Tumultuous times in Tallahassee
Posted 09:29 a.m., May 9, 2008
Here's a startling account of all the turnover that's taken place with Florida State's football team recently. I had been thinking the Noles might finally turn a corner in 2008 because of some much-needed offensive continuity under second-year offensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher. Now, I'm not so sure. This kind of attrition is just hard to overcome.
From the Tallahassee Democrat:
FSU football roster has seen a lot of turnover
By Steve Ellis
DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER
A year ago Florida State football fans were getting to know a new coaching staff. Now they must familiarize themselves with a team that has undergone a 30-percent turnover.
Twenty-five players from last season's roster are no longer with the team.
Fourteen scholarship players on the 2007 squad either graduated or had their athletic eligibility expire. Eleven scholarship underclassmen listed on the roster last November are no longer at FSU.
Fourteen of those 25 had starting experience.
Of the underclassmen, four had asked for their release by the time the new semester began. Because of federal laws protecting student privacy, the specifics involving some players were never fully disclosed or reported.
For instance, offensive lineman Daron Rose and tight end Charlie Graham were the only players whose academic ineligibility was made public. Rose's mother confirmed his status on Tuesday, and in January, FSU acknowledged that Graham enrolled at TCC.
According to numerous FSU sources, at least one Seminole who left was academically ineligible to enroll for the spring semester. Violation of athletic department policy, according to these sources, has cost two players their eligibility since the Dec. 31 Music City Bowl — although that was never officially announced.
The departures cut nearly in half the number of scholarship players who would be affected by suspensions handed down for academic misconduct. That number will be no greater than 10 — down from the 19 announced in December. The attrition will also mean more scholarships are available for a 2008 recruiting class that numbered 30 on signing day. That group included three who enrolled in January, although one of those can be charged to the 2007 class.
Of the 29 scholarship student-athletes who will be part of the 2008 class, three are expected to go to junior college first. Two more will be grey-shirted — that means they will not enroll until January.
That leaves FSU under the NCAA's 25-scholarship limit allowed for a single class. But FSU had only 21 scholarships available on national signing day and had until the first day of fall classes to find a solution.
It came with attrition. FSU lost three scholarship players in Rose, Marcus Ball and Anthony Leon since national signing day.
Because of the attrition that has occurred since the fall, getting as many newcomers into school and ready for competition is important.
With eight players with starting experience sitting out the first three games, instant contributions will be critical as head coach Bobby Bowden has repeatedly stated on his current tour of Seminole Clubs throughout the state and in Atlanta.
"Some might be ready to play and we'll get this going back like we ought to," Bowden said recently.
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