FSU Seminoles

Florida State's much-hyped quarterback competition was hardly at full speed during Thursday's drills. Jameis Winston was absent from the proceedings, part of a balancing act with his baseball career, and Jacob Coker was limited to a stationary bike due to a foot injury. But Jimbo Fisher said things are about to get much more interesting once spring practice begins, and he expects it to be a wide-open competition.

"I think I know what their abilities are, but you never know what somebody is capable of until they're put out there in a position to lead and take off," Fisher said. "You just have to let it happen and trust your eyes. Don't force it. Let them tell you. You can't tell them."

Among the three leading contenders for the job vacated by EJ Manuel, Clint Trickett was the only full participant Thursday, but both Winston and Coker should be back at work in time for spring practice, which begins March 20.

Coker has a minor foot injury and has been wearing a walking boot, but Fisher said he expects the sophomore "should be out there every day" this spring. Winston, who has been an integral part of the FSU baseball team thus far, will shift his focus back to football then, too, with Fisher assuring the freshman won't miss a single meeting or practice.

While Winston has only been a limited participant during fourth-quarter drills, his work has been impressive.

"He came over the other day and blew this thing away," Fisher said. "He flew around here like a wild man. He's in great shape, he's throwing, he's probably up there watching film by himself an hour or two hours a day. He's been right involved in the middle of everything."

While Winston has impressed, Fisher certainly isn't indicating he has a favorite in the race. In fact, he said he'll let what happens on the practice field -- both in the spring and potentially into fall camp -- decide who will win the starting job.

"It's going to be very interesting not only to see how they do their job but how they can make the other 10 guys around them do their job and make the guys on defense feel uncomfortable about them doing their job," Fisher said. "That's all important for a quarterback."

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From the impending quarterback competition to finding replacements for departing juniors, Jimbo Fisher will have his work cut out for him during the next few months as he lays the groundwork for 2013.

With that in mind, we're going to go position-by-position looking at Florida State's strengths and weaknesses as the Seminoles prepare for the start of spring practice.

First up: Cornerback

2012 recap: Last season began with a seemingly huge setback when three-year starter Greg Reid was dismissed from the program just before the start of fall camp. As it turned out, however, FSU had plenty of in-house answers. Freshman Ronald Darby and sophomore Nick Waisome stepped in to more than adequately fill the void, and FSU's pass defense finished as one of the best units in the country.

Departures: It seemed a foregone conclusion long before the season ended, and as expected, junior Xavier Rhodes opted to pass on a fifth year in Tallahassee and will head to the NFL draft. It's a big loss, as Rhodes had blossomed into one of the best cover corners in the nation, and 2012 might have been his best season as a Seminole.

Arrivals: Redshirt freshman Colin Blake will get his first taste of action. FSU has two four-star commitments at the position in Marquez White (Dothan, Ala./Northview) and Michael Johnson (Miami/Booker T. Washington). White is the 17th-ranked corner in the nation, according to ESPN.

Biggest question mark: Replacing Rhodes is obviously the top priority, but with the impressive 2012 campaigns from both Darby and Waisome, the answers appear fairly obvious. What might be a more intriguing question is who steps in as the third man in the cornerback rotation -- a list that could include more work from nickel Tyler Hunter, early playing time for the youngsters or, perhaps most likely, an expanded role for rising sophomore Keelin Smith.

Breakout star: Darby seems the logical choice. He never quite overtook Waisome for the starting job in 2012, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. Darby finished the season having appeared in all 14 games, making 22 tackles and recording eight pass breakups and one forced fumble en route to being named a freshman All-American. He's perhaps not quite as physical as Rhodes, but his speed is elite and he has the potential to quickly develop into one of the marquee defensive backs in the conference.

Projected 2013 starters: Darby and Waisome, with Hunter as the top nickel option.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Clemson brought a blitz early in last week's game, and the left tackle failed to pick up the block.

EJ Manuel wasn't fazed. He sat in the pocket, found his receiver and stepped into the throw. It was marked progress for a quarterback often criticized for his struggles in the pocket.

