Colleges

FSU revamps offense's playbook and mind-set

Learning new X's and O's from a new offensive staff has been only a part of the spring.

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published April 14, 2007

For Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford and the rest of the offense, learning new X's and O's from a new offensive staff has been only a part of the spring.

And maybe not the most critical part.

Weatherford, the former Land O'Lakes High standout who is battling Xavier Lee on even terms for the starting job as the Seminoles wrap up 15 days of practice with the annual Garnet & Gold Game today, said the "biggest changes" are less obvious.

"We do a lot of things now we didn't do in previous years; like after we have a scrimmage, we come together as an offense and watch the film," he said, rather than in groups by positions.

That's important how?

Well, it has allowed the quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, tight ends and linemen to see and hear why a play succeeded or failed and how all 11 players had something to do with it.

"It's caused a lot of accountability to occur throughout the team," Weatherford said.

If one person doesn't do what he's supposed to do, there's a ripple effect, especially on offense, where a stellar individual effort doesn't often mask a breakdown by someone else.

"You have to develop accountability and dependability," said Jimbo Fisher, FSU's new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. "When you walk on the field, you have to know you're accountable to the guy next to you."

If that sounds rather basic, well, it is. But Fisher and fellow new offensive assistants, line coach Rick Trickett, receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey and running backs coach Dexter Carter have spent the past few weeks redoing the foundation.

"They've got to understand the process; why they are doing everything they're doing," Fisher said. "If they don't understand why, we'll never have consistency, and consistency is what we're looking for. The process is the whole key."

Different plays. Different receiving routes. Different blocking techniques. Different practice tempo and intensity. The Seminoles have been force-fed those as well.

"It's definitely been a learning experience," Weatherford said.

But there has been progress:

- The running game. Last year, the Seminoles averaged just 96.54 yards, last in the ACC and 103rd out of 119 Division I-A teams.

"We have to be a balanced team ... and we've gotten better," Fisher said. "We're nowhere near perfect, but an understanding of where to go and what to do is there."

- The passing game. Last year, the Seminoles were too often in tough down-and-distance situations. That's why they averaged 330.31 yards of offense 70th nationally and 26.54 points (45th) and finished 7-6.

But as the pass protection has improved, as the receivers have grasped new assignments better, as the quarterbacks have continued to compete and push one another, the passing game has taken flight.

In Wednesday's scrimmage, Weatherford was 7-of-11 for 167 yards and three touchdowns, Lee 7-of-11 for 68 yards and a touchdown and Christian Ponder 4-of-5 for 48 yards and a touchdown. That's a combined 283 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

"The offense as a whole has made large strides forward," said sophomore-to-be Caz Piurowski, the former Land O'Lakes star who has moved from tight end to right tackle.

Times correspondent D.C. Reeves contributed to this report. Brian Landman can be reached at landman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3347.

Fast Facts:

FSU: Garnet & Gold Game

When/where: 2 p.m. today; Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee

Admission: Free

[Last modified April 13, 2007, 23:34:29]