Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Senior achievement

By Compiled by BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 31, 2000

Brian Allen

POS: LB

HT: 6-2

WT: 225

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Lake City

HIGH SCHOOL: Columbia

COMMENT: Allen, the defensive captain, was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. He tied for the team lead in tackles with 102, a career-best, and broke up 10 passes.

Justin Amman

POS: Guard

HT: 6-4

WT: 305

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Eustis

HIGH SCHOOL: Eustis

COMMENT: Amman, a first-team all-ACC selection, has started 22 straight games. He allowed just two sacks this season and is one of 15 seniors to earn a degree (in nutrition and fitness).

Ross Brannon

POS: OT

HT: 6-8

WT: 310

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Marietta, Ga.

HIGH SCHOOL: Lassiter

COMMENT: Brannon, who had started 25 straight games before suffering a knee injury early in 1999, missed all of this season following radical ligament-replacement surgery. He has applied for a sixth year.

Jerry Carmichael

POS: Guard

HT: 6-4

WT: 310

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Plantation

HIGH SCHOOL: Plantation

COMMENT: Carmichael, who overcame a knee injury in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl to return to the starting lineup last season, missed the 2000 season after re-injuring the knee in the preseason.

Jeff Chaney

POS: Tailback

HT: 6-0

WT: 200

AGE: 24

HOMETOWN: Lake Wales

HIGH SCHOOL: Lake Wales

COMMENT: Chaney, the team's second-leading rusher (346 yards, three touchdowns) who had demonstrated a penchant for the big play, tore his ACL and MCL against Wake Forest on Nov. 11 and faces 6-8 months of rehab.

Tay Cody

POS: Cornerback

HT: 5-11

WT: 180

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Blakely, Ga.

HIGH SCHOOL: Early County

COMMENT: Cody, a four-year starter, blossomed into one of the nation's top corners with 81 tackles, six interceptions and 12 passes broken up, all career highs. College Football News named him a first-team All-American.

Keith Cottrell

POS: Punter

HT: 6-4

WT: 205

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Orlando

HIGH SCHOOL: Boone

COMMENT: Cottrell, a finalist for the inaugural Ray Guy Award, averaged 41.3 yards. He also held on PATs and FGs for the first time and was instrumental in the development of FSU's young kickers.

Char-ron Dorsey

POS: OT

HT: 6-7

WT: 325

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Jacksonville

HIGH SCHOOL: Bolles

COMMENT: Dorsey planned to redshirt, but with injuries to starters Tarlos Thomas and sophomore Brett Williams, he helped anchor the line and earn first-team all-ACC honors.

Nick Franklin

POS: Tight end

HT: 6-3

WT: 255

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: St. Petersburg

HIGH SCHOOL: Osceola/Southwest Mississippi JC

COMMENT: Franklin has been derailed by knee injuries the past two years. One to his left cost him all of last season, but he has come back from a torn right MCL.

Derrick Gibson

HT: 6-

WT: 207

AGE: 21

HOMETOWN: Miami

HIGH SCHOOL: Killian

COMMENT: Gibson, a savvy, speedy, punishing hitter, is a three-year starter. Has has 72 tackles, broke up seven passes, picked off two and recovered three fumbles. A projected first-rounder.

Donald Heaven

POS: OT

HT: 6-5

WT: 305

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Miami

HIGH SCHOOL: Carol City

COMMENT: Heaven, one of FSU's most powerful players (510-pound bench press) and versatile linemen, has been a valuable reserve, especially when Tarlos Thomas went down.

Jean Jeune

POS: LB

HT: 5-10

WT: 195

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Boynton Beach

HIGH SCHOOL: Atlantic

COMMENT: Jeune, a former walk-on originally from Haiti, earned a scholarship and was named the special teams captain this year.

Marvin Minnis

POS: Receiver

HT: 6-1

WT: 185

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Miami

HIGH SCHOOL: Northwestern

COMMENT: Minnis, overshadowed by Peter Warrick for his first three years, enjoyed a breakout season (63 catches, 1,340 yards, 11 touchdowns) to earn All-America honors. But he was declared academically ineligible for the bowl.

