FSU Football: Importance Of Standalone Football Facility
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football has some of the best facilities in the nation. However, Jimbo Fisher wants a new standalone facility to stay competitive with elite teams.
Jimbo Fisher shared with ESPN this week that FSU football was looking to building a standalone football facility.
"“We need room. We need meeting space, player development areas. You’ve got to have those areas and also to show off your history. That’s what Florida State is known for, being a great football program,” Fisher said. “You can never stand still. If you’re not evolving and moving, people are going to bypass you. You’ve got to keep going. The great programs never settle. We’re always looking for that edge. It’s going to help recruiting. It’s going to help player development. We get a lot of guys that are three-and-out, so we’ve got to have space for them to get them developed as quickly as we can so we can get production out of them.”"
Competition or Arms Race?
Clemson is coming off back-to-back National Title games and a National Championship. They recently unveiled a $55 million dollar new football facility a couple of months ago. It houses things like a barber shop, whiffle ball field and a 30 foot slide that folk have been talking about.
Other teams are looking at upgrading their facilities, but Fisher doesn’t seem concerned with what others are doing.
"“I don’t care what they’ve got,” Fisher said. “I’m worried about what we’ve got. If I don’t think it’s going to make a difference in our program for these kids to develop as people, students and players, I won’t ask. I didn’t grow up with a lot. I was taught if you need it, do what you’ve got to do to be successful but don’t waste. I’m not going to do that. But there’s things you’ve got to have to be successful and that’s the next step, in my opinion.”"
Fisher is responsible for the FSU Indoor Practice Facility that was built a few years back and recent additions like a new players lounge, locker rooms and meeting space for players and coaches.
Thoughts On New Standalone Facility
Listen, Jimbo Fisher is extremely bright and knows that FSU football can’t fall behind in recruiting or football facilities. In a sense, you can’t have one without the other.
He’s hearing about the amount of money Clemson is pumping into their facilities, and how Clemson’s recruiting has taken an uptick in recent years.
If a team has winning tradition and elite facilities, it allows teams to compete for the best recruits. My granddaddy always said, “You can’t win the Kentucky Derby with a donkey, you need Thoroughbreds.”
Next: FSU Football: Has Clemson Closed Recruiting Gap With FSU?
That’s what FSU football is used to getting on the recruiting trails, and a standalone football facility would ensure the ‘Noles continue to get their fair share.