Method to their madness: FSU coaches turned up preseason heat for a reason

It was the sort of scene that said it all without anyone saying much.

About seven or eight Florida State players -- most of them offensive linemen -- soaked their aching bodies in cold tubs. The only sounds breaking the silence came from the avalanche of ice cubes hitting the tubs.

Senior wide receiver Kermit Whitfield was not with his teammates. He was in an air-conditioned room slumped in a chair. The No. 8 on the front of his garnet practice jersey was soaked in sweat, while his pants were covered with dirt and grass stains.

"Make sure you wear sunscreen," a training staff member told Whitfield, who was so tired he stared off in the distance.

Florida State's second preseason scrimmage inside Doak Campbell was finished. Players were drained after a two-hour practice in unforgiving 96-degree heat in the middle of the day.

Two days earlier, Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher had explained to reporters that this year's camp was designed to be tougher than usual. The practices were extended a little bit longer; the hitting sessions were more intense.

The idea, he said, was to prepare the Seminoles' youngest players for a demanding schedule that features five opponents ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 (not including Miami at No. 26). It also was designed to help the veterans develop their leadership skills.

“We’re an experienced team, but we’re a young team,” Fisher said. “We’re counting on some young guys too. So I want to see some guys take new roles and really grind through some things. Because we’ve got a heck of a schedule, and there’s going to be adversity during that schedule. And we’ve got to be ready for it.”