TALLAHASSEE — One of the big questions about Florida State was answered during its 2015 season opener Saturday against Texas State.
Everett Golson has still got it.
Golson, who transferred from Notre Dame following spring ball after sputtering late last season and being benched by the Fighting Irish, sizzled in his debut for the Seminoles during a 59-16 rout of the Bobcats.
Golson was 19 of 25 for 302 yards and four touchdowns, and he tallied his seventh career game with 300-plus yards through the air, while leading the Florida State offense to its fifth-highest output — 636 yards — since head coach Jimbo Fisher took over in 2010.
Golson finished with a 230.27 passer rating — fourth-highest in the country during opening weekend.
The performance had the ACC abuzz following the Labor Day weekend as Golson was selected the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday.
“He has a chance to be a very good quarterback,” Fisher said.
“He’s doing a nice job, adapting well, working hard, and hopefully he’ll continue to play well. I like a lot of his attributes. He’s doing a good job of managing the game, interacting with his teammates, leading, doing those kinds of things, and learning our offense and doing a great job at decision making and accuracy.
“He’s got a ways to go, but I’m very happy with where he’s at. I think he’s a very good player.”
AP Top 25 pollsters weren’t necessarily unhappy with Florida State’s performance Saturday, but voters did think Notre Dame’s 48-3 rout of Texas was better during the opening week as they jumped the Fighting Irish from No. 11 to No. 9 on Tuesday. That poll shakeup dropped previous No. 9 Georgia — 51-14 winners against Louisiana-Monroe — to No. 10 and bumped the previously ranked No. 10 Seminoles to No. 11.
That means Florida State (1-0) will outside the Top 10 for the first time since early 2013 when they host in-state foe South Florida on Saturday. The game is scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. kickoff, which is the earliest start for a game in program history and quite the change from last season when Florida State played eight contests in prime time.
Florida State and South Florida have played just twice: a 30-17 Seminoles win in 2012 in Tampa and a shocking 17-7 loss in Tallahassee in 2009 — a defeat that helped signal the beginning of the end of the Bobby Bowden era (he retired after that season) and opened the door for Fisher to take over.
In light of the rare early start, Fisher prepared Florida State during fall camp with team meetings just after sunrise and practices that began at — you guessed it — 11:30 a.m. The same has continued this week, and players have embraced the quirky schedule. It’s new for most of them: Florida State hasn’t even had a noon kickoff since 2013.
“I feel like our chemistry is very strong this year, and stronger than it was last year,” said star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Fisher announced this week that Ramsey would take over the kickoff return duties, adding “it would be stupid” not to put the ball in the hands of the team’s best player as often as possible. (Ramsey is a projected Top 10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, and the No. 1-rated cornerback in the nation, according to NFLDraftScout.com).
With Ramsey and Co. getting high marks from Fisher on their debut — “As far as our defense, I was very proud of how they played,” Fisher said Monday — special teams was one of the only areas the Seminoles struggled with against Texas State. And Fisher expressed his annoyance after the game.
“I was really disappointed by our special teams. We didn’t field punt well, we didn’t punt well and (kicker) Roberto (Aguayo) kicked the ball out of bounds twice on kickoffs,” Fisher said. “Those are things we have to get ironed out very quickly.”
To ensure that happens, Fisher replaced starting return man and Marquez White — who muffed one punt and fielded another inside Florida State’s 10-yard line — with starting receiver Jesus Wilson. He said senior punter Cason Beatty “didn’t do a good job of kicking the football” and must improve immediately, while Fisher seemed the least concerned about Aguayo, the 2013 Lou Groza Award winner who is one of the most accurate kickers in NCAA history.
“We had two errant kicks by Roberto, which is very rare. That happens. That’s very rare for him to do that. We’ve got to get that cleaned up, but that shows everybody, you never know, take nothing for granted,” the head coach said.
“That’s why as coaches, you wonder why we worry all the time? He’s one of the best kickers out there, and he even had a few sloppy kicks.”
South Florida (1-0) opened its season with a 51-3 rout of Florida State’s Tallahassee neighbor, Florida A&M. But that’s where the similarities between the Seminoles and Rattlers stop — and the 28-point underdog Bulls will have their work cut out for them this week.
Florida State is 11-1 against teams from Florida under Fisher — and 13-0 at home against unranked opponents since 2010.
“They bleed like we bleed, they put on their pants like we put on our pants. Florida State is just another team,” USF freshman tight end Elkanah Dillon said about facing the Seminoles. “There’s going to be a lot of hype and it’s going to be a big adrenaline rush. I’m just ready to play.”
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Dalvin Cook showed no signs of rust last week — he had less than two weeks of practice before the opener because of a suspension — hitting holes with huge bursts and breaking a long of 36 yards in the first half that led to a Florida State touchdown. Cook finished with 156 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 19 carries. If Florida State coaches and fans were worried about Cook’s physical condition or his confidence before the game, those questions are no more. And after such a monster opening game, now everyone is just ready to see what’s next. “I believe in those guys and they believe in me,” Cook said. “We all trust one another and I know we’ll all do some great things out there (this season).”
–RB Mario Pender set a trio of career highs against the Bobcats for rushing attempts (14), rushing yards (92) and receiving yards (34). With Dalvin Cook back — and five-star Jacques Patrick waiting in the wings — coach Jimbo Fisher is elated with his depth. “You saw why I’ve been talking about those guys. They’re going to be good players, too,” he said. “Very happy with that group. At running back, you know you can never have enough of those guys.”
–DE Giorgio Newberry earned rave reviews from coach Jimbo Fisher after the Texas State win. Fisher expects Newberry to make a “huge difference” on defense. “That guy can change us,” Fisher said. “He’s 6-7, 300 pounds that can run and play inside or outside. Did a really nice job in the game, really nice job.” Newberry recorded only one tackle for loss in the game but film showed he altered Texas State’s rushing attack, earning Fisher’s praise as the team’s Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. “I’ve been on him at times and rode him extremely hard, but the guy is playing great football now, and he can be a huge difference in our football team.”
