Junior defensive tackle Eddie Goldman is expected back at practice Saturday
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 2 Florida State held physical practice indoors at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on Friday afternoon, as the Seminoles continue preparation for the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl matchup with Oregon.
“Another really good practice,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We had a hard, typical Tuesday practice – very physical – good-on-good; scout team work. I liked where we are mentally. I keep seeing young guys developing. The older guys are taking it very seriously. We were sound assignment-wise; technique-wise. It was a very good practice.”
Since this is the first year of the College Football Playoff, the Rose Bowl will be a National Semifinal game – and that presents new territory for Fisher and his staff.
“You’re usually putting everything into one (game), but you’ve just got to do it twice,” Fisher said. “It’s twice as tough because these really are championship games. Even though they’re not, they are. These are great football teams, and that’s why your’re in the final four. You’ve got to play them like a championship game and give everything. It’s the old term, ‘survive and advance.’ You’ve got to get by this one. You can’t be looking at a second one. You’ve got to pull out all stops to get through this one to get to the second one.”
The Seminoles have been practicing hard all week since last Sunday and will continue until Dec. 22, when the team will have off following a morning meeting and practice. FSU will regroup and head to Pasadena on Dec. 26.
Goldman Expected Back Tomorrow, Lawrence-Stample Getting More Reps
All-American junior defensive tackle Eddie Goldman is expected to practice on Saturday for the first time since injuring his ankle in the ACC Championship Game.
Redshirt junior nose tackle Nile Lawrence-Stample continues to get more reps in practice and is expected to start doing good-on-good contact drills. Fisher has said Lawrence-Stample, who began the season as the starting nose guard before suffering a torn pectoral muscle, could play versus Oregon.
Head Coach Jimbo Fisher Post-Practice Quotes
Opening Statement:
“Another really good practice. We had a hard, typical Tuesday practice – very physical – good-on-good; scout team work. I liked where we are mentally. I keep seeing young guys developing. The older guys are taking it very seriously. We were sound assignment-wise; technique-wise. It was a very good practice.”
On young players stepping up:
“When you have those runs like we’re able to have those young guys’ contributions…they’re development is a tribute to our assistant coaches who are doing a good job with those kids, and our upper classmen helping them along.”
On preparing for a playoff game that is not a championship:
“You’re usually putting everything into one (game), but you’ve just got to do it twice. It’s twice as tough because these really are championship games. Even though they’re not, they are. These are great football teams, and that’s why your’re in the final four. You’ve got to play them like a championship game and give everything. It’s the old term, ‘survive and advance.’ You’ve got to get by this one. You can’t be looking at a second one. You’ve got to pull out all stops to get through this one to get to the second one.”
On the playoff being new territory:
“From this point, I don’t think it is. I think it will be after this…You have to think about it now. It is affecting some of the decisions you make now on how you may do things.”
“I’ve been in I-AA playoffs myself and we’ve talked to other guys in that regard. It’s very similar to that. We’ve all been in it at some point in our life.”
On the NFL Draft:
“We’ve started the discussion with all of our guys. And it’s not just discussion, but the thought process that goes on.”
On academic status of players on the team:
“Everybody is good. This is a very, very tough academic school; a very challenging school. Our guys are doing a great job, and our academic support system. You can play football. You can relax and not worry about everything and all those exams.”
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