"He wasn't having those happy feet," Jimbo Fisher said.

That's been par for the course this season for Manuel, whose numbers against the blitz have improved dramatically.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Manuel is completing 78.3 percent of his passes this season when facing five or more pass rushers. That's up from 59.8 percent a year ago. When under duress this year, Manuel has completed 10-of-13 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

It's patience mixed with trust in the players around him, Fisher said.

"He doesn't have to be blinking and looking and are guys supposed to be blocked," Fisher said. "There has to be a huge trust factor, know that's the guy I've got to handle, and then you get your sight, your hot, whatever you have to do."

It helps that Manuel is making better pre-snap reads and quicker decisions in the pocket, too. His checkdowns to third and fourth options this season have routinely turned into big plays.

"We're getting 10-15 yards off of check downs, which is a 5-yard pass," Manuel said.

That experience could loom large this week. USF has struggled to get pressure from its front four, meaning the Bulls will be tempted to bring the blitz and test Manuel's ability to hang in the pocket.

In years past, the plan may have worked. This season, Manuel's feeling a lot more comfortable.

"It allows him to have that confidence to keep doing it," Fisher said, "and they're executing around him."

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Mario Edwards Jr. might have been the No. 1 recruit in the nation a year ago, but Jimbo Fisher said the freshman is No. 5 on Florida State's defensive end depth chart, which means he won't get any playing time in 2012.

Fisher said the lack of available reps behind incumbents Bjoern Werner, Brandon Jenkins and Cornellius Carradine led the coaching staff to decide to redshirt Edwards despite a strong performance during fall camp.

"You've got three guys that are possible first- or second-round draft pick guys," Fisher said of his depth chart at the position. "To waste a year on a guy for five, six, seven plays a game makes no sense. We can play him five, six or seven plays, but how much do you gain? There's a lot more to lose in our opinion."

Edwards is one of 10 FSU freshmen expected to redshirt this season, but he was the only one not dressed for Florida State's opener against Murray State on Saturday.

Fisher said it was Edwards' decision not to dress, and that each redshirt player is given the choice before each game. Fisher said players might opt not to dress based on family members attending the game or other issues, but he did not offer any indication as to why Edwards, who along with all FSU freshmen is not made available to the media, chose against dressing for the first game of his college career.

"You don't have to dress. We'll have guys that will and guys that won't," Fisher said. "There was a situation last week, and [Edwards] will probably dress this week. But I give every guy their choice on that."

Edwards is the son of former FSU cornerback Mario Edwards Sr., who currently works for the university as a player development coordinator -- an administrative position that works closely with the coaching staff.

While the redshirt for Edwards comes as somewhat of a surprise given the defensive end's hype on the recruiting circuit, Fisher said the decision isn't indicative of any shortcomings Edwards displayed on the field.

"I'm not one bit disappointed," Fisher said. "What we saw on film and what we thought he was, we think he's exactly that right now. He could be even more. He's actually stronger and more powerful than I even realized."

Still, Edwards checked in at nearly 300 pounds upon arrival this summer, and Fisher said he hopes the redshirt season will provide the freshman with an opportunity to shed a few pounds while getting a better grasp on the playbook.

Fisher said Edwards was not upset by the decision, saying the two "had a good conversation" about the redshirt.

In addition to Edwards, Fisher said fellow defensive end Chris Casher, defensive tackle Justin Shanks, defensive back Colin Blake, linebacker Markuss Eligwe and receiver Marvin Bracy are all expected to redshirt as well.

Bracy has been limited since the spring with a nagging hamstring injury, and Fisher said there's still a chance he could work his way into a smaller role on offense this year, assuming the injury is fully healed now.

"If his hamstring will hold up, we may try to give him four or five things -- the return game and teach him four or five things on offense to get real good at and judge that as we go," Fisher said. "But we've got to do that hopefully this week. I'm anxious to see where he's at -- full, full speed."

Quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Sean Maguire and kicker Roberto Aguayo will also redshirt, along with freshman running back Mario Pender, who will miss the season with a groin injury, and senior defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel, who is still recovering from an ankle injury suffered last season.

