Preseason 2007

Is it Fall yet? Good Gawd, this part of the year drags...It is hot and humid; the vacations are over and the kids are bored. Football season can not get here fast enough.

So with only about two weeks left to pretend that our weekends are relevant, I thought I would run through my Seminole ruminations and solicit yours.

Obviously, every garnet bleeding and gold pissing Seminole is excited about the new coaching staff. Here is why....

Chuck Amato: Totally different style than Kevin Steele. Steele had more of a read & react philosophy. Our LB's did not make many mistakes and were rarely out of position. Amato wants his kids to make plays. They take more chances and hit gaps more aggressively. Big plays and big holes are often the result (I would have loved to have seen Ernie Sims play for Chuck) I think that Chuck's style is a better fit for Mickey than Steele. When you have the speed we do, I wanna gamble and create some turnovers. Watching Clemson, Boston College and Florida mount late game methodical charges against us was tough to swallow. This year, I see more sacks, more gap-flyers and more picks (along with some huge gains by the opposition when we get fooled).

The other thing Chuck brings back is details & discipline. Every locker - even during practice - must be cleaned and prepped the same. If not, that young man will be dressing in the visitors locker room until he gets it right. I do not think it is a coincidence that we have had no arrests since Gucci-Goggles came back. When you are up at 5 to run (Little napoleon Rick Trickett also officiates these dawn-lovefests) - you are too tired to get in trouble at night.

Terrel Buckley: Having the Foola from Pascagoola back as a student defensive back coach should also impart some much-needed cockiness back into our young and talented DB's. Since Mickey leaves most of these kids like road pizza at every practice, someone needs to pick them up before the buzzards carry them away.

LD: Maybe the toughest receiver to ever play for the Noles. In his senior year, as the only surviving member of the Fab Four, he had a target on his back and the opponents were all Robin Hood. He got absolutely shellacked in every game, and he kept fighting. He was rarely in the end zone celebrating big runs because he was road-hauling some poor DB into the sideline. Think he can get to Greg Carr? The aforementioned was not exactly autobiographical of our svelte star-in-waiting...Look for Preston Parker, DeCody Fagg & Damon McDaniel to emerge this season as they all reflect the characteristics that LD looks for. Also look for Antone Smith to have a few more 50 yard gallops with no WR's in the end zone with him...

Jimbo Fisher: In the first practice with shells this season, after a series of LB's & DB's were teeing off on the backs & Wideouts at the end of every play, Fisher went off on Mickey. To say the least, this was a watershed moment...the offense knew that he had their back, and there was a new lawman in Tallahassee. He rides the QB's like a Dodge-city madam and the offense is begging for games because it is less pressure-filled than practices. The big changes on offense will be...well everything. We will be running pass plays between the hashmarks (hallelujah!!) with tons of crossing patterns and multiple WR's in zones. Screens, seams and bubbles to backs...and finding ways to get the ball to playmakers in space. By about the Miami game, we ought to really start to enjoy this offense as the players finally "get it".

Tricket: An X-rated version of Fisher. My understanding is that our resident Marine has been called into BB's lair on more than one occasion for his #@&*(&^^ tirades that occur within earshot of "outsiders" Ought to be a good year to have tickets in row 1 on the home sideline. The biggest difference the fans will see this year is a blast-off, beat them into the ground philosophy as compared to the McHale zone-blocking find a man and hold your ground look...Because of this, what we thought was to be an experienced OL will not be. Seniors have been shelved for sophmores (McMahon over Frady, Rose over Boatman) and a TE is now our Tackle. In the long run, we should be terrific, but this could be ugly early. He is widely considered the best O-line coach in the country. He will earn that distinction if he makes this group great.

Dexter Carter: I have my doubts about this pick. I loved Billy Sexton. I don't think there was a better RB coach out there. Our guys knew how to block in a blitz, how to run patterns and they almost never fumbled. There is a reason that all our guys have have success at the next level...and I think he was a big reason. However, it was widely speculated that the problems with his son took the starch out of him and caused some conflicts with he and the HC. Everyone loves Dexter, but he better recruit like a motha because his prize is leaving after this season, and the cupboard is not full. Antone has a chance to break every Nole single season rushing record if he stays healthy. He is that good, and he is that alone on the depth chart. Good luck Dex...

Of course, I love to hear your thoughts my friends. Have a restful two more weeks!