FSU: search for OC, recruiting, and ACC woes
News on the latest with FSU
Search for OC continues: Ever since James Coley left, Jimbo Fisher has been operating with one less position coach. Recently, it was rumored that former UCLA OC Mike Johnson was on campus for an interview. Meanwhile, Tee Martin, current WRs coach at USC, was rumored to be also interviewing for the offensive coordinator position. There haven’t been many leaks about who’s getting hired, so no one truly knows. The big question will be whether the person named offensive coordinator is actually going to be the person who calls the plays someday. Remember, Jimbo still calls the plays at FSU. He admitted late last year that getting a real OC was part of his 5 year plan. FSU currently has two former OCs as assistants (Randy Sanders, RB coach and Billy Napier, TE coach). The wildcard here is that Jimbo promotes one of them to OC and hires an assistant with ties to the Miami area.
Early 2013 rankings: FSU comes in at 16 according to Schlabach. Here’s what Schabach had to say:
“The Seminoles underwent a complete facelift after finishing 12-2 last season. Coach Jimbo Fisher lost six assistants from his staff, including defensive coordinator Mark Stoops (Kentucky’s new coach) and offensive coordinator James Coley (same position at Miami). Fisher hired former Alabama assistant Jeremy Pruitt as his defensive coordinator and has yet to hire an offensive coordinator, although Fisher will probably continue to call FSU’s plays. Despite the staff overhaul, Fisher was able to bring in the country’s ninth-best recruiting class, which included No. 4 cornerback Jalen Ramsey, No. 5 defensive tackle DeMarcus Walker and No. 10 outside linebacker Matthew Thomas. The Seminoles will spend the spring looking for a new quarterback after losing EJ Manuel, who won four bowl games. They’ll also have to rebuild their defensive line, especially after star end Bjoern Werner left for the NFL draft.”
He’s spot on. It’s a rebuild. New coaches, new QB, new players on defense and new scheme. Meanwhile, Clemson clocks in at 11. It’s absolutely imperative for the ACC to have two top 20 teams. At a minimum.
Recruiting: This week, Rivals published its list of best recruiters. Topping the list is Mike Groh at Alabama, but 2 FSU coaches made the list: Jeremy Pruitt and Odell Haggins. The funny thing about Pruitt is that he was only on the staff for a month. But he was able to pull a top 5 DE, CB and then brought in a few sleepers he evaluated himself. Not bad work. Odell, meanwhile, is the most underrated FSU coach has. Looking around the ACC, Clemson’s Venables got props as a top recruiter, but so did Mike Locksley at Maryland. Maryland absolutely killed it in this class…
Speaking of recruiting, Noles 247 released an article this week about the recruitment of Matthew Thomas. I’m not sure what’s worse; that he said he would have gone to USC if his mom signed the LOI or that Denver Kirkland would have gone to FSU if Thomas told him he was going.
ACC Woes: Warchant.com released an article this week about FSU’s major loss… to the tune of $478,000 for showing up to the ACC Championship Game. How does this happen? There’s only one answer in my book: hold conference championships at the “home” team’s field. Obviously, come up with a revenue sharing strategy, but I know how the ACC could have sold 82,000 tickets and given both FSU and GT real money for having played in the ACC Championship Game. It’s an easy fix.
A blurb on basketball: I’ve been meaning to write about FSU’s squad this year. Truth be told, they were green going into the year and then all hell broke loose with injuries. It has been a tough year to watch. They lost a battle against UM this week and took them to the wire. Today, FSU plays BC today in Boston. A win could go a long way to saving the season and building momentum. Of course, while this season may be lost while we rebuild, next year will be great with Andrew Wiggins.
As always, please comment and Go Noles!
The Confidential 
I see what you did, there. You’re padding any potential pitfall for Jimbo. Schlabach said the D-Line(not the team) was a rebuild, and if any area could withstand turnover, it’s D-Line. Still 4-3, I thought? Rid of QB that was town scapegoat for offensive inconsistency, with #1-ranked understudy in the wings. New position coaches, but same, exact offense. Biggest loss is at K, which, from a scoring standpoint, speaks volumes. Why is it so difficult to admit this team should perform extremely well in 2013? Vegas has FSU grouped exactly with UF, Clemson, and Stanford at around 25/1 odds for the crystal ball. Why? Because they CAN’T ignore the talent, it’s way too risky for business. FSU is loaded, yet your apologies betray a lack of confidence, chopem. You’ve spotted trouble on the near horizon.
I like your comments g&g. Keeping me honest, for sure, and I’m still trying to figure out what generation Nole fan you are.
Still 4-3 for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see multiple looks throughout the year. Kelly ran a 3-4 at GT and both Pruitt and Sunseri operated in the 3-4 at Alabama. We need a big nose tackle and I think Goldman or Niles Lawrence Stample fitting the bill.
I’m not sure what to expect from this team in 2013, but based on experience alone, I’d pencil in losses to Clemson and UF because both games are away. I don’t have faith in a green QB being able to go on the road and win those games.
FSU is loaded, no doubt, but not particularly deep at all positions. Thinking off the top of my head, they could have issues at running back, offensive tackle, center, defensive end, and maybe at linebacker.
