ChantRant.com

“Bouncing Around, Doing Some Good Things”

We are a week away from the start of college football. Below are a few thoughts and ramblings about recent updates for the Noles.

Caution! Walk, Don’t Run!

Jimbo appears to be taking even more caution than usual in an attempt to prevent fall camp injuries. Both PJ.. Williams and Ronald Darby have not practiced in over a week and a half. As far as we know, neither has any serious injuries and did return to practice today. Other notable hold-outs and blue contact jersey guys over the past week include: Cam Irving, Josue Matias, Nile Lawrence-Stample, Rashad Greene, Mario Pender, and Dalvin Cook.  To our knowledge, these guys have either no issues or have minor “tweaks,” as Fisher calls it.

Running with “The 1’s”

Jimbo is epic in his art of warfare. His level of secrecy and information given to the media is meant to keep the opponent guessing, but is also out of respect for the players. When it comes to depth chart and starters, he typically keeps a tight lid even though many positions are obvious. I was surprised to hear him confirm last week in camp, that Lavenberry will in fact be the starting Mike linebacker. On the other end of the spectrum, I was equally surprised for him to give a negative review on the walk-on punter. Looks like for now, we still have Beatty! Jimbo also confirmed that he thought Pops (Christian Green) would be the #2 WR. More on this below.

Filtering out the Receivers

Chant Rant nailed it in an earlier blog about Christian Green filling in as a starting WR. We are still waiting on confirmation of the third. This may be something that could sort its way out after the first few games.  Chatter has seemed to shift from Haggins or Whitfield to more emphasis on Rudolph or Lane nabbing that third and final WR spot.

Defensive X’s and O’s

The depth chart is not the only mystery. In terms of defensive schemes, camp reports have suggested the Noles running multiple hybrid 5-2 defensive sets, with Mario Edwards dropping back as a LB in some formations. After last year’s switch to 3-4, I wouldn't be surprised with anything under first year Defensive Coordinator Charles Kelly. 

**Thanks to Chris Holder for the picture!

The Strength of Schedule Myth

The out of conference schedule shows the Seminoles facing off against teams like Florida and Oklahoma State during the 2014 season.  For a typical year, this would be a nightmare attempting to win the conference as well as handle business in the out of conference games. However, Oklahoma State and Florida both come into this season unranked. This is quite a surprise given the success of both programs during the last five years.

Just last month, every coach took the stand at their respective media days, touting their in or out of conference schedule and comparing it to others. Everyone came armed with ammunition about why their conference is the best and it’s since been the talk of the college football nation. 

ESPN weighed in on the discussion touting the SEC and Pac 12 schedules as usual. When playoff talks arose, they suggested multiple times that FSU may be the odd team out among a selection of the four teams to compete in the new college football playoff, due to their soft schedule.

The problem lies in the fact that 2013 W-L records, preseason rankings, and predicted conference strength is completely irrelevant in the 2014 playoff discussion. Why? IT’S BECAUSE NO ONE HAS PLAYED A SINGLE GAME THIS SEASON!

ESPN has done a great job brainwashing its viewers. You can’t fault a team for attempting to load up their non-conference schedule.However, it will take a collective team's record along with their opponent’s record to determine who has an edge at the end of the season. In 2013, who would have guessed that a game at Florida (4-8), could bring FSU’s strength of schedule down, while a game against Duke (9-3) on a neutral site would help it?

Strength of Schedule is only one factor in deciding the four team playoff.  Only time, not the talking heads on ESPN, will tell how strong or soft FSU's schedule truly is. 

**Special thanks to Chris Holder for the Seminole Pics!

**Additional credit to Michelle C, a huge FSU fan. Thanks for  your assistance!

The Jalen Ramsey "incident"

If you haven't been paying close attention, Jalen Ramsey was kicked out of practice on Sunday.  Ramsey was too rough on too many plays and played with fire.  Ramsey laid out tight end Ryan Izzo during a non-tackling period.  Ramsey knocked Karlos Williams down into the legs of Jameis Winston.  It was that final blow that saw Ramsey's exit from practice.

