By Jim Lamar, Derek Redd, Pat Flynn, Gene Williams and Chris Nee

FSU wideouts getting physical

The new Florida State football coaching staff, namely new wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey, has brought a new mindset to the FSU receiving corps, a mindset that stresses blocking and physical play. Dawsey has made it clear to the receivers from day one that "if you don't block, you don't play."

Dawsey seems to have adopted the attitude of an offensive line coach when it comes to blocking. There isn't really anything pretty about it. It's all effort.

"Blocking is always a mental attitude," Dawsey said. "You want the technique and fundamentals to be there, but if you're going to put in the effort, you're gonna get it done. It ain't gonna happen all the time, but you're gonna win more than you lose if you have that mentality that I'm gonna get it done."

The message was sent last Saturday at Florida State's first live scrimmage. After a long completion downfield and a lot of open space, junior Richard Goodman laid a bone-crushing crack-back block on senior free safety Roger Williams who was closing in on the ball carrier.

The violent hit drew noise from the small crowd of spectators and the sidelines, and also sent Williams' helmet flying as well.

Goodman obviously got the memo, and sent it to the rest of the team. But Goodman knows that Dawsey isn't just looking for a big crack-back block every now and then.

"He wants us to become more physical ball players," Goodman said. "So that's the main thing we've been focusing on, you know, blocking drills and just getting on your man.

"From day one he just wanted to get that monkey off our back as far as us having that stereotype of being bad blockers," Goodman added.

As for Goodman's hit on Williams, he admitted it was nice to lay a lick on a defender, but insists it was nothing more than a good block.

"Yeah, we were just out there playing football," Goodman said. "It wasn't a get-back thing, or anybody playing dirty. We were just out there playing football, you know, everybody out there competing."

Senior wide receiver De'Cody Fagg has adopted Dawsey's new coaching methods and believes that Dawsey will do nothing but help make him a more complete receiver.

"Yeah, he's been getting on us about our blocking," Fagg said. "He said he liked the effort with the blocking, but there is a little bit we need to work on, so we got two more weeks of spring. We just gotta work hard and try and get everything done."

Dawsey has been teaching the receivers more than just blocking this spring. Fagg says he expects his players to catch, tuck and finish every play.

The Seminoles' secondary has noticed the receivers' changed attitude and effort in blocking on running plays and after the catch. In fact, they welcome it.

"The receivers, they block a lot better this year," freshman rover Myron Rolle said. "They're a lot more physical and I think they are gonna try and compete for the ball a little more, and that's a good thing. That helps us get better."

Rolle made it clear that if the receivers are going to be physical, the defense will be more physical.

"When we have the opportunity to lay them out we're gonna do it," Rolle said. "You know it's not even a question. I know if I see a receiver, and Roger himself too, sees a receiver open and susceptible to a hit, you know, we're gonna make that play."

Parker separates shoulder

Rising sophomore Preston Parker had impressed FSU coaches this spring with his performance in practice, but the wide receiver/kick returner likely will spend some time on the shelf.

Parker separated his shoulder during Wednesday afternoon's half-scrimmage at Doak Campbell Stadium. The severity of the injury was unknown as of Wednesday night, but it likely will take a little time to heal.

Before the injury, Parker began to show flashes of the ability that made him one of the state's top recruits and allowed him to run with the first-team offense in the last couple of scrimmages. In Florida State's second half-scrimmage of the spring on Monday, Parker caught three passes for 72 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown from Xavier Lee. Lee found Parker on short route that Parker turned into a big gain, thanks in part to a block from fellow wide receiver Greg Carr.

Parker nearly had another touchdown off a Lee pass in that scrimmage, but was stopped at the 1-yard line. Parker also had drawn praise for his blocking, an area in which the receivers needed to improve from last season. His block on Patrick Robinson in the first scrimmage of the season allowed receiver Joslin Shaw to turn a short pass into a 17-yard gain.

His impressive spring came after a freshman season where he saw very few balls thrown his way. Parker caught just two passes for 26 yards and rushed three times for 13 yards in 2006. He also returned one punt for 10 yards and one kick for 21 yards.

Parker's move up the Seminoles' depth chart was so sudden, even head coach Bobby Bowden pulled a few people aside to compliment him on his performance, a rarity for the 41-year coaching veteran.

Studying LSU

Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jimbo Fisher hasn't exactly buried his history with the LSU program since he arrived at FSU. In fact, Fisher has brought some LSU game film with him – and he's sharing it with his quarterbacks.

Fisher said the reason for showing LSU film to his new players has nothing to do with showing off the work that quarterback JaMarcus Russell had with the Tigers this past season. Russell is considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the NFL Draft this spring.

