Florida State Seminoles season preview news and notes

Basics

Coach: Jimbo Fisher (first year)

2009 record: 7-6, 4-4 in the ACC; beat West Virginia in the Gator Bowl

Conference/division: ACC/Atlantic

Conference titles: 1992-2000, 2002-03, 2005

National titles: 1993, 1999

Radio: 820-AM (Tampa), 1040-AM (Tampa), 1340-AM (Clearwater), 1350-AM (Dade City), 1400-AM (Zephyrhills)

Website: Seminoles.com

Area players

Christian Green, Fr., WR, Tampa Catholic; Ty Jones, Jr., RB, Middleton; Demonte McAllister, R-Fr., DL, Alonso; Moses McCray, Jr., DT, Hillsborough+; Nick Myers, R-So., WR, Berkeley Prep; Rhonne Sanderson, R-So., OT, Plant

+ Out for the season with an injury.

Position analysis

QUARTERBACK

Senior Christian Ponder is back and healthy after an injury to his right (throwing) shoulder cost him the final four games of what was a breakout season. He threw for 2,717 yards and 14 touchdowns, and the school is promoting him as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

RUNNING BACK

The Seminoles appear to be as loaded as they've been in years with Jermaine Thomas, Tampa's Ty Jones, Chris Thompson and Debrale Smiley all capable of a 100-yard performance. And don't forget about FB/TB Lonnie Pryor, who emerged as a big-time threat last year.

OFFENSIVE LINE

All five starters are entering their third year starting together, providing uncommon continuity. And there's uncommon talent there, led by senior G Rodney Hudson, an All-America and Outland Trophy candidate, and fifth-year senior C Ryan McMahon, who made the preseason watch list for the Outland.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Bert Reed is as elusive as they come and more physical than you'd imagine, and sure-handed Taiwan Easterling, who played baseball in the spring, is back for football. That's huge given the dismissal of big-play threat Jarmon Fortson.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Senior DE Markus White should have an ideal bookend in sophomore Brandon Jenkins, who has added sorely needed size (he's 250 pounds, up from 230). Bjoern Werner could make an impact as a freshman. Losing junior Moses McCray (Hillsborough) to a torn left ACL in the first week of practice hurts.

LINEBACKERS

Nigel Bradham (93 tackles) and MLB Kendall Smith (85) were the top two tacklers last year, and OLB Mister Alexander (five sacks, six tackles for loss) showed big-play ability as a backup last year.

SECONDARY

Greg Reid will get a chance to start at corner. Although Ochuko Jenije started all 13 games last season (four interceptions), he could move to safety with the emergence of Xavier Rhodes and the arrival of Mike Harris, a juco star, and freshman Lamarcus Joyner, the USA Today national defensive player of the year.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK Dustin Hopkins had a stellar freshman debut (19 of 27 FGs and 40 of 44 PATs, hitting his last 33). He had 24 touchbacks. P Shawn Powell, in his first year as the starter, averaged 41.6 yards (13 inside the 20). Reid changed the game several times as a specialist.

Brian Landman, Times staff writer

Capacity: 82,300Tickets: Season tickets (seven games) are $321. A three-game mini pack of BYU, Boston College and Florida is $156, or any three games not including Florida is $141. Single-game tickets are available for Samford ($50 for adults, $12 for youths), and the BYU, Wake Forest, Boston College, North Carolina and Clemson games ($50 for adults, $25 for youths); single-game tickets for Florida are sold out. For information, go to Seminoles.com or call the ticket office toll-free at 1-888-378-6653.

Parking: Fans can park at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and nearby garages and pay $3 for a round-trip pass on a shuttle to the stadium. The shuttles run an hour before kickoff and an hour after the game. Residents who live on the southwest side of the stadium offer parking at various rates.