| Each week during the season, Joel Buchsbaum highlights key college games.
In this issue, Buchsbaum previews Miami (Fla.) vs. Florida State. He breaks down each
team, provides a scout’s perspective on key players and picks a final score.
| Miami (Fla.) vs.
Florida State |
Saturday, Oct. 13
at Tallahassee, Fla. |
 |
Hurricanes QB
Ken Dorsey |
If the Hurricanes are to win the national championship, they must beat the Seminoles
for the second year in a row, and this time, they must beat them at Doak Campbell Stadium.
If Florida State is to have any chance of winning a national championship and keep its
streak of top-five finishes alive after being shocked by North Carolina, it must beat
Miami.
It is really hard to say how good the Hurricanes are because they have yet to play a
solid top-25 type team. Penn State is really down, and as a result of the terrorist
attacks, Miami’s game with Washington was pushed back to the end of the year.
FSU was supposed to be tested by Georgia Tech the same day Washington was coming to
Miami, but obviously that game was pushed back as well. However, one week later, an 0-3
North Carolina squad embarrassed the Seminoles and made them look like a very mediocre
team. While the Seminoles lost a ton of talent to the NFL and have been hit very hard by
injuries, they are still very talented. But they are young and lack leadership at key
positions, and it’s quite obvious they were unmotivated, unfocused and unprepared
when they lost to North Carolina. If both Miami and Florida State play their "A"
games, this should be a dandy. Miami has more experience and better leadership, but
playing at home in this series is a tremendous advantage.
Quarterbacks — Last year Miami’s Ken Dorsey came of age in
the Florida State game and made the big plays when the Hurricanes needed them most. While
Dorsey lacks great talent like a Vinny Testaverde, he is a Bernie Kosar-Steve Walsh type
player who is very smart and aware, throws with accuracy and knows how to handle pressure.
However, he must play a lot better than he played in this year’s Pittsburgh game and
show better judgment vs. the Seminoles. Dorsey has to realize his lack of arm strength
limits him and that he needs to play within himself. He is not a Dan Marino-Testaverde
type who can squeeze passes into tight places.
Florida State’s Chris Rix is bigger, faster and more athletic than Dorsey, but he
is a redshirt freshman who is just learning how to play the game at this level. In the
North Carolina loss, he repeatedly got sloppy with the ball and lost his poise.
Running backs — Miami is so loaded at this position that it moved
Najeh Davenport and Jarrett Payton to fullback. Davenport is a 238-pound running
back/one-back type of runner with a fullback’s body. However, he does not relish the
dirty work and is not a great blocker or inside pile mover. He is a very skillful, fluid
runner with quick feet and soft hands. He seems to prefer to run outside and is not the
toughest lead blocker around. Clinton Portis may be the most gifted pure runner the
Hurricanes have and has the ability to make tacklers miss and see the cutback lanes.
Redshirt freshman Willis McGahee has special talent and is bigger and faster than Portis.
Florida State has a solid fifth-year player at fullback in William McCray and a very
dangerous, speedy runner in Nick Maddox, who is not that durable. Maddox also has played
wide receiver and can line up in the slot.
Receivers — Miami’s Jeremy Shockley is one of the best
pass-catching tight ends around, and at 6-4 and 250 pounds, he is big enough to be a
blocker. He was a factor in last year’s game. Outside, sophomore Andre Johnson can be
in the Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne class, and senior Daryl Jones is a two-time Big East
Conference 100-meter champion who is more football player than track man. Jones also is a
very good return man with moves that make you miss. Florida State has had a lot of
injuries in this area, as both Robert Morgan and Anquan Boldin are slated to redshirt.
However, two seniors, Atrews Bell and Javon Walker, are playmakers with big-time ability.
Offensive linemen — Miami’s three senior linemen could be in
the NFL next year. OLT Bryant McKinnie is a surefire first-round pick who could be a very
early one if he improves his flexibility and strength and gets back to playing as hard and
focused as he played at the end of last year. ORT Joaquin Gonzalez is not the prospect or
player the media makes him out to be because of his not-so-big body build and frame, which
translates into a lack of functional football strength. But Gonzalez is very smart, an
above-average athlete and a pretty good pass blocker. At guard, Martin Bibla is a solid,
blue-collar worker who gets off the ball quickly and knows how to use his hands, but he
does not look really smooth or fluid blocking downfield. Junior C Brett Romberg is no
slouch either. Florida State has two bookend tackles in Brett Williams and Todd Williams
(no relation) along with OG Montrae Holland who can make the running game go or protect
the quarterback. All of the Seminoles’ starters have at least one year of eligibility
left, and current backups Otis Duhart and Ronald Boldin could be in NFL training camps
next summer.
Defensive linemen — The strength of FSU’s defense is its
sophomore DTs Darnell Dockett and Jeff Womble, both of whom started as freshmen. The
Seminoles are not hurting for speed or talented athletes at end, but they don’t have
an established starter in the Jamal Reynolds mold either. Miami’s best player inside
is William Joseph, who is a big pocket pusher, and the Hurricanes have a lot of speed
rushers to go with him. Their greatest assets are their depth and athleticism, which lets
them rotate players to keep them fresh.
Linebackers — The Hurricanes are loaded in this area, and they
also are quite young. Florida State’s Bradley Jennings is very tough, pretty
productive and a very physical player, but he is overhyped and lacks great instincts and
athletic ability. He looks stiff in coverage and will often leave the field on passing
downs. The Seminoles’ outside linebackers are undersized but active.
Defensive backs — Miami has a potential All-American at strong
safety in Edward Reed and a big corner, Mike Rumph, who NFL scouts feel could be a
first-day pick. But its best player and cover man is junior CB Phillip Buchanon. Look for
the Seminoles to go after Rumph, who is not as quick or fluid and can be beaten at the
break point. Florida State is led by senior FS Chris Hope, who is generally tough, plays
the ball well, has above-average range and is an honor student in the classroom and the
quarterback of this group. Senior SS Abdual Howard is starting for the first time and is a
big hitter with enough talent to interest the NFL. The corners are young, fast and
athletic works in progress.
Special teams — "Wide right" may still be a problem in
Tallahassee, but FSU’s kicking situation is a lot better than it was last year. Miami
has the steadier kicking game and a more established group of returners, led by the speedy
Jones.
Prediction: Miami (Fla.) 24, Florida State 19 |
