Dec. 8, 2006

NOTES

• Florida State practiced 14 periods Friday in sweats as the team returned to practice for the first time since the regular season ended.


• Most of the practice was spent working in position groups. The defense did do some work versus the scout team.


• The lines worked against one another as did the receivers and defensive backs. The team finished the session with some conditioning.


• Saturday’s practice is set to start at 12:00 p.m. It is expected to be finished at approximately 2:00 p.m.


• Former Seminole Warrick Dunn’s foundation will be featured Saturday morning on CNN’s Open House airing at 9:30 a.m.

QUOTES

Coach Bowden Quotes

“We kind of got them back into it mostly working on fundamentals and our stuff. Tomorrow we will practice at 12:00. Finals will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Friday we’ve got too many boys involved in classes. We were going to practice but we are not going to practice Friday.”

On if he saw any rust after the layoff

“No I didn’t. They looked in pretty good shape. Of course the weather was cold. You know how frisky they get when it gets cold. Hot day you would have probably told a difference.”

On whether the coaches have discussed who would start at quarterback

“No, we haven’t discussed that yet. We probably won’t discuss that `til the final week and we get ready to play.”

On how much are you these practices are a preparation for next season as much as they are for the bowl game

“It is an advantage. That is one advantage of going to a bowl, you get a couple weeks of extra practice. It is an advantage for the next year. That is the way we try to use it.”

On Myron Rolle and other freshmen being named to the Sporting News’ Freshman All-American teams

“It’s good. You got guys that got experience. Going into next year with some experience that they ordinarily would not have. That’s good.”

On Myron Rolle’s season

“Myron had a very solid year, about like I would expect. Didn’t make as many big plays as I think he will. As he gets his experience, the more he plays the more he will get that ball in his hands.”

On the match-up with UCLA

“When I talked to the Emerald Bowl people here, they were saying it may be this team or this team and they said it might be UCLA. I said gee I hope it is UCLA because they got the big name. Their record was about the same as ours. Like I told our kids today the difference is they won their last game and we didn’t. They played No. 2 in the nation. We played what today is the No. 2 team in the nation. It looks like a very even ballgame. I told our kids it going to be pretty much like playing us. Offense going against our defense is like going against their defense. Defense going against their offense is very much like ours. It showed in that Southern Cal game the good athletes they have.”

On the hiring of Randy Shannon at the University of Miami and the importance of having an African-American head coach join the ranks of Division I coaches

“In their case, I thought that was very good. Shannon has been so successful down there, no doubt about it, with the defenses they’ve had. It does give us another African-American into the head coaching ranks. I think that is something everybody is trying to do.”

Running Back Lorenzo Booker

On getting back to practice

 “It feels good. I am a little more tired than I normally get after practice but we had a long break, two weeks. It feels good to get out here, get loose, warm up a little bit. Now we get to get ready for UCLA.”

On his excitement on playing UCLA in California

 “For me this is good. Being the lone guy from California this game means just as much to me as the Orange Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. I will probably have more motivation, more so than the other guys. At the same time we still want to finish up the season with a winning record. Right now we are .500 so it is time to sink or swim. I don’t think anyone here wants to sink.”

Rover Myron Rolle

On being named to the Sporting News’ Freshman All-American team

 “Everybody wants to be an All-American. This is the first step as a freshman All-American. Next year hopefully I will be fortunate to be a regular All-American. A Walter Camp All-American. Those are goals you like to set for yourself. You always want to set them as high as possible. If you fall a little short, you’re still doing well for yourself.”

On four FSU freshmen being named to the Sporting News’ Freshman All-American teams

“It says we have a very bright future. We have a great class. We knew we had a great class. Injuries happened this year and a lot of guys got a chance to step in early and impact the football game. It just says we have a wonderful, wonderful group of kids in the ’06 recruiting class and it should only get better from here.”