Florida State began the 2012 season Saturday with a monster 69-3 win over Murray State, with Lonnie Pryor racking up three touchdowns, Rashad Greene returning the first post-Greg Reid punt for a score, and Bjoern Werner and the defense absolutely dominating the overmatched Racers.

But whenever 69 points is scored, there are bound to be a few storylines that get overlooked. So with that in mind, here are five newsworthy items and behind-the-scenes tidbits from Saturday that you might have missed.

1. Wilder's big night

After the game, James Wilder Jr. was still carrying around the game ball, promising he'd sleep with it Saturday night.

"I'm not letting it go tonight," Wilder said after the game. "This is going to be my girlfriend tonight."

Wilder said he already had purchased a glass trophy case before the season, waiting to get his first 100-yard game so he'd have a ball to put in it.

Turns out, it didn't take long.

Wilder racked up 106 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries -- and six more on one catch -- to pace the Seminoles' running game.

What's more, Wilder did it while checking in at a hefty 231 pounds.

Wilder said he usually weighs in at 225 before a game, and his goal had been 222. But Wilder had trouble shedding pounds in recent weeks because he was held out of a number of workouts during practice.

Jimbo Fisher had said they were being cautious with Wilder because of some shoulder soreness suffered during FSU's first full scrimmage. Turns out, Wilder said, it was actually a hip injury that had slowed him down.

Of course, he didn't look too slow Saturday.

But while Wilder's performance certainly was a good one, it's also worth noting he didn't get his first carry until the third quarter, when Murray State's defense was already gasping for breath. In fact, 182 of Wilder's 266 career rushing yards have come in the second half of games against FCS teams.

That certainly doesn't mean Wilder won't be impressive this year. After all, he said, he's molded his game after some great runners -- who just so happen to have been hefty for running backs, too.

"You don't see a lot of backs that big anymore," Wilder said. "But I always watched backs that big -- (Walter) Payton, my father, Earl Campbell. I just feel like, size doesn't really matter. I have the drive to get to the end zone, and that's what's going to get it done."

Granted, all three of those runners had retired before Wilder was born, but after averaging nearly 9 yards a carry, who's going to argue?

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Florida State is a week away from its first game, and while the veterans are counting down the minutes until there is real football to be played, it's getting a bit anxious for the freshmen.

"There are a lot of these young guys that still have a lot of work to do," Jimbo Fisher said. "They need to come on, because we're going to need them. A lot of them are doing good, but we've got to get them game ready."

Unlike last season, when FSU had freshmen in a number of prominent roles -- including four starters on the offensive line -- that need isn't quite so great this season. The advantage of Florida State's depth is that it isn't reliant on inexperienced players at most key positions.

That means Fisher can be somewhat cautious with which freshmen he puts on the field, and that's a decision he'll need to make soon.

"I think quite a few of them will get in there," Fisher said. "Some might be ready, but have a good quality number of guys in front of them, and you want to be careful not to waste a year on 50 plays. We've got to evaluate that, and in the next day or two, we'll make some decisions."

A year ago, 13 of Florida State's 22 true freshmen saw action, including eight as occasional starters. This year, only one freshman, Ronald Darby, appears to be in competition for a starting job, and the overall need for contributors is less. But a look at each player underscores the idea that there aren't many who can't contribute.

Here's our breakdown of which freshman are likely to see action, and which ones could be saddled with a redshirt.

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Senior Chris Thompson has looked sharp during Florida State's fall practice, and, 11 months after breaking two bones in his back, he continues to get the majority of the first-team reps.

While Thompson appears set to hold the nominal role of starter at tailback, sophomore James Wilder Jr. believes it'll be running-back-by-committee throughout the season for FSU.

"I think [the coaches] are going to keep us on the field, everybody," Wilder said. "We're going to be a team that rotates."

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One day after arriving to practice with his right arm in a sling, James Wilder Jr. was absent from early workouts Saturday.

Turns out, however, it was little more than a hefty dose of NyQuil that had Wilder sidelined this time.

