FSU's Fisher playing down role as heavy favorite

FSU's Fisher playing down role as heavy favorite

Published Sep. 2, 2011 10:30 p.m. ET

Florida State's Jimbo Fisher keeps saying his team needs to be at its best Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe in the season opener for both schools. Whether he really believes that is another matter.

"I don't think it's going to be easy," said Fisher.

But then Fisher claims he's not all that worried about the upset-minded Warhawks, adding that the sixth-ranked Seminoles should be just fine if they play as well as they've practiced this summer.

"We've prepared well," Fisher said. "We just have to go out and perform."

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Fisher said he'll use his starters, including junior quarterback EJ Manuel, as long as required - 60 minutes if necessary.

Manuel's backup is redshirt freshman Clint Trickett, who has yet to take his first collegiate snap.

Like his coach, Manuel isn't about to give the underdog any locker-room incentives.

"ULM is no slack-off college football team," Manuel said. "We're going to take them seriously."

The Warhawks finished 5-7 last season, but are expected to possibly contend for the Sun Belt Conference title this year.

"We have a much more mature team," ULM coach Todd Berry said. "We will know a lot more once we play a great Florida State team."

The Seminoles, who return most of their starters from a 10-4 season a year ago, will also find out if they're dominant enough to be deserving of the lofty preseason No. 6 ranking.

ULM returns starting quarterback Colton Browning and its top four receivers, including senior speedster Luther Ambrose, who caught 65 passes last season. Ambrose, who finished third in the NCAA 100 meters in 2010, is also a dangerous kick returner. Browning passed for 2,552 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran for another 385 yards and a team-leading four scores last season when he tied a school record with eight consecutive 200-yard passing games.

ULM didn't fare well a year ago against three top tier programs, losing by a combined 134-10 to Arkansas, Auburn and LSU. But 15 redshirt seniors on the roster were there in 2007 when the Warhawks upset Alabama 21-14 in Nick Saban's first year in Tuscaloosa.

"These things happen," Fisher said. "Kids know about all those things, and I don't like dwelling on negative things."

Fisher wouldn't bite on a question earlier in the week about whether he'd cut back on the playbook against ULM with top-ranked Oklahoma just two weeks away.

"You've got to do what you've got to do to win the game," he said. "Do what we do well and do it the best we can and move on to next week."

The Seminoles will be near full strength for the opener with junior tailback Chris Thompson - the team's leading rusher a year ago - returning from a back injury and guard David Spurlock (concussion) cleared last week. Junior wide receiver Willie Haulstead and reserve offensive lineman Henry Orelus are both out with concussions.

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