And I agree the offensive scheme isn’t going anywhere–but why should it? Ponder ran it great and odds are in our favor that Trickett, Winston, or Coker can run it. My money is on Coker, with Trickett transfering at the end of spring (he will have graduated by May).
Speaking of QB, I heard that EJ has been picked by Dan Patrick to go 1st in the draft. Granted, he doesn’t have a draft pick to actually make–so he can make those types of assertions without any risk–but assuming EJ does well in the pros, it will make many question what happened at FSU and Jimbo. My guess is he does OK but someone needs to teach how to not do those spin moves while being pressured.
I’m old enough to be spoiled, yes, but with enough short-term memory left to see de ja vu happening all over, again. I don’t want to see FSU become a graveyard for offense. The players who sign on and bust their tails deserve better. I’m not solely focused on the record – you are correct in that Jimbo has recruited and guided a degree-seeking bunch that everybody can be proud of, and that is BIG – but don’t we want kids to view FSU as a place that extends football career dreams, too? We will have plenty to discuss before opening day, so I won’t waste all my bullets, yet, but I certainly see CU and UF as very tough affairs, too, where you live with the result. This does not mean, however, that we should not expect this team to play at a high and competent level in those games. Miami, Pitt, ‘cuse, even Nevada…those are games that will tell the tale.
I blame Jimbo for a lot of wrong in the world – including not leaning more on EJ as a runner – but Jimbo set up some of the best play-action for EJ that I’ve ever seen, and EJ couldn’t quite deliver. One thing to remember about athletes like EJ and Winston(maybe even Coker) is that contact can shake their butterflies out, quick. It gets the juices flowing to where the position is not all a mind-screw, and football is fun. EJ ran a hell of an option when called upon, and his scrambling was nasty…he’s on the hook for not taking that route, on his own, more. He takes one big shot against UF, and people pointed fingers and said , “See, he wasn’t a runner!” Come on. Jimbo probably deserves heat if EJ runs around like RG3 at the next level, but time will tell.
EJ is important in Jimbo’s learning process, though. Would Tricket thrive in the pocket-heavy scheme? If so, why is Clint so reviled by our fan base, now? If Jimbo wants to act like his QBs should always have the green jersey on, Clint could very easily tear it up if given a chance. We saw it in ’11. Can Coker or Winston do that? How willing and able to adapt is Jimbo? Pros like Shanahan and Harbaugh have the hours to install a read-option mid-season, but college presents a bigger challenge. Those questions lead me to think Jimbo had better have a clear starter in his mind by end of Spring, because the offense will demand the best guy to run what Jimbo and staff can drill in by Fall. Pitt, away, as a possible opener? That ain’t Savannah or Murray.
I wouldn’t count the Tar Heels out of the Wiggins sweepstakes yet, Roy’s been recruiting him pretty hard. Imagine a league with Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle? (if he chooses NCSU) That would be insane!
But it’s so hard to predict where these guys want to go. I’ll be happy with FSU OR UNC (obviously much happier with UNC), just because it would be great to have him in the league. I think there are good things and bad things about each of his choices, and I hope he’s happy wherever he goes. He’ll have a huge impact on college basketball, if only for one year (although the NBA REALLY needs to change the rule to none or three)
FSU-
PROS- Parents played there, family tradition, familiar with the school, solid coach who has been there awhile and established a program, teammate and friend Xavier Rathan-Mayes has signed there, he doesn’t like the spotlight and FSU isn’t a spotlight program, chance to play in the top conference in the nation
CONS- Probably not a great chance of a national championship, even with Wiggins, the spotlight will follow him wherever he goes
UNC-
PROS- Legendary program, Hall of Fame Coach, very high chance of a Final Four/National Championship appearance if everyone returns (McAdoo needs to) and keeps improving, great recruiting class, tradition, MICHAEL JORDAN, two guaranteed matchups with Jabari Parker and possibly two against Julius Randle, has family from NC, chance to play in the top conference in the nation
CONS- Definitely a spotlight program, is not as familiar with the Heels because he didn’t end up going to prep school in NC (that might have sealed the deal), doesn’t give the chance to follow in his family’s legacy
KENTUCKY-
PROS- Recent history of sending players to the pros, great recruiting class, probable future Hall of Fame coach, die-hard fans, great Final Four/National Championship potential, tradition
CONS- WAY too flashy of a program, an already loaded recruiting class plus the potential for less turnover, no family ties, has a coach that most suspect will get in trouble again (coaches, like criminals, are often repeat offenders), wouldn’t get to play in a top conference (you know a conference is bad when Missouri is listed as one of the top teams)
KANSAS-
PROS- Tradition, great recruiting class, future Hall of Fame coach, one of the best arenas in the country to play in
CONS- Absolutely no family ties- Wiggins seems like a family guy, geographically isolated, also a spotlight program, the Big 12 is a one-horse conference (Kansas)
He said he’s not committing until April, so I’m sure a lot of different things will have an effect on his decision making process between now and then. Hopefully, he will make the right choice for him, stay healthy and do well.