TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? Florida State is heavily favored to win its first Atlantic Coast Conference title in seven years and perhaps challenge for a national championship.
Still, Jimbo Fisher said though there is a sense of urgency, there is no more pressure than usual on the Seminoles.
"I don?t think it?s this year or bust at all," said Fisher, now in his third year as head coach. "We have much more depth than we?ve ever had since I?ve been here."
Still, the Seminoles have plenty to prove to a fan base that expected more than a 9-4 showing a year ago and no longer fills Florida State?s 83,000-seat stadium on a regular basis.
The Seminoles were expected to get back among the nation?s elite in 2011, but an early three-game losing streak took care of their preseason hopes of winning the ACC and a BCS bowl berth.
This season begins with the same optimism.
Florida State should have little trouble posting its 36th straight winning season and receiving a 31st consecutive bowl bid, but Fisher expects much more. He believes another year of experience will help his team avoid last year?s pitfalls and get back to a BCS bowl for the first time since 2005.
Fisher points to his team?s wealth of talent that includes one of the best returning defenses in the country (the Seminoles gave up only about 15 points per game last season), an experienced fifth-year senior quarterback EJ Manuel and one of the nation?s top placekickers in Dustin Hopkins.
"We?ll be a very good football team," Fisher said. "Everybody?s got to be ready when their number is called."
A favorable schedule ? the Seminoles only leave the state three times ? doesn?t hurt. A seven-game home schedule includes a pair of lower-division schools to begin the campaign followed by two more home games before a trip to Tampa where Florida State hopes to avenge a 2009 loss to South Florida.
The only trips outside Florida boundaries are at North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and Maryland.
The 46-year-old Fisher has banned his players from using social media accounts during the season in hopes of keeping them more focused on that task at hand.
Florida State finished 9-4 in 2011 after posting a 10-4 mark in Fisher?s first year as head coach following three seasons as predecessor Bobby Bowden?s offensive coordinator.
The much heralded defense salvaged the 2011 season by smothering Florida and Notre Dame in the final two games That unit returns virtually intact led by defensive ends Bjoern Werner and Brandon Jenkins, and safety Lamarcus Joyner.
The Seminoles have recorded 88 quarterback sacks the past two seasons, including 21.5 by Jenkins. Florida State gave up an average of only 15 points a game last year despite surrendering 35 to Clemson and Wake Forest on successive weekends.
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Source: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/college/football/view.bg?articleid=1061154097&srvc=rss
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