Fisher Wants to Prove Superiority on the Field and Not Just on Paper

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher grabbed the spotlight Monday afternoon and addressed the Tallahassee faithful by initially going over what happened last weekend against NC State.  The crowd was growing restless.  They wanted to know what he had in store for seventh-ranked UM when the two teams do battle Saturday night in Tallahassee on ESPN.

"We have a great opportunity in front of us," Fisher said. "This is one of the reasons that I came to Florida State.  This should be a tremendous match up.  This is one of the great traditions in college football."

With both teams ranked in the top ten, Fisher thinks that this game brings back some of the nostalgia that the series used to have when the Noles and Canes were usually both ranked in the top five when they played each other.

"This is like the old days," Fisher said. "And it is a credit to the tremendous job that Al has done with his staff down there."

FSU is a 22-point favorite. Don't tell that to Fisher, he does not want to hear it.

"I don't worry about the point spread," Fisher said. "I have no idea what the point spread is and I do not really care.  All I know is that they have a great football team that I am watching on film right now."

Fisher said that Miami has improved on offense, defense and special teams and that it is a much different team that they defeated last year in Miami.

"They are good on all phases of the game.  They block up front, they run and they throw," Fisher said. "They are an excellent football team."

Fisher pointed to the UM offensive line, which is big, fast and stable.  They have experience and Fisher said that it will cause his defense fits.

"You have to be able to shed blocks and they are an experienced bunch," Fisher said. "They do a great job blocking.  They are well coached and have great experience."

One part of UM's offense that is extremely familiar to Fisher is UM's offensive coordinator James Coley.  Coley was the lead offensive coach for Fisher in the past and this is his first FSU-UM game on the other sideline.

"I watch their offense and he has done a great job.  They have great talent," Fisher said. "They are winning games late and that is a testament to their leadership.

"I've always said that Coley is a great coach, he has a great offensive mind," Fisher said. "James is such a great guy, he does a great job.  He is a very smart guy and he is a very good friend of mine."

Fisher said that they have changed a lot of the terminology and audibles so Coley will not be able to spot anything at first glance.

"We do that every year, we did not do that for Coley," Fisher said. "This is nothing new."

When the name Duke Johnson popped up, Fisher turned serious and spoke with conviction.

"He makes you miss. When he gets into space he puts numbers on the scoreboard," Fisher said. "He has great balance and great speed.  He makes big plays.  When he gets into space things change."

Fisher had tremendous respect for Miami's offense as a whole, but in the first ten minutes of the press conference, the name Stephen Morris was not mentioned.

"They create big plays and are a complete football team," Fisher said. "You have to be aware of them and you have to respect what they are capable of doing."

The bottom line, Fisher said is that all you can do, is all you can do.

"You control what you can control and nothing more," Fisher said. "You do what you can do.  The power of preparation is the key.  I can guarantee you that both teams will be prepared.  You have to be able to perform at a high level to win in college football and this game is no different."

Miami fans just have to hope that they are a little more prepared than normal and more prepared than their adversaries.