The Warchant Wrap: Monday, Sept. 26, 2016 edition

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Watching his offense score 28 straight points did more than give Florida State a 55-35 win against South Florida on Saturday. Coach Jimbo Fisher said seeing improved blocking from the offensive line and skill players downfield can help the Seminoles establish an offensive identity going forward.

"You go back and watch that film now, our offensive line put hats on hats, did not have penalties, staff communicated and checked, did the things we had to do," Fisher said. "Tight ends blocked their tails off."

Redshirt sophomore tight end Ryan Izzo executed one block so well against the Bulls, he drove his man through the back of the end zone. Fisher also said redshirt sophomore tight end Mavin Saunders had his best game as a Seminole.

Fisher also praised Travis Rudolph and FSU's other receivers for opening up holes for star tailback Dalvin Cook and sophomore running back Jacques Patrick, who became the third FSU duo to rush for 200 yards and 100 yards, respectively, in a single game.

Cook rushed for a career-best 267 yards and two touchdowns, marking the second-best individual rushing performance in FSU history. Patrick rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown.

FSU ran 82 plays, and 63 came on the ground. The Seminoles rushed for 478 yards and six touchdowns. Fullback Freddie Stevenson scored two touchdowns while quarterback Deondre Francois rushed for one touchdown and 75 yards.

"There's still a lot of stuff we've gotta improve on," Cook said. "We know what we're capable of as an offense. The numbers we go out there and put up, and when we're clicking, it shows what we can do.

"We just try and go out there and clean things up, which we've still got a lot to clean up. We know what we're capable of doing over here."

The "Jimbo Fisher to LSU" rumor mill was reignited Sunday afternoon when the Southeastern Conference power fired coach Les Miles and Tigers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

Fisher was at LSU from 2000 to 2006 and served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. When LSU nearly parted way with Miles toward the end of the 2015 season, it was reported Fisher was the school's top choice.

Several outlets have reported Fisher or Houston coach Tom Herman are LSU's preferred candidates.

"I'm here at Florida State, I love it at Florida State, and we have a lot of work to get better here," Fisher told Wake Up Warchant on Sunday evening.

He was asked about it again during his Monday press conference.

"I'm not talking about LSU," Fisher said. "We're talking about [playing] North Carolina."

Fisher did open up about the effect midseason coaching changes can have on a team and college football as a whole. Aside from LSU, Notre Dame also fired defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, while FIU also fired head coach Ron Turner on Sunday.

He said the increase in midseason removals could lead down a dangerous path for the sport.

"You want to turn it into pro football, you better be careful," Fisher said. "Better be careful for what you ask for. So you say when the season is over ... a team can't get into the [College Football Playoff] so a team tanks, says, 'heck with it, we can't go.'

"That's the thing you jeopardize when you start all these playoffs. College football is not pro football."

-- "I was not frustrated. I was not frustrated. Everybody keeps saying I was frustrated. I was not frustrated at all. I just gave you factual answers. You asked the question, 'What was the difference?' We did our job. 'What was the difference when they started scoring?' We didn't do our job. We were there -- and that's not frustration, that's fact. I wasn't frustrated. I want to make every play on offense and defense. We weren't perfect in any phase, but we're getting better and we're doing good things and we got to get ... some of those young guys have to continue to grow and develop and make plays." -- FSU coach Jimbo Fisher on his demeanor after Saturday's 55-35 win over South Florida.

-- "I don't really listen to stuff outside of that. I just kinda stay within the team. I trust [Seminoles defensive coordinator Charles] Kelly. He's doing a great job for us all year, and so I just kinda stay within the team. We trust each other, we know our capabilities and we're going to be fine." -- Sophomore defensive back Marcus Lewis on the outside pressures facing the team's defensive coordinator, Charles Kelly

-- "Any time you can get the run game going, it's super important. Especially as an offense because when you can get the run game going, that opens up the opportunity to pass the ball more, and it keeps the defense more up and on their heels. So just knowing we had a game like that and we were one yard short for getting the record for our school, it makes it awesome to know at any moment we can run the ball or they can pick it up and pass it." -- Sophomore offensive lineman Alec Eberle on his team's offensive performance against USF

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