Florida State Football 2012: Breaking Down Spring Practice

Will this finally be the year that Florida State takes that next step?

The Seminoles are returning a total of 18 starters and have goals of not only winning the ACC, but reaching the BCS National Championship. Last season was a minor disappointment as they finished with a record of 9-4. 

This year, they plan on taking that next step and once again joining that elite status. 

The first step to accomplish this will be in the spring, which begins on March 19. The spring game will be held on April 14 and is a chance for Florida State to figure out exactly what type of team they have and fix a few of their concerns.

Here is the Seminoles' spring breakdown.

Schedule

Dates are subject to change.

Mon. March 19

Wed. March 21

Thurs. March 22

Sat. March 24  

Mon. March 26

Wed. March 28

Fri. March 30

Sat. March 31  

Mon. April 2

Wed. April 4

Thurs. April 5

Sat. April 6

Mon. April 9

Wed. April 11

Thurs. April 12 (if necessary)

Sat. April 14—Spring Game

Offensive Depth Chart

Quarterback: EJ Manuel, Clint Trickett

Fullback: Lonnie Pryor

Running Back: Devonta Freeman, James Wilder

Wide Receiver: Rashad Greene, Greg Dent, Christian Green, Kenny Shaw, Rodney Smith

Tight End: Nick O'Leary

Offensive Tackle:  Cameron Erving

Offensive Guard: Jacob Fahrenkrug

Center: Bryan Stork

Offensive Guard: Garrett Faircloth

Offensive Tackle: Bobby Hart 

Defensive and Special Teams Depth Chart

Defensive End: Bjoern Warner

Defensive Tackle: Everett Dawkins, Cameron Erving, Anthony McColoud

Defensive End: Brandon Jenkins, Dan Hicks

Strong Side Linebacker: Christian Jones

Middle Linebacker: Vince Williams, Jeff Luc

Weak Side Linebacker: Telvin Smith

Cornerback: Greg Reid, Avis Commack, Xavier Rhodes

Strong Safety: Nick Moody, Karlos Williams

Free Safety: Lamarcus Joyner, Terrance Brooks

Kicker: Dustin Hopkins

Best Position Battle

Florida State is one of the more talented teams in the country but has many issues on the offensive line.

The Seminoles lose two starters on the line, and when you add on the injuries the Seminoles suffered to the unit last season, they ended up starting four true freshman in the bowl game. The good news is that Florida State will get a few of those players back, but the inexperience on the line has to be very concerning.

Florida State even picked up a couple of transfer offensive linemen in Menelik Watson and Daniel Glauser in this year's class. You'll likely see them in the mix as well, with the questions that remain on this side of the ball.

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Big Man on Campus

We all know E.J. Manuel hasn't lived up to the expectations yet, but he's still a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball, and that's all you can ask for. Can you name anybody on this offense that's a big play threat? (We'll get to that later.)

We know this defense is loaded, so picking the best player out of that group will be nearly impossible. But this offense will likely go as far as Manuel takes them.

He's always completed a high percentage of passes and was playing his best football last season until he got injured. He was never really the same when he came back.

When Manuel is healthy and in the zone, he's really a solid quarterback and capable of leading this team to a possible national championship. With an offense that struggles with him off the field, he's the key to this team and the big man on campus.

Biggest Shoes to Fill

Replacing three-year starting linebacker Nigel Bradham won't be an easy task, especially when he was the leading tackler the last two seasons and had five sacks last year. The person I see filling in this spot is Telvin Smith, who is an absolute beast at rushing the passer.

He's played in limited time the last two seasons but finished last year with three sacks and 42 tackles. He is extremely fast and shoots the gap better than most linebackers you'll see at the collegiate level. Smith is a versatile linebacker and has the talent to become one of the top at his position in the conference.

It should be fun to watch the junior linebacker in his new starting role.

Most Important Questions to Answer

Besides the offensive line, the biggest question I have for this team is the lack of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.

Sure, this team averaged 30 points per contest, but the running game was beyond terrible and the passing game struggled mightily at times. Playmakers need to step up so this offense can become more explosive and secure their chances of winning a national title.

Watch out for 2011 recruit running back Mario Pender, who has great size at 6'0", 210 pounds and accelerates extremely well. He can become that difference maker on the offensive side of the ball to take this Florida State team to the next level.

Another issue is the punting game, with senior Shawn Powell no longer on the roster. The Seminoles were the best team last season in punting yards, averaging 47 yards per kick. Replacing him may not be the sexiest thing to talk about, but it is a necessity.