Fisher to fans: We’ll coach them better
TALLAHASSEE — Moral victories never count toward a team’s overall record, but Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher seemingly accepted one after his first loss to Miami during his eight-year tenure with the Seminoles.
After respectfully congratulating Miami (4-0, 2-0 ACC) following a 24-20 defeat on Saturday night, Fisher praised young quarterback James Blackman and his offense for putting together its second fourth-quarter comeback in as many weeks and FSU’s defense for keeping the Seminoles in the game the entire night.
He went out of his way to congratulate his own team, despite the unranked Seminoles falling to 1-3 for the first time since Bobby Bowden’s first season at FSU in 1976.
“Congratulations to Miami. They did a heckuva job, played a heckuva football game and made the plays when they had to at the end,” Fisher said at the start of his postgame press conference.
“Congratulations to Florida State. Florida State played a helluva football game, too. Made plays when they had to, too.”
As FSU (1-3, 1-2) suffered their second consecutive home loss for the first time since 1974, the Seminoles are reeling after their fourth game of the disrupted 2017 season.
Miami, led by quarterback Malik Rosier, escaped with a victory thanks to a gamewinning touchdown caught by receiver Darrell Langham, ending FSU’s sevenyear reign in the rivalry.
As for the Seminoles, Fisher told his players not to hang their heads and take solace in their play despite losing a classic rivalry game.
Fisher, when asked by media, also had a message for fans following the loss: “keep cheering” because the players are “playing their hearts out.”
The Seminoles nearly pulled off their second comeback win in as many weeks after Blackman led two touchdown scoring drives in the fourth quarter, culminating with a touchdown pass to injured receiver Auden Tate with 1:24 remaining, reminiscent of FSU’s first win of the season at Wake Forest last week.
After FSU’s defense surrendered a late touchdown, in a similar fashion to the late game-winning field goal North Carolina scored in the first weekend of October last season, the Seminoles are bruised, but they remain hopeful for an improvement at the end of this season.
“It’s tough to swallow because we had it in our hands, and to lose to your rival like that is tough,” FSU running back Jacques Patrick said before bringing up the improvements FSU and USC made last season.
“The biggest thing is just staying motivated, and [finding] a purpose. Every day we go out there and find a purpose, find a reason to get better, find a why. At the end of the day, that’s the biggest thing.”
The Seminoles, who need five wins in their final seven games to become bowl eligible for the 36th straight season, have to make vast improvements in a hurry to salvage the 2017 season. FSU may even try to reschedule its Sept. 9 tilt against Louisiana-Monroe at the end of the season to add another game after it was canceled due to Hurricane Irma.
“We'll coach them better. Blame it on me,” Fisher said. “… What's the message? I mean, you don't want to come watch them? I understand you're getting frustrated. I'm frustrated. We all get frustrated when we don't have success, but we line up and go again. That's what you do when you support something. Keep supporting us, and we'll end up having a good year.
“I love our fans. Our fans were great today. They had a great atmosphere, great environment. I understand where they're coming from, and I don't blame them. I'm with you.
“We're used to winning all those little games. We're finding ways in the inches now, and we've got to make one more play.”