew Thomas' saga, and TideNation's Greg Ostendorf stops by to talk about the impending decisions of ESPN 150 recruits Tre’ Williams and Justin Thornton.
Take 2: What does FSU's draft haul mean?
April, 30, 2013
Apr 30
2:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Florida State set a school record with 11 NFL draft picks over the weekend. That also happened to lead the entire nation, ranking ahead of national champion Alabama, LSU and yes, even Florida.
So what does this say about the Noles as a program? Are they finally back, or just a pack of underachievers? Andrea Adelson and Heather Dinich debate.
Andrea says: The proof is in the picks.
We all know the Seminoles have their detractors, who believe every season must be a perfect season or else it is a complete and utter disappointment. Raising the bar the way this program did in the late 1980s through the mid-2000s means living with the type of expectations reserved for only the most elite programs in the entire country.
Coach Jimbo Fisher lives with these expectations every day. But he also lives in reality. And reality says that Florida State stumbled badly in the final few years under coach Bobby Bowden, and it takes more than snapping your fingers, rolling a Florida State helmet onto a field and planting a spear to get a program back into national championship contention.
It takes time. And it takes talent. And, well, Florida State had a lack of talent. In Bowden’s final four seasons, 2006-09, the Noles had 12 total draft picks -- including one in the 2009 draft. That’s just one more than Florida State had this past weekend. So, Fisher has gotten the talent on par with what Florida State used to produce.
So what does this say about the Noles as a program? Are they finally back, or just a pack of underachievers? Andrea Adelson and Heather Dinich debate.
Andrea says: The proof is in the picks.
[+] Enlarge
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesFlorida State's Jimbo Fisher had as much talent to work with as any coach in the country last season.
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesFlorida State's Jimbo Fisher had as much talent to work with as any coach in the country last season.Coach Jimbo Fisher lives with these expectations every day. But he also lives in reality. And reality says that Florida State stumbled badly in the final few years under coach Bobby Bowden, and it takes more than snapping your fingers, rolling a Florida State helmet onto a field and planting a spear to get a program back into national championship contention.
It takes time. And it takes talent. And, well, Florida State had a lack of talent. In Bowden’s final four seasons, 2006-09, the Noles had 12 total draft picks -- including one in the 2009 draft. That’s just one more than Florida State had this past weekend. So, Fisher has gotten the talent on par with what Florida State used to produce.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- ESPN 150 offensive tackle David Sharpe (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence School) has only played one full year of high school football, but the 6-foot-6, 288-pound athlete has already caught the attention of everyone in the college football recruiting world.
The No. 2-ranked tackle and No. 12 player overall said his football success has come as a surprise.
The No. 2-ranked tackle and No. 12 player overall said his football success has come as a surprise.
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BRADENTON, Fla. -- For the 2015 cycle, there isn't another prospect with more FBS offers than Jacques Patrick (Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek). And Florida State was fortunate enough to have him on campus again recently.
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BRADENTON, Fla. -- On the fields of the IMG Academy Southeast Regional 7-on-7 Tournament, George Campbell (Tarpon Springs, Fla./East Lake) stood off to the side with a sling hanging off his shoulder and covering his broken wrist.
That injury, suffered a few weeks back, will keep him out of East Lake's spring practices starting at the beginning of May. But fortunately for him, he's already got a ton of offers to begin with and won't be reliant on coaches coming by for the evaluation period.
That doesn't mean he isn't frustrated, though.
That injury, suffered a few weeks back, will keep him out of East Lake's spring practices starting at the beginning of May. But fortunately for him, he's already got a ton of offers to begin with and won't be reliant on coaches coming by for the evaluation period.
That doesn't mean he isn't frustrated, though.
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ASHBURN, Va. -- Cornerback Jalen Tabor (Washington, D.C./Friendship Collegiate), the No. 19 overall player in the ESPN 150, is in no rush to commit.
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ABOUT NOLE NATION
David Hale
David Hale joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering the Philadelphia Phillies for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., and the University of Georgia for The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph. Hale has written about college and professional sports since 2004. He currently lives in Tallahassee, Fla., and can be reached at davidmhale@gmail.com.
Corey Dowlar
Corey Dowlar joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering Florida State and South Florida athletics for 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. Dowlar has written about Florida State sports and recruiting since 2007. He currently lives in Clearwater, Fla., and can be reached at cdowlar@gmail.com.