[By the way, what got under Jalen Ramsey's skin?  He had the best missed tackle in all of Florida State's history, so I hope he isn't dwelling too much on a missed tackle or two]

Immediately following practice, Jimbo Fisher questioned Ramsey's character and his leadership... and for good reason.  Fisher also went so far as to question Ramsey's future on the team... that it was Ramsey's decision as to whether he wanted to be at Florida State.

The incident proved two things.  First, we don't always like to know what goes into the sausage... incidents like this are routine for a program of Florida State's stature.  There are skirmishes and countless incidents that occur on the practice fields and in the locker room that no one will ever know about.  The average fan doesn't even care for those details--they want to know the bottom line: is this going to be a good year or not.  Events like these are so common and so commonly unreported that it is alarming when one of these events is reported.    

Second, we re-learned that this is truly Jimbo Fisher's program and it's his way or no way.  Jimbo is the alpha and no player, no matter how good, is going to bend the rules.  How would have Bobby Bowden handled this incident?  Not quite like Jimbo did.  Bowden would have said something to the effect of, "oh, that's just boys being boys."  Bowden, surely, however, would have laid down consequences for insubordination but he would not have led on to the media that there is some serious breakdown in the relationship between a player and a coach.  Jimbo has come a long way, but he still has a little more to learn.  He has to find a filter.

Disregard Jimbo's comments following practice.  He was hot.  He needed time to digest what was happen... but one thing is clear, he doesn't like when the players don't follow directions.

This incident is notable because now, Jimbo has kicked the two best players on the team, both on offense and defense, out of practice for insubordination.  It truly is Jimbo's way or no way at all.

Photo Credit: Melina Vastola

Remembrance

 

If you asked a lot of Florida State fans where they were on the afternoon of September 26, 2009, most of them will be able to answer that question with a high degree of certainty. They will be able to tell you what they ate that day, what they were wearing, and in whose company the day was spent. Husbands who forget anniversaries and wives who can never remember their husband’s favorite Star Wars movie will be able to recount a surreal array of details about that day in particular. What they won’t do, however, is remember it voluntarily. Most will have to be prompted, coerced, finagled into coughing up these details while their eyes glaze over with retroactive embarassment. If you’re reading this and happen to not be an avid fan, September 26, 2009 is the date that FSU lost to the University of South Florida. In Tallahassee. On television. And yes, in football.

Even as I sit here 5 years later, a flood of memories pounds relentlessly on a mental dam I’ve managed to erect around whatever part of the brain is responsible for keeping track of one’s humiliating experiences. Other experiences filed neatly away in this partitioned lobe include the time I threw up on the prettiest girl in gym class, the time I got homesick at baseball camp and cried through position drills and batting practice, and virtually every single first date I’ve ever been on. For better or worse, though, the loss to USF ranks supreme. The way we had to slink out of Doak with our eyes downcast, like the embarrassed parents of a convicted criminal. The way USF’s faithful stayed behind in the stadium—our stadium—to cheer and sing and dance or whatever the hell else they were doing in there…it made us sick. I do mean physically sick, too. But, then again, that might have been the poorly planned combination of well whisky and cheeseburgers of questionable origin. At any rate, we walked away from Doak that afternoon with a pain in our chest and we didn’t look back. We couldn’t bring ourselves to. We couldn’t bear to see the most beautiful brick edifice in college football tarnished with the rust of a comically inferior football program. The soreness in our chest stayed there the whole week.

And you know what? It doesn’t stop there, either. During my time at FSU, our football team endured a rather large handful of other catastrophes that would make Doak Campbell (the man, not the structure) roll over in his grave. They include a bowl game loss to Kentucky in 2007, three (three!) losses to Wake Forest between 2007 and 2011, a particularly heartbreaking last second loss to UM in in 2009, UNC in 2010, and of course UVA in 2011. In addition to the actual losses, there was a poignantly depressing level of athletic prowess put on display during a 29-26 "win" against a 2009 Maryland squad that would eventually go 2-10. I remember that game well because although we did not lose outright, it felt like a loss. Every dropped pass, every squelched run attempt, every busted coverage—they all felt like the body blows that would eventually topple a heavyweight champion. I remember feeling dejected, and I remember taking my frustrations out on the Terrapin mascot in the form of a series of hand gestures that we shall classify, for the sake of civility, as ‘unbecoming’.  I remember feeling genuinely bad about it too, because I could tell his human eyes saw me making them from behind his fabric turtle eyes. I even wanted to say sorry—until he started making them back at me, that son of a bitch.

