Right now you might be saying, "Oh, yeah. Two players. Didn't qualify, right? Who were they again?"
First, there's DeJoshua Johnson, the Rivals 4-Star WR from Pahokee who headed to East Mississippi Community College. Johnson had a decent first season (EMCC finished 5-5 and made the state JC playoffs), with 13 catches for 133 yards and one TD. Add to that three end-around rushes for 17 yards and a 17-yard kickoff return.
As a newcomer, Johnson's playing time was limited due to a deep roster of wide receiver talent. With several of them set to graduate, D.J. should have more opportunity to make a mark in 2011. He's also doing well academically.
The second non-qualifyer also suited up for East Mississippi. He's DT Damien Jacobs, a Rivals 3-Star from Houma, Loose-y-ana. Jacobs had quite a bit more playing time for the Lions, finishing with 28 solo tackles and 20 assists. That included four tackles for loss and one and a half sacks. The big guy also made progress academically. In fact, there's a slim chance Nole fans might see him next year. EMCC Coach Buddy Stephens says Jacobs still has issues with the NCAA clearinghouse, but if they're worked out he could bounce back to FSU this coming January.
The coach also told us that FSU has its eye on a couple more defensive studs on his team. However, he believes Jimbo wants to keep those players off the radar for now, so keep tuned for future updates.
Comments? Questions? Kudos?