Florida State Seminoles' Newcomers Shine in Opening Game, Fresh Start

Even though the Florida State Seminoles only played Division I-AA opponent Samford this weekend, Saturday's rout gave plenty of reasons about which Seminole Nation can get excited. 

The offense looked like it picked up right where it left off as Christian Ponder connected for four touchdown passes, and the defense did look significantly quicker and better coverage-wise.

However, perhaps most notable from the trampling of Samford was the solid play from Florida State's 2010 recruiting class, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 

Defensive Line

Sophomore junior-college transfer Anthony "Amp" McCloud proved that he would indeed be a dominant force at the college level, as the defensive tackle collected six total tackles. McCloud will be a big piece in the future for this Florida State defensive line.

Darious Cummings, another defensive tackle and Florida State's first commitment of the 2010 class, also proved he can help improve the Seminoles' presence in the trenches on defense. Cummings added two tackles on the day, and with added size over the next few years.

Perhaps the most impressive freshman on the defensive line was German Bjoern Werner. Werner has quickly become a fan favorite by those in Tallahassee, with many often referring to him as a "grown man." Werner racked up two tackles on the day as well as a sack. If the German continues his dominant play, he could challenge senior Marcus White for playing time as the season goes on. 

Secondary

Another junior-college transfer who hit the ground running was cornerback Mike Harris, who had his share of tackles with four, as well as an interception. Harris is a junior who will be looking to add experience and leadership to the Seminoles' secondary, and Saturday was a great start for the Miami native.

Lamarcus Joyner, the talented and widely heralded five-star corner out of St. Thomas Aquinas, certainly lived up to the billing. Joyner displayed his fearless style of play, as he laid several hard hits on Samford players that garnered "oohs" from those in attendance. The freshman accounted for three tackles on Saturday as well as a pass breakup.

Another freshman without as much hype as Joyner also showed he's ready to play with a big hit in the game-ending goal-line stand by the Seminoles. Chad Abram was a three-star safety prospect out of Lakeland and will definitely provide many big hits much to Seminole fans' pleasure. 

Linebackers

As for the linebackers, last year's top linebacker prospect in the nation, Jeff Luc, led the way for the Seminoles' new corps. Luc made his presence felt every down he played in, and racked up a total of two tackles as well as one-half tackle for a loss. Luc will certainly play a huge part anchoring down the Seminole defense in the future.

Another talented linebacker and freakish athlete, freshman five-star Christian Jones, also had an impressive performance on Saturday. While he only accounted for one tackle, Jones was constantly finding himself in the backfield hurrying the quarterback. Jones' incredible size and athleticism make him impossible to keep off the field for too long.

Telvin Smith, a perhaps under-the-radar linebacker recruit in 2010, showed why coach Jimbo Fisher likes him so much. Smith, though a little skinny at the moment, certainly made his presence felt with two tackles on the day. The talented freshman out of Lowndes High School could be scary good once he puts on a few more pounds. 

Bright Future

When it was all said and done on Saturday, the new Florida State coaching staff and Seminole fans had reason to be optimistic about the defense's future. The lost decade is over, and the Jimbo Fisher Era has begun.