By now you, the innocent bystander made to bear forced witness to this journalistic crime of a blog post, must be asking: why dig all this up? Why re-open these long-since-sutured emotional wounds? Don’t you know that those years were a fluke, an accidental misstep? Didn’t you watch as the Seminoles outscored opponents by 44.5 points per game last year? Doesn’t last season’s success mean anything to you? Don’t you know that the FSU team from the late 2000s is no longer the FSU of today?

Before I answer that, I’d like to say that it is okay to get caught up in the craze. It’s okay to get caught up in the fact that FSU is favored by more than two touchdowns in every game they play next season (which, however, are artificially high betting lines due to the fact that Vegas got their royal asses handed to them last season as FSU went 11-3 against the spread). It’s okay to get caught up in Jimbo’s quote-a-minute interviews and the ESPN Gameday hype and Crabgate and Squirrelgate and the new beige(?) helmets. It's okay to be brimming with pride while constantly straddling the line between confidence and cockiness. Most of all, it's okay to wear garnet and gold every damn day of the week if that's what suits your fancy. This is what fans do. This is what love looks like.

So, here is the root of all this madness. I promise there is a valid reason I must periodically let these recollections out from thier proverbial straitjackets. To me, it's imperative to understand that all of this—the Heisman, the Crystal Ball, the booster money, the stadium improvements, the IPF, the media circus, even the blatant bias exhibited by USA Today—all of it needs to be processed through one lens: the lens of perspective. I think it’s vastly important for us as fans to recount the exact depths that our beloved program has dug itself out of. We must remember the empty seats in Doak on gameday and remind ourselves what it felt like to watch a program that hadn't finished outside the Top 5 for fourteen straight seasons falter so drastically. Remember how every game felt like a toss up? Remember what it felt like to be looking greatness in the eye, only to have it plucked away by a school like NC State? Remember the half-naked fat kid clinging to that pole, waving his shirt around like a jackass? 

For those of us who have been following the program devoutly and who were still seated firmly on the bandwagon even when there was plenty of room to stretch out, the triumphs of last season are more aptly put into perspective. We can’t be a fan base that loves FSU football despite the late 2000s. We must be a fan base that loves FSU Football because of the late 2000s. After all, what is success if not accompanied by the risk of failure?

To that end, it’s important for us to also accept that we are no longer the National Champions. The National Champions for the 2014 academic year haven’t been decided yet. We summited the mountain last year with grace and integrity, but since that time Jimbo and the boys have returned back to base camp along with everyone else.  It would seem that success in this game is as ephemeral as it is satisfying. We now stand shoulder to shoulder with programs like Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan State, and yes, even UF. The playing field has been leveled. Athletes are in peak condition. We are out to prove ourselves all over again.

Follow me on Twitter: @TMHayduk

Photo Credit: Christopher Holder Photography

FSU asked fans to #AskJameis... what's the worst that could happen?

Somewhere in a conference room, someone suggested that FSU promote an #AskJameis hashtag on Twiter that would allow fans to ask Jameis Winston questions directly.

Somewhere before setting up that meeting, a person wrote an email or memo, presumably, justifying why this was a good idea.  For the life of me, I don't know how you could possibly have justified such a decision.  I'm sure the idea came from a younger employee, likely a recent graduate of the school, but it's Florida State's leadership that dropped the ball and failed to see the landmine they were creating.

Add yet another tally to FSU's list of public relations snafus (there are many) and this one invited the most backlash.

Remaining Receiver Spots up for Grabs

As the Noles reload at wide receiver, who will get the starting nod?

For the first time in Jimbo’s era, we saw a consistent group of receivers last year led by first round draft pick Kelvin Benjamin, along with Rashad Greene opposite side.  With strength out wide and no depth at tight end, the Noles utilized eleven personnel to perfection. This allowed them to take advantage of spacing, which created one on one match-ups, continuously exploiting the opposing team’s secondary.

