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Florida State - Oklahoma game Traffic Alert

You say, two months is a little early for a traffic alert? Not if you'll be driving I-75 to the FSU-OU game on September 17th.

The Noles and Sooners might be the biggest game in the country that day, but it's not the only big game in Florida. Tennessee plays in Gainesville at 3:30. FAMU travels to Tampa, as will many of its fans, to meet USF (no kickoff time announced yet). Add to that UCF heading to Miami to play FIU (6pm kickoff).

Imagine 200,000 or more football fans traveling to all those games, and you get the picture -- a not very pretty one. It even makes a two-day minimum motel stay begin to sound pretty good.

Six more Noles in the Pros (just not the NFL)

Six former Seminoles are suiting up to play professional football. But don't roll your eyes when you hear they're playing in the Canadian and the United Football leagues. That may be the only pro ball we'll see during this strike-plagued season.

Two ex-Noles are already seeing action. The CFL kicked off last week, and the reigning champs -- the Montreal Alouettes -- return Adrian McPherson at backup QB. At Winnipeg, Greg Carr is back for his second season. Several other FSU standouts didn't make CFL rosters, including Buster Davis and P.K. Sam.

Meanwhile, the UFL has pared down to five teams and will kickoff its season August 13 to get a jump on both college and, potentially, the NFL. The Omaha Nighthawks will feature three former Noles. WR Chris Davis, (FSU 2003-06), joins the team after a couple years with the Tennessee Titans. DT Justin Mincey (2006-09) and LB Kendall Smith (2007-09) are listed on the Nighthawks defensive depth chart. The Virginia Destroyers' roster includes DB Jerome Carter (2001-04), who played for the St. Louis Rams from 2005-07.

Florida State indoor practice facility update

With more schools christening new indoor practice facilities, what's the status of the one you see above? Definitely on-track if not quite on schedule -- at least not the schedule eager FSU fans want to see.

Seminole Booster V.P. Jerry Kutz told us that he's "very optimistic" about the building becoming a reality sooner rather than later. "We're currently in the silent phase of our campaign for major commitments," says Kutz. "We've had firm pledges for large amounts. And we'll announce the public phase in the near future. And at that point everybody can contribute."

As for visible progress, Kutz said that "some of the groundwork has already been done." He added that other preliminary steps are underway, such as "the drawings going though the campus architectural review committee. The finished facility will be bigger than an airplane hanger. And when you put it there on the practice field, it's the first thing you see when you drive up. So it's got to fit with rest of the campus."

If you're looking for reasons why an indoor facility isn't a done deal yet, we'd remind you of all the bricks and mortar completed over the last decade -- from finishing the University Center and a new basketball practice complex to the women's softball field, swimming pool and indoor tennis facility. They weren't built by the state. The funds for those, as well as scholarships, came from two major campaigns that raised $150 million. Pretty impressive figures for any school, especially during a down economy. So if you're a Booster, and especially if you wrote checks to those initiatives for sizable amounts, give yourself a big Seminole pat on the back.

Louisiana Monroe Coach Todd Berry: "Our defense is much, much different from anybody out there"

Continuing our conversation with Todd Berry, coach of FSU's first 2011 opponent, we asked him to describe his ULM defense.

"We're a pressure team and we're gonna bring five almost every snap, and a good portion of the time we're gonna bring more than that. We have three down linemen, three linebackers and five secondary guys. One of those (in the secondary), The Hawk tends to be more of a linebacker/defensive back hybrid. But our defense is much, much different from anybody out there, except San Diego State. It's not like the 3-3-5 stack that you see from West Virginia. It's got its own uniqueness, and I think that's part of the reason why we run it here. At places like ULM, against the people we're going to play, we have to be somewhat difficult to prepare for in a week's timeframe. You've got to be creative and you've got to be able to run. And that's what we try to do from a schematic standpoint, and we try to recruit that in terms of speed. So far it's going well. And we just got our grades back and were fortunate that we only have one guy that needs to go to summer school. Everybody is eligible, which is unheard of, and I'm very excited about that."

Is this guy FSU's most under-appreciated overachiever of the past decade?

He was a three-star relative unknown, a late signee for the Noles in 2007. A two-sport star in high school with a pretty good curve. FSU fans had no big expectations for Taiwan Easterling. Compare him to Fred Rouse a 5-Star receiver ballyhooed as a can't-miss All-American. Rouse played sparingly during 2005, with 6 catches for 114 yards and one TD, then was kicked off the team.

Easterling became a quiet, dependable receiver who didn't make headlines, just catches. Check the stats below. His three year numbers -- receptions, yards and TDs -- were better than high profile Preston Parker. And he had more TD catches than De'Cody Fagg and Bert Reed (though Bert has another year to play).

What's not reflected in the stats is Easterling's sticky fingers. We can't think of a single clutch throw he didn't pull in. And his shifty moves often turned short gains into first downs.

Taiwan might not have been a fan favorite, but he'll be remembered for catches like the one in 2008 when he scored six while covered by two Va. Tech defenders and an inconveniently placed goal post. Or his Chick-fil-A Bowl TD when he did a 180° in the end zone to escape a Carolina DB who tried to trip him up.

Thanks for the memories, Tai. Who knows? You may be appreciated more now that you're gone.

FSU's Most Productive Receivers of the Past Decade

1. Greg Carr 2005-08                 148 Rec       2574 yds.          29 TDs
2. Bert Reed 2008-10*                141 Rec       1619 yds.           5 TDs
3. Chris Davis 2003-06              137 Rec       1842 yds.          12 TDs
4. De’Cody Fagg 2004-07         132 Rec       1654  yds.           7 TDs
5. Cro Thorpe  2001-04             123 Rec        2153 yds.          18 TDs
6. Taiwan Easterling 2008-10  108 Rec       1315 yds.            8 TDs
7. Preston Parker 2006-08         104 Rec       1189 yds.            5 TDs
8. Rod Owens 2005-09                91 Rec       1080 yds.            4 TDs
9. P.K. Sam  2001-03                    76 Rec       1066 yds.            7 TDs
10. Chauncey Stovall 2003-04   72 Rec        1120 yds.            8 TDs
11. Javon Walker  2000-01          65 Rec        1257 yds.          10 TDs
12. Richard Goodman 2005-09  54 Rec         602 yds.            3 TDs
13. Jarmon Fortson 2008-09       53 Rec         747 yds.            5 TDs
14. Dominic Robinson 2001-04 42 Rec          680 yds.            2 TDs

Buster Davis trades one frigid football job for another

Last we heard of former Nole LB Buster Davis, he was working out with the Montreal Alouettes, hoping to win a roster spot in the Canadian Football League. Now comes news that he'll spend this football season further west in the Blizzard Belt. But instead of playing, he'll be coaching linebackers at The University of South Dakota.

How did a guy from Daytona Beach choose to move to a town (Vermillion, S.D.) where winter high temps are usually below freezing? Here's what he told the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader:

Q. How did it come about that you took a job at USD?

A. It was pretty crazy. I ran into Ed Meierkort (South Dakota Coach) and we talked about this and that, and three days later he called me back and he sold me. I know coaches - when they want you, they're pretty good at selling you. He sold me on an opportunity to coach linebackers. I came up and visited and accepted the job right there.

Q. What are your expectations as you continue your transition to college coaching?

A. Coming to South Dakota I want to quickly establish that I'm an X-and-O guy who is able to recruit, and not only recruit but mold those recruits into good football players. Bottom line, I want to become a great defensive mind who can mold kids to be successful people and football players.