It's been awhile since my last article—but the boys took a week off, so I did too.

Plus, I needed more time to take a step back and assess the Noles. What follows is the first of a two-part, pre-Bama preview. Enjoy...

Before the season, I resolved not to drink the Jimbo Fisher Kool-Aid. But then I noticed our offense had a personality, and a focus—it wasn't just a mishmash of random plays.

That said, I was still a little confused as to why we ran certain plays that never seemed to work.

Case in point: Drew Weatherford and Antone Smith on the QB-choice option from the shotgun. We run it in the first and second series of every game.

And it drives me nuts.

Or at least it did, until my friend Dan set me straight.

"If they don't show they'll actually hand it off, then Drew can't use the play-action from the shotgun," Dan said. "The linebackers won’t be honest."

Bingo. I was wrong—Jimbo really did have a reason to do what he was doing.

Which brings me to a story I wasn't surprised to hear but never actually wanted to believe.

I spent four years on a track-and-field scholarship at FSU, and I still have several friends in the Athletic Department. During a football game last year, a contact who will remain nameless overheard Bobby Bowden drop this gem on the headset with the offense in the red zone:

“Well, I just don’t know Jeff...just throw it up to 89.”

Now, is throwing a jump ball to the end zone a good decision for us? Probably. But when our head coach and offensive coordinator aren't sure what to do, I think we're in trouble.

I don't tell that story to dredge up the past—only to make the point that the old FSU offense didn't have much of a game plan behind it.

The 2007 offense is a different story. And that's why, as a team, we'll get better through the year.

I often have fans tell me, “Just put in X. Lee. At least he can scramble. Weatherford has no pocket presence.”

I hate this, for two reasons.

The first is that I don't see a need to freak out. We're 2-1. And it's only going to get better from here.

Players take time to adjust to new coaches. Even if we lose to BC, Virginia Tech, or Florida, I bet we'll look better as a team than we did in the loss to Clemson.

The second reason I hate the calls for change is that our QB has thrown ONE (1) interception.

Yes, that one pick came on a bonehead throw—but I have a dollar saying Weatherford doesn't make the same mistake again. And, in his defense, I saw a replay on SUN Sports Network with a behind-the-QB view—the receiver looked open; a lineman was obstructing DB's view.

Yes, X. Lee can run. Yes, he has a strong arm. But don't bring the “He's gamer and we don't even give him a chance” argument.

Last year against Wake Forest, Lee threw not one, not two, but three interceptions. Gamers, even ones who don't get much playing time, don't throw three picks in one half.

Maybe Lee will be better down the road, once he grasps the offense. But until he gets the green light from Jimbo Fisher—a QB coach who's tutored a No. 1 overall pick and three other NFL QBs—Drew Weatherford is my man under center.

I understand the pocket presence argument—Drew does have a tendency to roll into the D-linemen. But he's getting better.

Last year he'd drop back further and further until the rush caught up with him. Early in the Colorado game, he stepped up into the pocket as it collapsed around him before running for four yards.

Look at Drew's posture: His head is always up. The ball is always up. He hasn't been stripped yet this year.

He's also constantly looking down field—and yes, I know he's not pulling the trigger quickly enough, but that will change.

In the first half against Colorado, Fisher called a play-action seam route from the 25 yard line. Drew stood in the pocket, stepped into his throw, and hit DeCody Fagg square in the hands.

Unfortunately, Fagg dropped the ball. It hit him in the forearms—check the AP photo if you don't believe me. 

My brother Jason and I didn't miss the significance of the play.

"Is his arm stronger?," I asked. "He's throwing it so good."

"Yeah," Jason said. "He's finally stepping into his throws and throwing it with confidence."

Progress is being made.

Speaking of progress: The kicking game is doing very well. Cismesia is 6-6 with a long of 40 yards, and is hitting his field goals from both hash marks. Gano, after having a rough first game at Clemson, was a major factor in helping the Noles win the field-position battle against Colorado. And Jamaal Edwards is a very good back who will fill in ably if Antone's injury lingers.