Speculation has run all summer on who will join Rashad Greene in the starting lineup of receivers. Greene is coming off an incredible season where he had nine TD’s and over 1,100 yards receiving. This season he has an opportunity to become the all-time leader in receiving yards, passing FSU greats Ron Sellers and Peter Warrick.

At this point in the pre-season, you could roll the dice as to who will join Greene at receiver. The Noles may even open the playbook more by utilizing two tight end sets and one wideout on each side. However, I don't expect them to stray away from offensive spread sets given the talent level at QB.

FSU got three of the most touted receivers in the country for the 2014 recruiting class. Five Star receivers Ermon Lane and Travis Rudolph along with four star Javon Harrison are hungry for playing time. They will push veterans such as Christian Green, Scooter Haggans, BoBo Wilson, Kermit Whitfield, and Isaiah Jones.

Bobo Wilson is suspended indefinitely following a scooter theft incident. Although he is practicing, this will knock him out of starting contention for at least the first game. Jimbo Fisher recently announced that Isaiah Jones could also be held up due to academic issues.

Scooter Haggins, a senior, is certainly the veteran of the remaining group and has playing time experience. However, Jimbo has made it very clear that the best player will play and that seniority is not the deciding factor.

Christian Green, who also saw playing time his freshman year, was lost in the depth chart his sophomore and junior season. Practice reports suggest that he has been running with the ones and even playing in the slot.

Kermit Whitfield, one of the fastest players in all of college football, could be perfect in the slot position. Fisher’s offenses have been running the bubble screen ever since he came to FSU. Kenny Shaw set the bar high last year, as he was typically the “go to” for this play call. Kermit may fill a perfect void, as his speed could be a huge asset.

Whomever lines up against Oklahoma State on August 30^th will have been battle tested in camp and prepared for the task at hand.

Chant Rant Prediction:

11 Personell: Greene, Green, and Haggins

Spread Formation: Greene, Green, Haggins, and Lane

*Photo credit and speical thanks to Christopher Holder.

August is here, the season is near...

The players have said their goodbyes on Twitter for a few months.  Their hiatus from social media will allow them to focus on the upcoming season, their studies, and their quest for another national championship.

As anyone with a smart phone knows, however,  away from social media is fairly impossible.  These players are followed by dozens of fans a day, messaged by friend and foe alike, and I just can't help but think that they'll have a hard time giving up social media altogether.  Prove me wrong.  

Credit: Melina Vastola

I can only hope, though, that the players are aware of what lies ahead of them.  

If ever there was a team built to win a national championship, it's this one, the one that Jimbo Fisher built from scratch, the one with his fingerprints on it.  

At his disposal?  A Heisman quarterback.  A stable of incredibly capable, explosive running backs.  A senior laden offensive line.  Safety valves and playmakers at receiver.  And that's just on offense.  

Florida State has officially arrived.

But the issue for this team will be, in many ways, how do they react to their new surroundings?  How will they stack up against the expectations they set for themselves?

Banning social media is a good step.  But as we know, things like that are so much easier said than done.

And beyond the battle against social media and eliminating clutter, is the battle that the players will have with themselves... how will they react to their own success?

Florida State renovated its facilities.  Many of the players on this roster are responsible for the renovation.  Rashad Greene is still on the roster, yet got a prominent spot on the wall.  How do you keep your ego in check when there is a life size portrait of you on the wall?

It's kind of hard to eliminate clutter when the clutter is the result of your own success.  

[And on a site note, have you eliminated your own clutter?  Such as declining social events through January and RSVP'ing no to those upcoming Fall weddings?  It's all part of the process.]

How do stay hungry when you have a championship trophy already in the room?  Well, hopefully, the coaches have instructed the kids that they have the potential to be one of the best teams in college football history.  If this season goes anything like the last, Florida State will find itself undefeated headed into post-season play... and if that's the case, odds are that Florida State will have to beat two SEC titans to win the championship.  Doing so will likely catapault this team into the conversation of "best ever."