"We watch video of our offense because of the plays in which we ran," Fisher said. "That's the system we ran. It's not to be like [Russell], but to see how the play was executed properly and when it wasn't executed properly. It's just a teaching method."

Fisher said he has no interest in trying to draw comparisons between Russell and Xavier Lee.

"Any time you compare two players, it's unfair to both of them," Fisher said. "Xavier will be his own player."

Fisher did say he did some film study of his own from last season. He said he watched FSU's game films, but not to use that as a barometer for his quarterbacks.

"We watched some tapes of them," Fisher said. "I was watching tapes of the league to see who we were playing to get an idea of how they are. I didn't want to have a preconceived notion on the quarterbacks."

Kelly returns to action

Linebacker Anthony Kelly practiced in a live scrimmage for the first time in a year and a half. The rising senior admitted it took a little time to shake the rust off.

"It was a little weird, a little sketchy," Kelly said. "But once I got a little contact in me I was alright, got the cobwebs out."

Kelly was sidelined half way through his junior year with a chronic groin injury, and then sat out all of last year with a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Kelly has practiced all week with no limitations, but said there is nothing that can substitute a live scrimmage.

"A live scrimmage is different because I haven't done a live scrimmage in a year and a half, so it felt good though. I made a couple of plays, a couple mistakes. But I got a lot of time to improve. I want to get better."

Kelly said he is just excited to be at 100 percent for the first time in a long time, but things will get a bit more interesting next week. New linebackers coach Chuck Amato seemed please with Kelly's play and has some things in mind for him.

"I'm going to move him to 'Will' (weak-side linebacker) on Monday. I want to get him on the field," Amato said. "Even before (Rodney) Gallon sat out today with a hamstring, I wanted to get him a lot more snaps. I want to see him. I want to give them all a fair shot and I think if he loses a little more weight then he's going to be fine."

There have been some recent rumors on Kelly possibly moving to tight end, but Kelly laughed at the thought.

"No. I like the way I'm progressing so far in practice," he said. "I feel good. I feel fluid. The shoulder's doing good, so I'm good on defense."

Robinson looking to the future

Rising sophomore cornerback Jamie Robinson and the entire defense were on their heels at the start of Saturday's scrimmage. After a couple series, the defense shook the rust off and took command of the action in the second portion of the scrimmage.

"It did take the defense a little while to get going," Robinson said. "After the coaches got onto us, we got fired up and got things done. It felt good to be able to get things done."

Shaking the rust off was a good feeling for Robinson. Last season, the boundary corner battled different ailments including a severe ankle sprain that never seemed to fully heal. Due to those setbacks, the physical cornerback missed a game and was limited in what he could do on the field.

Robinson says he is still not 100 percent but says he is better able to play through the pain.

"I am not fully healthy, but it does feel good to come back out here and play," Robinson said. "I am always going to play. I can play with little injuries. I have ever since high school. I just fight through it and try to play."

Even with his mental toughness, there were times last year when he felt handcuffed with his inability to do certain things.

"Last year I had a lot of things running through my mind, playing-wise," Robinson said. "I just told myself I had to do what I could do but there were times where I was unable to do anything. That was tough that it turned out that way."

With a difficult freshman campaign behind him, Robinson, who is currently listed as the starting right cornerback, is ready to make a major impact in the secondary this upcoming season.

"I am looking ahead," Robinson said. "I am looking forward to doing something this year."

Smith now the No. 1 RB

It's not that running back Antone Smith ever minded sharing. It's just that he doesn't mind not having to share as much these days.

Last season, Smith had to share carries in the backfield with senior Lorenzo Booker, a scenario that had been in place in prior seasons with other running backs. That's not the case this year, as he's gotten the lion's share of the carries this spring.

"That's just kind of been (the new coaches') thing since they've gotten here," Smith said. "If you're going to be the guy, you're going to be the guy. When you're tired, you'll come out for a few plays and go right back in. You earned it and that's pretty much what it's going to be."

Smith almost got a taste of being the No. 1 running back last year, but it was short lived. The junior was named the starter against Western Michigan – which allowed Booker to be used more as a receiver – but Smith dislocated his elbow in the game and was lost for the rest of the season.

Now that he's back, he can feel a difference in the offense, a difference for the better.

"It feels a lot different," he said. "Right now, I think we're a little further along than the end of the last spring, so that's a good thing. We'll just get better and better."

He can also feel a difference when he hits the holes, a compliment to his offensive line. The FSU line – maligned last year for its inability to effectively run block – has a new, streamlined look and a new coach in Rick Trickett. Smith said both things have worked toward the line's benefit.

"The biggest thing is the speed," he said. "They're moving pretty quick and getting to the linebackers pretty quick. We're making plays. They're making us look good and we're making them look good."

Yet, even though Smith likely is the man in the backfield, he hasn't lost his hunger.

