Organized Chaos

The 2008 season isn’t officially over, but for all intents and purposes, the Florida State Seminoles are gazing toward next year after falling short yet again.

Florida State will lose a lot of talent on defense, which is not a good thing.

FSU is 8-4 heading into another lesser bowl game. The Seminoles improved, based on record alone.

They also were better on offense in the second year of Jimbo Fisher’s system. However, an experienced defense that was expected to carry the team was a liability in some games and was never as dominant as needed to truly turn the program around.

FSU will lose at least four starters and another top backup along the defensive line. The list includes top cover corner Tony Carter and linebackers Toddrick Verdell and Derek Nicholson.

You might be able to add Everette Brown and Myron Rolle to the list of departed stars. Though they are both juniors, I could see Brown bolting for the NFL.

As for Rolle, he has already wrapped up studies at FSU and may go to Oxford next fall. He’s already made it clear that academics are more important than football.

That’s not a bad thing, but it might not bode well for FSU next season.

This could lead to a lot of shootouts because the backups and some of the returning would-be seniors just aren’t talented enough to bring the Seminoles back to prominence on that side of the ball. This unit was supposed to be really good this season. They were only OK.

Offensively, the Seminoles need quick progression out of Christian Ponder. That is, if he’s going to bethe starter. Redshirted freshman E.J. Manuel was Fisher’s prized recruit and he will be given a chance to compete for the job.

I think Ponder is the odd-on favorite to start, simply because he’s now worked in the offense for two season and was a starter this season. However, Manuel will steal practice reps and could play more in games with a good showing.

Antone Smith’s career is over. FSU is left with Jermaine Thomas and the next-to-worthless Marcus Sims. The Seminoles signed a great running back out of Madison County, so you will see a younger, but more explosive backfield.

The receiving corps will be strong. Of course, this all hinges on how many stick around.

Bert Reed is likely on his last strike. A group comprised of Taiwan Easterling, Richard Goodman and Corey Surrency will be on a short leash. Surrency will likely be gone if he’s charged as the one who threw the chair in the campus fight Nov. 12, but that doesn’t seem like that will be the case.

FSU’s offense, which made great strides in Year 2, will improve even more so in 2009. The unit will have to carry the team due to those expected shootouts. The only good news is that most of the other ACC teams aren’t equipped to score a lot of points, which will be good until FSU has to play someone with firepower (like Florida).

FSU also could find itself in a shootout against BYU, which hosts the Seminoles on a yet to be determined date. Miami’s offense will be better and Georgia Tech has proved the option can work. Both of those games will be at home.

It’s too early to predict the 2009 record. Key issues will be the defense and special teams, with Graham Gano ready for graduation.

It will be interesting to see if Bobby Bowden sticks around. He said this week that he feels good and would like to reach 400 wins. That’s 20 away, which given recent seasons could be three years from completion.

That fits into the Fisher timeline, though. His deal to become the next coach ends in 2011, which is in three season. But, Seminoles fans, do you want to wait that long to get back on track?

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