Talking FSU With ScalpEm.com

My thanks to Bill from ScalpEm.com for taking the time to answer the questions below. You can find my answers to Bill's questions here.

1. Is it Xavier Lee's show now, or is that still yet to be determined?

It's the XL show, for now. Everyone is quick to jump and hail Xavier Lee's performance as his coming out party. He sparked FSU's offense, yes, but we've seen this before. Let's not forget he was ineffective last year in that Wake Forest debacle in Tallahassee. That said, I expect him to be the starter for the rest of the season barring injury. I think he gives defenses something else to prepare for, and right now the FSU offense needs all of the help it can get. Kudos to Weatherford too, who is an awesome teammate from what anyone can tell and will have his head in the game regardless of whether he plays a down the rest of the season.

2. Despite the struggles with moving the football, have you liked what Jimbo Fisher has done with the offense so far? What (if anything) has been the biggest difference this year?

Interestingly enough, I was never that impressed with the Jimbo Fisher offenses that I watched at LSU, mostly because it wasn't a flashy system in my opinion. However, I realize now that was wasn't impressive was methodical, creative and exploited weaknesses of the opposing defense. It's the same reason I like to watch the New England Patriots, they boring sometimes but they win a lot of games. I like what he's doing and I REALLY like how he adjusts at halftime. Fisher and the coaches are making a big difference, the last part of the equation, talent should hopefully roll back in over the next couple of recruiting classes.

3. What's been the biggest problem on the defensive side?

Stupidity. When the FSU defense looks bad, it because of blown assignments. The other issue is depth. We have a lot of tired guys in the 4th quarter. It's getting better, but we need to be 2 deep again at least to really own the 4th quarter like the dominant defenses of the 90's. With the parity in college football these days, I'm not sure if that will ever happen.

4. What's Chuck Amato doing these days, besides, you know, telling the players how to properly organize their lockers? Has his presence been noticable in any tangible way?

He's doing a lot of the administrative stuff for Bowden, as the assistant head coach. He's also in charge of discipline (let the Geno Hayes jokes start), but all in all we're happy to have him back. He brings a tough attitude to the linebackers and seems to have put aside any rumored issues with Mickey Andrews.

5. Be honest: the tomahawk chop, the song--that gets old even for you guys, right?

No, it never really gets old. It's our "thing" and we're proud of it. I just wish that other fans understood that it's not our fight song (we have a really cool original one of those) and that it has it's appropriate times. I also wish the Marching Chiefs would slow it down a little, every year they seem to play it faster and faster. But no, we love it, and we love that it annoys other fans, and we love that there haven't been too many good ways to try to make fun of it.