Orlando Sentinel
posted by andrew carter
Greetings. Just returned from the practice fields a bit ago, where the Seminoles moved one day closer to Samford. Some news and notes:
Christian Ponder
-The depth chart is starting to really come into focus. Jimbo Fisher said today that Taiwan Easterling, the junior WR, is the first-team guy at the “Z” receiver position – which had been occupied by Jarmon Fortson before he was dismissed. That means Easterling right now is ahead of Rodney Smith. So your two guys on the outside, as it stands now, are Willie Haulstead and Easterling. Though I imagine in three-receiver formations, it’d be a mix-and-match of Easterling, Haulstead, Smith and Bert Reed.
-Speaking of Reed, Fisher downplayed the fact that he’s not starting. Fisher said, “It ain’t nothing Bert’s doing wrong, guys. Willie’s a big, good player. You’ve got to play ‘em all. I mean, you guys act like a guy gets beat out … Josh Reed [at LSU] won the Biletnikoff and never started a game as a junior. Never started one game as a junior and won the Biletnikoff Award as a senior. And still caught 80 balls as a sophomore.”
Jimbo’s making some sense. Though it appears that Reed hasn’t had a terrific preseason – based on the fact that he’s the leading returning receiver and he’s not in a starting role, for now – there’s no way Reed won’t play a significant role in the offense. He might not be starting from game one, but it’s not like he’s going to be banished to the bench, either.
-What else, what else. Ah, yes. David Spurlock. He was back today. Mostly. The starting right guard has been held out for precautionary medical reasons. Fisher said Spurlock went through about three-quarters of the practice.
-Your two kick returners: Greg Reid and Lamarcus Joyner. That’s a scary combination, folks. Who do you kick to, if you’re the opposing team? For those wondering about how good Joyner is, he’s basically a copy of Reid. The two are very similar players.
-Fisher said he has been disappointed in the defense lately because it has allowed too much running room up the middle. Apparently the offense has had its way in the running game of late. But Fisher offered praise to the secondary and said it was looking strong.
-No real news on how the indoor practice facility is coming. I asked Fisher for a status update and he turned around at the practice fields and said he couldn’t see the indoor facility yet. Yep. True enough. At ACC media days, remember, Fisher said he was hopeful that there’d be some significant progress with the facility. Hasn’t happened yet, though. It still exists only on paper and it seems the shovel is a long ways from hitting the dirt.
-Haulstead was wearing what appeared to be a protective cast around his hand but Fisher said that should soon come off. He has been battling a thumb issue that’s not very serious. Fisher said Haulstead was making one-handed catches in practice.
That’s about it.
