Senior center Austin Barron is back at practice
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State had another excellent practice on Tuesday at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility as the second-ranked Seminoles continue to get ready for Saturday’s clash with Miami.
With several players from South Florida on the roster, head coach Jimbo Fisher has told the Noles to manage their emotions for the nationally-televised rivalry game that will be held at Sun Life Stadium.
“They’ll be juiced up and happy and wanting to do good,” Fisher said. “That’s where you got to learn to keep your composure. Now going down there is different for some of these guys, but still being in some of the environments we’ve been in – out in Dallas, going to Louisville and that environment on the road, and even NC State. Everywhere we go now, it is packed and everyone is trying to beat us. So I think being in those atmospheres, it really does help you when it gets to these situations.”
One of those Seminoles from Miami, freshman running back Dalvin Cook, was not in pads for the second straight practice on Tuesday. However, Fisher said he expects the former Miami Central High School star to be ready for Wednesday’s practice in addition to this weekend’s matchup in hometown.
Cook, who was knocked out of the Virginia win with an injury, has two 100-yard games this season. Overall, he has rushed for 416 yards and five touchdowns on 79 carries (5.3 ypc).
“Dalvin was out running today,” Fisher said. “He ran in practice and expect him to be in pads tomorrow.”
Also full-go at practice was fellow backup running back Mario Pender, who has missed the last three games, and senior center Austin Barron, who missed the last four games after breaking his arm. Barron is from Fort Lauderdale and starred at South Florida prep power St. Thomas Aquinas along with classmates Rashad Greene and Bobby Hart and Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett.
“He’s on the active roster so we’ll try to get him in the game,” Fisher said of Barron. “He can play, but (redshirt freshman Ryan) Hoefeld’s still doing a great job, so, you know, we’ll see how it goes.”
Head Coach Jimbo Fisher Post-Practice Quotes
Opening Statement:
“Excellent Tuesday. One of our best ones. I really like the attitude, the execution in practice. Not only the energy level but very professional, come out and executed very well. Threw, caught, ran, defense I thought made plays. Good hustle when we competed against each other. Very productive (Tuesday). I really liked it.”
On redshirt sophomore Roberto Aguayo sitting out of today’s practice:
“Yeah, he’s fine. It is scheduled time (off). He’s had so many kicks, so much wear and tear and how we monitor through the year. He’ll take a day or two days here and there.
On using GPS technology during the games this season:
“It translates big time. Like how much…you see, we didn’t do a lot yesterday. A late game, wear and tear of the body, later in the season and how that can gauge… You know, the 48 hours after the game is very critical to your recovery and where you are at. So how that comes back you can gauge your Monday practices. You still get your mental reps, sometimes it’ll be more physical and you can do more. Or other times you just do more mental reps and make it more walkthrough type stuff.”
On the status of freshman running back Dalvin Cook:
“Great. Dalvin was out running today. He ran in practice and expect him to be in pads tomorrow.”
On redshirt junior linebacker Terrance Smith:
“He got a banged up knee, just a little bit. Not a knee hurt, but an injury that split (the skin) open. They just had to sew it back up and let it heal for a day or two and he’ll be fine.”
On having all three running backs back and healthy:
“Seven (redshirt sophomore Mario Pender) was really sharp today. He was back to the old, he had the old juice in him.”
On how senior center Austin Barron is doing coming off an injury:
“Excellent. Austin’s been great, right back in and ready to roll.”
On if Barron will play on Saturday:
“Yes. He’s on the active roster so we’ll try to get him in the game. He can play, but (redshirt freshman Ryan) Hoefeld’s still doing a great job, so, you know, we’ll see how it goes.”
On how guys from south Florida will handle playing in Miami:
“They do. They’ll be juiced up and happy and wanting to do good. That’s where you got to learn to keep your composure. Now going down there is different for some of these guys, but still being in some of the environments we’ve been in – out in Dallas, going to Louisville and that environment on the road, and even NC State. Everywhere we go now, it is packed and everyone is trying to beat us. So I think being in those atmospheres, it really does help you when it gets to these situations.”
On how he prepares players like Dalvin Cook who are from Miami and are very popular in the area:
“You explain to them, ‘Hey you’ve got to play this game like you did at NC State or Oklahoma State or Syracuse or whatever it is.’ But that’s part of growing. That’s still part of they have to handle it themselves. That’s all still individually that way.”
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