"I don't feel like I'm the guy," Smith said. "I'm just out here competing like everyone else. That's y'all's job right there (to talk about starters). I'm just going to come out and compete and do my best."

Edwards done with 'jinx'

Pride is a big part of football but goal-line drills take it to a new level. The defense wants to deny the offense, the offense wants to punch it in and put seven on the board. Whenever the drill is run during a Florida State practice, the coaches sometimes get into it more than the players do.

At the conclusion of Saturday's scrimmage, the defense held the upper hand in goal-line drills, stopping the offense on six of eight tries. However, one particular player was able to find the end zone for the offense both times -- rising junior running back Jamaal Edwards.

"We wanted into the end zone," Edwards said of the goal-line drills. "They called my number and I just wanted to get in there. I wasn't going to be denied."

Most of all though, it was the first time in a long time for Edwards to contribute in some fashion, after having his redshirt sophomore campaign marred by injuries. He said that the spring has gone extremely well and that last year taught him a lesson that has carried over to spring practices.

"I am feeling comfortable and most importantly I am having fun and it is great to be back out there," Edwards said. "When you are hurt like I was last year, you realize just how much you love the game when you can't play it. So now that I am back out there, I'm not taking anything for granted."

Edwards, a former Rivals100 member, has a simple goal for spring practice -- to be the type of running back that Florida State expected when they signed him out of North Carolina.

"I am trying to get the feel back," Edwards said. "I am also trying to show out and learn the system. Most of all, I just want to contribute. If I can contribute out here then I can contribute in the game. I play against a great defense every day so if I can have success out here, I think I can have success against anyone."

Edwards said a big reason for his new positive attitude is the feedback he is receiving from his new position coach, former NFL running back Dexter Carter.

"I love working with him," Edwards said. "He can relate to you. He is a players' coach. He played the position and he has been where each and every one of us is trying to get. He can definitely help you if you listen to him. He also helps you in life situations, he is just a great guy and a great coach to be playing for."

Andrews wants improved 'D'

Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews felt his unit's performance in the team's initial scrimmage was OK.

"But OK might put you back out on the West Coast," he said. "That's not where the big bowl is."

A few months removed from playing in San Francisco's Emerald Bowl, Andrews wants the defense to play at a level that could put them in line for a trip to New Orleans, La., and the Bowl Championship Series title game.

To reach that level, Andrews wants improved play not just from the starters, but the reserves as well. If the upcoming season is anything like last season's cavalcade of injuries, those reserves might become starters sooner than they thought.

"Our objective is to keep them from scoring any points," Andrews said. "The (first team) didn't give up any (touchdowns). The (second team) gave up two. If we're going to put them in the ball game – not that the ones are playing at the level we want them to yet – the twos have to raise their level of play if they want in the game and want to get any reps. We've still got some growing up to do. We've got some kids who weren't in there that need to work."

Carter showing grit this spring

Corner Tony Carter is playing like a starter, Andrews said, adding that he might be the only corner able to say that right now.

"I don't know if we've got another starting corner on the other side now," Andrews said. "We've got solid backups. We're trying to get someone to step up and say I'm the one."

That's not a problem with Carter, who Andrews said is showing a toughness that goes beyond his size. A Sporting News Freshman All-American, he returned two interceptions, a blocked field goal and a blocked extra point for scores as a sophomore.

Carter stands just 5-foot-9 and weighs 160 pounds, but Andrews said he plays much bigger than that.

"Tony's a worker," Andrews said. "He's got some pride. I wish everybody got as much out of their body as Tony did.

"We've got some big ol' guys, some linebackers and safeties and our bigger corners, that don't play as big as he does," he added. "It ain't how far you move the notch on the scale. It's how big you play that's all that matters. We've had little kids that played big before. Tony'll keep fighting."

3-on-3 on the gridiron

A new tackling drill has become a spectator favorite this spring, a vertical 3-on-3 drill that forces a ball carrier to run through a gauntlet of a defensive lineman, linebacker and a defensive back. An offensive lineman, running back or tight end and wide receiver are there to help him through.

Andrews said it might be new at Florida State, but it's nothing new around college football.

"A lot of people run it," he said. "Georgia runs it. (Offensive line coach Rick Trickett) and them ran it at West Virginia. People call it different things."

Andrews likens the drill to a toe-to-toe boxing match and said it can show players a lot about what their teammates will do to make a play.

"There's not much technique to it," he said. "We're trying to see who will fight to get off and make a tackle. The offense is trying to sustain a block and the back is trying to score. It's a competitive drill. Who will get into the fight and win the fight?

"We've still got guys acting like it's a 15-round fight," Andrews added. "It's about a four-second fight. Maybe it's not even four seconds. It puts them on an island. Their teammates will get to see who will fight and who won't."