Warchant.com - One-on-one with Lawrence Dawsey

August 10, 2009

Gene Williams
Warchant.com Publisher

Don't miss a single pass, tackle or run of preseason practices - Sign-up today for a 7-day free trial subscription (or call 1-866-2-RIVALS)

Warchant.com's one-on-one with Lawrence Dawsey:

Over the past couple weeks you have received a lot of good news with Taiwan Easterling's quick recovery and several of your guys taking care of their off the field issues.

We are definitely excited to have everybody out here and working hard. It gives them an opportunity to come out here and help the team this year. We got a lot of the off the field issues handled. Hopefully that's behind them and they can realize that they can come out here and just let it go, have fun out here on the football field and help Florida State win football games.

Are you amazed at how well Easterling has come back from a pretty severe injury?

He's definitely been a pleasant surprise. It's like he didn't miss a beat this spring coming out here running routes and catching the ball real well. He still worked hard in the offseason even though he couldn't really get out there with the guys. He still worked hard. They had him in the pool, he did the rehab and he did everything we told him to do. We are just pleased for him that he was able to come back out and get right back in the mix. It's definitely going to help our team.

How are the two freshmen receivers - Willie Haulstead and Rodney Smith - coming along so far?

They are going to be some good football players. They have good speed, great body control and they can jump. If they continue to develop it's going to be hard to redshirt them right now the way I look at it. They got everything you look for in a receiver.

You can't miss the fact that both Haulstead and Smith are very big receivers. Is size something you and coach Fisher look for more when recruiting receivers?

If you can get a bigger guy that is just as fast as a little guy then size is always going to win out most of the time. But that's not the case all the time. This year we are also recruiting some smaller (receivers). We lost big guys with Greg (Carr) and all them so you go out and try to bring the same type of guys in. This year we probably won't have as big of guys, they will be more middle-sized. It's not a priority because we like football players if they can get the job done. Like Jimbo always says if you can get a big guy that can do the same things as a little guy does you are going to go with the bigger guy.

Really, since you've been coaching the receivers you haven't seen what Richard Goodman can do in a real game. Considering how good he has looked on the practice field, are you anxious to see what he will do this season?

I'm definitely excited. I felt so bad for him last year with all the injuries and stuff he went through. With him being a leader he wanted it so bad. I want him to come out and have a great time this year and go out with a bang. I definitely think he's going to have a great year for us.

Back in the spring you had some high praise for Jarmon Fortson. Now that he is entering his sophomore season is it time for him to turn his huge potential into production?

You are right. He is doing all right. When it's all said and done he is going to be right in the thick of things. We are going to go to him a lot in crucial situations. He has all the talent you want at the position and now he's beginning to be more consistent. If he continues to do that I think everything I said in the spring is going to come to light this season.

Late last year and through the offseason your unit got a lot of bad publicity for off the field problems. Have you had discussions with them in hopes of cutting down on this stuff?

I've talked to all of them. I sat down with them one-on-one and then I talked to them as a group and let them know that this is not acceptable. This is not Florida State football. Me being a guy that played here and now coaching here I've had a lot of former players calling and talking to me that are concerned about the guys (in my unit). I let them know that - they are not only representing what is here now, they are representing the past as well. I let them know, it ain't about you, it's about us. That's what it is, it's a family thing. You have to look at it and take it personal. When you see yourself getting it, you have to run away and flee from trouble. So far, they seem to be holding each other accountable, that's the good thing about it. If they continue to do that I think this year and the future will be bright for all of us.

Gene Williams is the founder and administrator of Warchant.com and writes stories and features covering all of FSU's sports with an emphasis on football and football recruiting. For seven years, Williams hosted a weekly sports radio show in Tallahassee. He currently appears as a weekly guest on 1010 XL Sports Radio in Jacksonville and 1270 The Team in Tallahassee during football season. Williams is also a former ACC correspondent for College Football News (weekly national newspaper), and contributes to The Osceola. Story about Gene Williams & Warchant.com.