Seminole Report

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Noon: Chat live with Tom Jones

Want to talk Bucs, Rays, Lightning, college football, sports on TV/radio? Whatever's on your mind, join the Times' Tom Jones for a live chat today, starting at noon.

You can follow the chat here.

Bowden to coach game for U.S. soldiers

Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden will be among a group of football greats traveling to an undisclosed American military installation in the Persian Gulf next month for a flag football game with soldiers, called the Connect to Home Bowl. 

Highlights from the game will be aired during halftime of the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Read the Associated Press story here.

Florida State's Rodney Hudson an AFCA all-American

Florida State senior offensive guard Rodney Hudson, the two-time winner of the ACC's Jacobs Blocking Award, was named to the American Football Coaches Association all-America team. The AFCA has picked a team since 1945.
 

Offense

Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)

WR Justin Blackmon 6-1 205 So. Oklahoma St. Mike Gundy Ardmore, Okla. (Plainview)

WR Alshon Jeffery 6-4 233 So. South Carolina Steve Spurrier St. Matthews, S.C. (Calhoun County)

TE Lance Kendricks 6-4 241 Sr. Wisconsin Bret Bielema Milwaukee, Wis. (Rufus King)

OL Lee Ziemba 6-8 319 Sr. Auburn Gene Chizik Rogers, Ark. (Rogers)

OL Rodney Hudson 6-2 282 Sr. Florida St. Jimbo Fisher Mobile, Ala. (B.C. Rain)

C Chase Beeler 6-3 285 Sr. Stanford Jim Harbaugh Jenks, Okla. (Jenks)

OL Stefen Wisniewski 6-3 306 Sr. Penn St. Joe Paterno Bridgeville, Pa. (Pittsburgh Central Catholic)

OL Gabe Carimi 6-7 327 Sr. Wisconsin Bret Bielema Cottage Grove, Wis. (Monona Grove)

QB Cam Newton 6-6 250 Jr. Auburn Gene Chizik College Park, Ga. (Banneker)

RB Kendall Hunter 5-8 200 Sr. Oklahoma St. Mike Gundy Tyler, Texas (John Tyler)

RB LaMichael James 5-9 185 So. Oregon Chip Kelly Texarkana, Texas (Liberty-Eylau)

Defense …

Florida State soccer faces Stanford Friday in NCAA Elite Eight

As they gathered back in August, the Florida State women’s soccer players could have collectively shrugged an “Oh well, that’s the ball game’’ and changed their goal of reaching the national semifinals and winning an NCAA title.

The news was that bad.

Star forwards Jessica Price, who had 16 goals and 10 assists for a team-high 42 points in 2009, and Tiffany McCarty, who had a team-leading 17 goals and seven assists for 41 points to earn the ACC freshman of the year and ACC offensive player of the year awards, were both lost to season-ending medical issues.

“The first day, we talked about Jess and Tiff and how we felt for them,’’ coach Mark Krikorian said. “But I said, “Take a look around this room. There’s a lot of talent in this room and there’s not one team in the country that’s feeling sorry for you. So you’ve got a chance to go out and create whatever legacy you want.’’

Well, the Seminoles (16-5-1) have fashioned an impressive one, reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in program history; they meet top-seeded and No. 1 ranked Stanford (21-0-2) on Friday night in Palo Alto. The winner advances to next week’s College Cup, the final four, in Cary, N.C. …

Noon: Florida-Florida State live chat

A quick reminder that Times' beat reporters Brian Landman and Antonya English will be hosting a live chat today at noon to talk about Saturday's Florida State-Florida game. Can't make it? Leave a question in the "Comments'' area below, then check back afterward to replay the chat. We look forward to hearing from you.

You can follow the chat here.

Poll: Which would you prefer?

Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder a finalist for Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

 
Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder is one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. The others Andy Dalton (TCU), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Ricky Stanzi (Iowa) and Scott Tolzien (Wisconsin). The winner will be be presented the award on Dec. 10 at a ceremony in Baltimore.

Florida State's Rodney Hudson finalist for the Outland Trophy

Florida State senior guard Rodney Hudson is one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy, which recognizes the nation's best interior lineman. The other two finalists are Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi and Colorado's Nate Solder.

The winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 9 at Disney's BoardWalk at the Walt Disney World Resort.
 