The sophomore running back suffered a mild shoulder strain in Thursday's scrimmage, but the injury is causing Wilder more problems at night than it is during practice.

"He took some NyQuil to help him sleep and reduce the pain a little bit, and he overslept," head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "We had to send somebody [to wake him up]."

Wilder slept through his alarm, but he still managed to make it to practice in time for the bulk of the day's workouts with few problems.

When he arrived about 25 minutes late, the sling was gone, but Wilder was wearing a blue non-contact jersey. It was simply a precaution following a particularly grueling scrimmage two days earlier, Fisher said.

"He got out here to practice and took every rep, we just kept him in a blue jersey so he wasn't getting contact," Fisher said. "But that was just from how he ran [Thursday]."

Upon further review

After reviewing the tape of Thursday's scrimmage, Fisher said he was even more pleased with the performance of his offensive line than he'd been watching the workouts live.

The starting unit of Cameron Erving, Josue Matias, Bryan Stork, Tre' Jackson and Menelik Watson opened good running lanes and provided solid pass protection during the scrimmage, with the tape showing the group winning a majority of the battles against FSU's starting defensive line.

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It has been a revolving door at right tackle since Florida State wrapped up a bowl win over Notre Dame nine months ago, with junior college transfer Menelik Watson being the latest lineman to get his turn.

Watson spent much of the first week of fall practice working with the second-team offense, but in the last two Florida State practices he has taken the bulk of the reps with the ones.

Watson has only been playing football for the past few years, having grown up in England. His fundamentals are still a bit raw, but at 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds his physical stature makes him an imposing force.

"He's raw, but when he gets his hands on you, no one's going anywhere," said QB Clint Trickett, who has worked with Watson in the second-team offense through much of fall practice. "I saw him handle (Brandon Jenkins) a couple times."

Watson's first-team reps come at the expense of fellow juco transfer Daniel Glauser, who spent Wednesday's early workouts with the No. 2 unit.

While Bobby Hart had been the starter at right tackle during the final two months of the 2011 season and Bryan Stork appeared to have a handle on the job at the end of spring, head coach Jimbo Fisher said he now sees it as a two-man battle between the two transfers.

"Those two guys are playing right now at right tackle, and they're doing some really good things," Fisher said.

The rest of the line appears somewhat settled with Stork in the middle, Josue Matias and Tre Jackson at the guard spots and Cameron Erving looking exceptional at left tackle.

"Cam Erving's been the most impressive to me," Trickett said. "Cam looks like he's a three-year All-American out there."

Ready to rumble: Wednesday's practice was the last for Florida State before its first scrimmage.

For a bulk of the presumed starters there's not much to prove, but for a number of the highly touted youngsters, Thursday's scrimmage will be a first look at how they perform at game speed.

"It's going to be pretty exciting to see what the young guys do when they get up against each other," safety Lamarcus Joyner said. "We'll see if they go with the flow when the game gets a little bit faster out there. That's the part we're waiting for."

That might be particularly true of freshman corner Ronald Darby, who has earned positive reviews during early practices and could stake his claim to the starting field corner job now held by Nick Waisome.

"We've been rotating there at corner with a couple different guys," Fisher said. "(Darby) is doing a really good job. He's learning."

Keelin Smith and Colin Blake, the other top options at corner, have both been limited during practice. Blake has been in a non-contact jersey for the past week, while Smith has been sidelined with a knee injury.

Meanwhile, senior Chris Thompson has looked strong since returning from a broken back, and he has gotten the majority of the reps with the No. 1 offense. Thursday's scrimmage should provide the veteran with his biggest test yet.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how Thompson will perform after coming back from that injury," Joyner said.

Extra points: Florida State's kick return drills included a bevy of potential options, including Darby, Joyner, Marvin Bracy, Karlos Williams and Rashad Greene. … Safety Terrence Brooks continues to wear a blue non-contact jersey during practice but has not appeared limited during workouts. … Greg Dent is still in a non-contact jersey following an offseason knee injury, too, but he continues to earn raves from coaches and teammates for his improved play so far. "You would think that he had some magic potion or something," Trickett said. "He's been playing his butt off."