Leading the team will be a once-in-a-generation talent by the name of Jameis Winston and to make history, he's the leader and the man for the job.   A championship is the perfect blend of players, coaches, and attitude.  All of those facets are part of a process by which Jimbo Fisher builds his program; the process, in this case, is a series of principles.  A way of handling your business.  

If Florida State can handle it's own business, they'll have to add a few more life portaits to the wall.

Changes are coming to ChantRant.com

Since 2007, ChantRant.com has provided you with unadulterated, interrupted, and unfiltered insight.  

This Fall, ChantRant.com will be undergoing a facelift (hopefully avoiding a catastrophe of epic proportions, see, e.g., Jerry Jones) in design and content.  New writers have signed on, new content is being churned.

As you're aware, ChantRant doesn't strive to give you news.  You know the news.  The news, such as a player committing, is available on nearly every platform.  Why read the same article twice or, even, three times?  That's why we've always tried to give you insight as opposed to just merely reporting the news.  This season, we're hoping to expand further and build on our tradition.

ChantRant is always looking for fresh content and new writers.  If you would like to write about the program, please email me, Duke, at chantrant at gmail dot com.    

Ready for fantasy football?

Football is on TV, which means that it's almost time for fantasy football.  This season, we plan on expanding our horizons and covering fantasy football issues (though, as much as possible, through the lense of Seminoles in the NFL).  Over the next few weeks we'll be previewing several Seminoles, many of which will be making their league debut (like Benjamin and Freeman).  

But for now, it's time to sort out the first order of business: picking the right team name.

(thanks to Sam Graves for the following)

Best Movie Inspired Fantasy Football Team Names in 2014

Many fantasy football players have interests outside of the NFL. Coming up with the best fantasy football team names is one of the best ways to showcase that. Here is a look at 5 movie inspired names to consider this upcoming year in leagues.

Natural Born Spiller

CJ Spiller disappointed quite a few fantasy football owners last year, but he is hoping to have a better year in 2014. The biggest thing will be staying healthy. If he is able to stay healthy, the Buffalo Bills could have one of the top 10 running backs on their squad.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Bortles

With a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie coming out, it makes sense to blend that name with new rookie quarterback Blake Bortles. There might be better fantasy football team names out there though, especially if Bortles is a backup the entire year.

Dez-ed And Confused

At times, people have thought that Dez Bryant was a bit confused with his off the field issues. He seems to be more focused as a player now, and the Dallas Cowboys are hoping that he is a top 5 wide receiver.

Forgetting Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall is one of the most consistent wide receivers in the NFL.  He is someone who has put up some pretty nice numbers, so chances are no one will be forgetting him in 2014.

Forte Year Old Virgin

Matt Forte had his best season in fantasy football last year, and there is no doubt that he will be a first round pick in 2014. Since he is likely to be the best player on his team, it makes sense to incorporate him in the team name.

Jesus Wilson is still suspended, but practicing...

Yesterday, Jimbo Fisher announced to the media that Jesus Wilson is still suspended, but is practicing with the team.  That's amazing news not only for FSU, but more importantly, Jesus Wilson.

His charges, thanks in part to a no contest plea negotiated by his attorney Tim Jansen (who seems to be getting good business these days), were reduced to a misdemeanor, meaning that he's no longer subject to the automatic suspension.

Jesus Wilson has effectively been given his second chance.  

Interestingly enough, we've come across a song about Jesus Wilson by one of his friends.  A song that was written to open eyes and explain the other side of the story, Jesus Wilson's story... 

It's a passionate song about what binds us, all of us, together as one.   It's the American Dream.  Making it.  Making it big.  Providing for your family.  Feeding your family.  Sometimes, a simple mistake derail us even though no matter how hard we've been working.  Wilson isn't ready for his story to end so suddenly.  More importantly, one mistake shouldn't get the chance to define our lives.  And it's a second chance that gives us the strength to build on our mistakes and fight to be better.  Jesus Wilson is fighting that very fight.  He's back at practice, ready to play, and ready to prove that he belongs.  Wilson's gonna eat.

The following is the song (and I of course have to give the "parental advisory; explicit content" warning, so listen at your own risk).