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher would like to see replay used on personal foul calls

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher isn't against trying to protect players, but he would like to see a call like the personal foul against Greg Reid that nullifed a game-changing play against Maryland be reviewed.
   Reid came in shoulder-first and leveled Terrapin RB Da’Rel Scott as he was trying to make a catch out in the flat. CB Michael Harris grabbed the ball out of the air and returned it for an apparent touchdown that, with the extra point, would have put FSU up 17-3. Instead, the officials, in keeping with a point of emphasis about hits above the shoulder, threw a flag. Maryland scored moments later to tie the game.
   "I don’t think it was a penalty,'' Fisher said Monday afternoon. "It was his shoulder, engaging in the shoulder and then working up, which is a clean hit. Je’s making a play on the ball, if they say that’s wrong, I disagree with it.''
   He added he was upset a hit "twice as blatant'' on his WR, Rodney Smith, later in the game wasn't called, but that's football and he understands how an official can make a mistake.
   "If you get hit, his head’s going to snap,'' he said. "You push a guy and his head snaps. So review it. I think they ought to be reviewable (plays). That would clear it up. You could see where the hit is, what goes on, if it was helmet to helmet. If it was legal or not. It would take some pressure off of them.''
   Interestingly enough, Reid was later involved in a play that was reviewed -- an interception he came up with that looked as the ball had hit the ground first but the call was upheld and went FSU's way.
   "We scored a touchdown (on the former play); I would have swapped them, I promise you,'' Fisher joked.
   What he and every coach, for that matter, wants is consistency.
   "I know they don’t do it on purpose ... but it affects our livelihood, it affects futures, it affects kids’ lives, it affects championships, it affects schools,'' he said. "I’m accountable. Kids are accountable. ... Anything that would enhance that (consistency) I’m for because I don’t want to point fingers. I wish they got every call right. They’ve got a tough job. ... But now that we have replay, ... we can help them and I think it should be part of it because the ultimate thing is to get things right.''

Florida State men and women both finish second at NCAA cross country finale

The Florida State men's and women's cross country teams each finished second at Monday's NCAA championship meet in Terre Haute, Ind., chasing down some history by stamping the overall program as the best ever from the state.

"It was a great race (for the men) and the girls did a great job again,'' men's coach Bob Braman said. "It was just a great day to be a Seminole.''

The FSU men's team had never been better than eighth (1981) and was coming off a 30th place finish out of 31 teams in last year's 10k finale. No team from Florida had finished higher than sixth (Florida in 1990). But Braman's team was healthy, loose and confident.

"I told the guys right before the race, "In the first 5k, run together and make sure we're in the Top 10; that gives us a chance to a Top 10 team. And then don't be afraid to run for the podium in the last 5k.' ''

At the halfway point, the Seminoles were sitting behind defending champ Oklahoma State and Wisconsin in third and Braman urged his runners to give him just a few more minutes of effort. …

Florida State safety Nick Moody earns ACC player of the week honor

Florida State safety Nick Moody, who not only had a career-high 13 tackles but returned an interception 96 yards to seal his team's 30-16 win at Maryland, was named the ACC's co-defensive back of the week.

The other winners were:

Offensive back: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
Offensive line: Brandon Washington, Miami
Defensive line: Luke Kuechly, Boston College
Co-defensive back: Moody and Mario Butler, Georgia Tech
Specialist: T.J. Graham, NC State
Rookie: Lamar Miller, Miami

In the interest of full disclosure, here's my ballot:
Williams, Washington, Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers (defensive line), Moody, Graham and Virginia Tech's Tariq Edwards (rookie).
 

Florida State junior forward Chris Singleton named ACC player of the week

Florida State star junior forward Chris Singleton, who averaged 22 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in wins against Gardner-Webb and FIU, was named the ACC's player of the week.

Florida State guard Courtney Ward scores career-high 31 in 72-66 win against Vanderbilt

TALLAHASSEE – Florida State star senior point guard Courtney Ward had been struggling with her shot to start the season, but not on Sunday afternoon against perennial SEC power Vanderbilt.

Ward scored a career-high 31 points, offsetting the foul trouble that limited her  frontcourt players and carrying the No. 16-ranked Seminoles to a 72-66 win against the No. 23 Commodores.

“We talk about being selfless and in order to be a great basketball team we’re going to have to be selfless and it’s very selfless when you can put tough games behind you and come out and just play your game,’’ FSU coach Sue Semrau said. “And Courtney obviously did that. Her focus was tremendous.’’

Ward hit 9 of 12 field goals, including 7 of 9 from 3-point range, after managing to make just 4 of 22 field goals, 2 of 13 from beyond the arc, in her previous three games combined.

“I guess I was just feeling it more,’’ she said.

With FSU (4-0) clinging to a 63-61 lead, Ward made her career-best seventh 3-pointer with 2:09 left and then scored her team’s final six points on free throws to seal the win against Vanderbilt (2-1). …

Wednesday: Florida State-Florida chat

Want to talk about next weekend's Florida State-Florida game? Join Times beat reporters Brian Landman and Antonya English for a live chat Wednesday, from noon to 1 p.m. Can't make it? Leave a question in the "Comments'' area below, then check back afterward to replay the chat. We look forward to hearing from you.