Florida State Football: 5 Things That Will Keep Coach Fisher Up at Night

Head coach Jimbo Fisher will be looking to take the next step with his Florida State football team this season, but he has some issues that will make him uneasy.

The Seminoles have been considered underachievers over the last decade. They have an impressive bowl streak that goes all the way back to 1980, but have only won 10 games once the last eight seasons.

They've been good the past decade, but expectations call for much more than just good in Tallahassee.

Fisher has a 19-8 record in his first two seasons as the Seminole head coach and looks to have control of the program.

Even though the team is coming off a 9-4 season—which includes a victory over Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl—Fisher still has to prove he belongs as the team underachieved on its preseason top-10 ranking.

Here are a few things that will concern Fisher in regards to his team winning an ACC Championship.

1. E.J. Manuel

E.J. Manuel took over as the full-time starter at the quarterback position last season and was a reason the Seminoles were ranked so highly in the preseason.

Manuel posted a solid season, but he didn't entirely show why he was a 5-star quarterback out of high school.

The concern for Fisher regarding Manuel will be all the mental aspects of the game.

He has the physical tools to be a great college quarterback but needs to improve his decision-making both before and during plays.

Before the play, Manuel has to fully understand the play he's running and figure out the look the defense is throwing at him in order to make a pre-snap adjustment when necessary.

When a play breaks down, Manuel must be better in either throwing the ball away or running out of the pocket to avoid taking unnecessary sacks.

Coaches are rarely totally comfortable with their quarterback play at the college level, and Fisher will be on edge as to whether Manuel will fully take over this offense.

2. Left Tackle Position

The Seminoles are losing both their starting offensive tackles from last season and are searching for their replacements.

However, the left tackle position will be more of a concern to Fisher as that position protects the quarterback's blindside.

The two battling for the spot are junior-college transfer Daniel Glauser and former defensive tackle Cameron Erving.

Erving seems to have an edge after spring practice and coaches love his potential on the offensive side of the ball. It still remains a big question mark entering fall practice as Erving doesn't have any game experience at the position.

Position changes can boom or bust, and Fisher will be hoping the former defensive tackle can hold down the left tackle position this season.

3. Running Backs

The theme of concern for Fisher on the offensive side of the ball continues with the running back position.

The running backs were OK, but nothing special in 2011. The Seminoles return leading rusher Devonta Freeman, who battled a back injury this spring.

While Freeman led the unit with 579 rushing yards, nobody distinguished himself as the No. 1 running back.

Chris Thompson and James Wilder Jr. both return. The highly-rated Mario Pender will also likely get in the mix for significant playing time.

There is clearly talent in this group but one or two guys need to establish themselves from the rest of this group to really help the offense flourish.

If nobody can stick out this season for the Seminoles, Fisher will have headaches on who to throw out on the field.

4. Clemson Tigers

The Clemson Tigers will be the main threat to Florida State in the Coastal Division despite coming off an embarrassing bowl loss to West Virginia last season.

The game between the Tigers and Seminoles may very well decide who is represented in the ACC Championship game from the division.

There is plenty of ammunition on the Tigers squad that will cause coach Fisher concerns heading into that matchup.

On the offensive side of the ball they have one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in Tajh Boyd, one of the top playmakers in the country in Sammy Watkins and the experienced and talented Andre Ellington.

The defense of the Tigers should improve with the addition of defensive coordinator Brent Venables as their defense has plenty of upside and potential.

The goal for the Seminoles is an ACC Championship, and Clemson proved they could make some noise in the ACC last season.

That game will give Fisher much to think about as it nears.

5. Injuries

Coaches all around the country fear what they can't control.

Injuries are a natural part of the game, and all it takes is for one significant injury to take place to ruin a season.

The Seminoles enter fall practice clear of too many major injuries, but running backs Chris Thompson, Devonta Freeman as well as defensive linemen Bjoern Werner, Timmy Jernigan and Jaccobi McDaniel missed time in the spring due to various injuries.

It will be vital for the Seminoles to stay away from season-ending injuries to make a run at a conference championship.

Significant injuries to Manuel or defensive leaders LaMarcus Joyner, Christian Jones or Brandon Jenkins would do major damage to those chances.

This is something that Fisher has little control over. It is a part of the game that all coaches fear and will keep Fisher on his toes.