Fisher hoping to set rotation on O-line
Several spots remain unsettled with opener just two weeks away.
TALLAHASSEE — With the season opener against Texas State two weeks away, Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher said it’s time to not just review practice film, but start making some decisions about his Seminoles.
That’s especially the case on the offensive line.
“You have to have eight to have a rotation,” Fisher said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “If you have more than that, we’re good. That’s how the NFL travels. We’ll have 10 in the rotation.
“We do have to start isolating. We have to make choices.”
Roderick Johnson is a guarantee at left tackle. Kareem Are appears to be holding things down at left guard.
Derrick Kelly (right tackle) and Wilson Bell (right guard) have emerged as front-runners at their positions. Centers Alec Eberle and Corey Martinez have seen time with the firstteam offensive line, but Eberle struggled at times in Saturday’s scrimmage.
“He had some snap issues,” Fisher said. “Cost the (starters) the first drive. We were driving right down the field and had a bad snap. Cost us a drive. He had two or three bad snaps. He hadn’t been doing it, but he did (Saturday).”
The question, though, is the same as it was over the summer. How will the pieces fit together on the first and second team? Fisher and offensive line coach Rick Trickett must find that ideal combination and chemistry.
“It’s a challenge,” Fisher said. “People have no idea.”
Quarterback battle: Statistics for Saturday’s closed scrimmage were not provided, but Fisher said he took positives and negatives away from how quarterbacks Everett Golson and Sean Maguire performed.
“Their numbers will come out really good,” Fisher said. “But there are a lot of things — game management — I want to get cleaned up. Consistency, game discipline.”
Running back shines: Tailback Mario Pender saw extensive playing time with the firstteam offense and was pleased with how he performed.
“It is just an opportunity that you have to really take advantage of,” said Pender, who moved up in the depth chart with Dalvin Cook’s suspension. “I feel like that is just an opportunity I have to seize right now.”