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WR Gardner grabs the spotlight

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 30, 2001

TALLAHASSEE -- He missed the first couple of days of practice when he returned home for his grandmother's funeral, but Florida State junior receiver Talman Gardner didn't miss a beat.

Gardner, who had FSU's touchdown in last weekend's debacle at North Carolina, provided two highlight-film catches on FSU's second series Saturday.

He made a stellar one-handed catch for 41 yards as he raced down the left sideline, then capped the drive by reaching up for a 4-yard touchdown catch.

FIRST ONE A BIG ONE: FSU redshirt freshman receiver B.J. Ward, moved from defensive back a couple of weeks ago to bolster the injury-riddled position, had his first catch Saturday: a 31-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter.

FIRST-TIMERS: Sophomore defensive end Charles Howard and redshirt sophomore cornerback Rufus Brown started for the first time in their FSU careers. Howard earned a starting spot after fall practices but injured his groin and didn't start or even play much. Brown cracked the lineup when redshirt junior cornerback Malcolm Tatum broke a bone in his right hand last week.

HAND IT TO HIM: Junior cornerback Stanford Samuels, as promised, eschewed casts on both his hands for heavy taping. (Both thumbs are injured.) He said the casts prevented him from protecting the ball, which proved costly at North Carolina when he fumbled an interception return.

MAINTAINING ANOTHER STREAK: The Seminoles kept another impressive streak alive. They haven't lost back-to-back games since the end of the 1991 season.

CLOSING IN ON HISTORY: FSU's Bobby Bowden has 318 career wins, leaving him one behind Glenn "Pop" Warner for third on the Division I-A list.

LOCAL CONNECTION: Wake Forest redshirt freshman fullback/linebacker Trevor Harris is a former star at Shorecrest Prep, where he teamed with two current Seminoles, special-teams standout Patrick Newton and kicker Jesse Stein. The Demon Deacons' backup punter, sophomore Chris Rolle, prepped at Tampa Hillsborough.

RECOGNIZING SUCCESS: During the pregame ceremonies, FSU honored Mike Martin (baseball), JoAnne Graf (softball), Sue Semrau (women's basketball) and Cecile Reynaud (volleyball), all of whom won ACC coach of the year honors in 2000-01. Patrick Baker (women's soccer) also was recognized for leading FSU to the NCAA Tournament for the first time; it reached the Sweet 16.

INJURY REPORT: FSU junior defensive end Alonzo Jackson sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and said he will have X-rays Monday. Sophomore defensive tackle Jeff Womble hyperextended his left elbow, senior fullback William McCray sprained his left ankle, sophomore linebacker Kendyll Pope bruised his ribs and senior safety Abdual Howard and freshman defensive back Claudius Osei sustained cervical burners.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW: In case you chose not to go the pay-per-view route, Sunshine Network will rebroadcast the game at 7 tonight and again Monday at 12:30 p.m.

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