Travis Minor

POS: Tailback

HT: 6-1

WT: 190

AGE: 21

HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge, La.

HIGH SCHOOL: Catholic

COMMENT: Minor didn't put up the gaudy stats expected from the former national prep player of the year yet became the first to lead FSU in rushing four years.

Jarad Moon

POS: Center

HT: 6-4

WT: 300

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Panama City

HIGH SCHOOL: Bay

COMMENT: Moon has been a steady, heady presence -- he calls the blocking schemes -- on a line that helped the offense to set single-season school records for passing yards (4,608) and touchdowns (36).

Marcus Outzen

POS: Quarterback

HT: 6-2

WT: 220

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Fort Walton Beach

HIGH SCHOOL: Fort Walton Beach

COMMENT: With the exception of an interception against Georgia Tech, Outzen has been solid. He has completed 24 of 35 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns.

Tommy Polley

POS: LB

HT: 6-5

WT: 233

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Baltimore

HIGH SCHOOL: Dunbar

COMMENT: Returning a couple weeks ahead of schedule after off-season knee surgery, Polley looked as though he had never been hurt. He had 100 tackles, seven for a loss.

Jamal Reynolds

POS: DE

HT: 6-4

WT: 254

AGE: 21

HOMETOWN: Aiken, S.C.

HIGH SCHOOL: Aiken

COMMENT: Living up to the legacy of Peter Boulware, Reinard Wilson and Andre Wadsworth, Reynolds had a team-high 12 sacks. He won the Lombardi Award and was a consensus All-American. He's a sure first-round draft pick.

Roland Seymour

POS: DE

HT: 6-4

WT: 264

AGE: 21

HOMETOWN: New Orleans

HIGH SCHOOL: St. Augustine

COMMENT: Seymour, an electrifying talent who was contemplating leaving early for the NFL before he suffered a knee injury in the Sugar Bowl, never truly recovered. He played in just the Miami game and is out for the Orange.

Ryan Sprague

POS: TE

HT: 6-5

WT: 260

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Augusta, Ga.

HIGH SCHOOL: Lakeside

COMMENT: Sprague, a starter as a junior, moved back into that role when Nick Franklin went out and had a huge season, at least for a tight end at FSU. He had 12 catches for 212 yards, more than doubling his stats from 1999.

Clevan Thomas

POS: Cornerback

HT: 6-0

WT: 175

AGE: 21

HOMETOWN: Miami

HIGH SCHOOL: Miami Senior

COMMENT: Thomas, overshadowed by Tay Cody and even safeties Derrick Gibson and junior Chris Hope, has been invaluable and steady. He broke up nine passes and had two picks. He averaged 13.4 yards on punt returns.

Tarlos Thomas

POS: OT

HT: 6-5

WT: 320

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Monticello

HIGH SCHOOL: Jefferson County

COMMENT: Thomas, who started every game as a sophomore and junior, could return for the Orange Bowl after injuring his right knee on Oct. 14. Despite missing five games, he still was named the ACC's top blocker.

David Warren

POS: DE

HT: 6-5

WT: 250

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Tyler, Texas

HIGH SCHOOL: John Tyler

COMMENT: Warren, heralded as one of the most talented ends to come to FSU, finally lived up to expectations with 19 tackles for a loss, including nine sacks and 12 quarterback hurries.

Chris Weinke

POS: QB

HT: 6-5

WT: 228

AGE: 28

HOMETOWN: St. Paul, Minn.

HIGH SCHOOL: Cretin-Derham Hall

COMMENT: Weinke, Bobby Bowden's first three-year starter at quarterback, had a record-setting season (4,167 yards, 33 touchdowns). The first-team All-American won the Johnny Unitas and Davey O'Brien awards as well as the biggest prize, the Heisman Trophy.

Randy Wilkins

POS: DE

HT: 6-3

WT: 245

AGE: 23

HOMETOWN: Jacksonville

HIGH SCHOOL: Nease

COMMENT: Wilkins, a former walk-on rewarded with a scholarship before his junior year, moved from tackle to end to add needed depth. He appeared in eight games with eight tackles.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright