Spring Practice: Five questions
Florida State begins spring practice tomorrow. Let’s start off with a few questions about the spring.
September 29, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles teammates huddle up prior the game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Who is going to step up as a leader?
Last year, FSU had a tremendous amount of leadership in the locker room on offense and defense. It was this class, after all, that was tasked with resurrecting the program and actually carrying out Jimbo Fisher’s grand plan. And I think we can say, after three years, they carried it out about as well as anyone could have – but in order to do so, they had to lift this program from the depths of mediocrity. Unfortunately, guys like EJ Manuel, Lonnie Pryor, Brandon Jenkins, Vince Williams, and Bjoern Werner are gone. And it’s at this point you see that not only is there a drop off in leadership, but also a gap in talent. The time is now for new leadership to emerge, especially on offense, and the job is anyone’s for the taking. On defense, Lamarcus Joyner and Telvin Smith will lead the way.
How will the team respond to the quarterback situation?
FSU is no stranger to some good, ol’ fashioned quarterback controversy. Most recently, it was a battle between Christian Ponder, Xavier Lee, and Drew Weatherford. Shockingly, I would have expected some discourse as a result of Xavier not getting the job. Fortunately, Christian was such a true leader and gamer that the team noticed quickly that he was in fact the better selection. Also, anytime you hear player interviews, you hear them almost regurgitating, word-for-word, the Jimbo Fisher message. They may second guess his decision, but it’s clear they trust what he’s doing because Jimbo has credibility as a coach and coordinator. So, back to that decision. We all know that Clint Trickett is going to be the starter headed into spring practice. Two things helped his cause: an alleged injury to Jacob Coker and Jameis Winston playing baseball. Neither seem significant enough to truly change the course, but injuries and distractions could allow Clint to outperform his peers. If he does, will the team respond positively? My guess is yes. While Clint may not have all of the physical tools you want in a Jimbo Fisher-style quarterback (big, fast, strong), he has served his time. His teammates respect that he waited his turn until EJ left, much like EJ did a few years ago. My guess is Clint wins the battle this spring (more on that later) and based on this team’s maturity, I don’t see that being an issue.
Will this spring be about “re-learning” techniques?
Six new coaches. Much like your teachers in school weren’t all the same, neither are coaches. They have a different perspective of coaching and bring that with them to spring practice. We will be exploring this topic further today in a new article about the new coaches’ impact, but for now, I’ll leave you with this: new coaches mean there is no going through the motions. There will be new hands-on instruction.
Can Trickett handle his son not winning the starting job?
While I mentioned earlier that I think Clint wins the job, Jacob Coker and Jameis Winston are very capable quarterbacks. They may be a little too young for the job, however. I can see, easily, how they have more potential than Clint Trickett. But I don’t know If that means you start them at any cost—because Clint might be able to win you more games this year. If Clint doesn’t win, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him consider transferring to another school. He graduates in May and will be to, ala Russell Wilson, play immediately at another school. I’m curious, however, as to what impact that will have on his father, Rick, the offensive line coach. Rick is obviously a professional, but there’s a certain pride you have for your son. It may be to an irrational extent, but it’s called being a parent. This situation is a wildcard.
Will the practices look different than last year?
I originally wrote this piece before Jimbo Fisher’s press conference yesterday, but thankfully, not much of it changed other than a few key sound bites that Jimbo provided us. In as few words as possible: yes, practices will look and feel different.
Last year, the team did not have to do a lot of groundwork–the foundation was set long ago. The groundwork had been laid, the schemes installed, the leadership already existed. This year, we are almost starting from scratch. Sure, Jimbo says that the philosophies are the same (i.e., convert 3rd downs on offense, stop 3rd downs on defense, protect the ball, convert and defend the red zone), but the philosophies he mentions aren’t unique to his team or any other team. They are part of the calculus for success. The devil is truly in those details and this year, we have new coaches on both sides of the ball. Those coaches bring new attitudes, new schemes, new insight. It means that they are going to teach what they know—and that knowledge is different than what the previous coaching staff possessed. This spring will be very new. Yes, same overall philosophies, but the coaches and players have to speak in their own language (please visualize Mark Stoops shooting out signals on the sideline). This takes time and familiarity. Two things they don’t have yet.
In short, expectations should be tempered for FSU’s spring. And even if someone wins a spring battle, they aren’t entitled to the starting spot in the Fall.