Jimbo Fisher: We wanted to face Alabama in national title game

Published May. 23, 2014 12:00 p.m. ET

Teddy Mitrosilis

Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher recently gave a pep talk to FSU's softball team, and among his handful of themes was being driven to do things that haven't been done.

Fisher used the Seminoles' national title run last season as an example.

All year, he said, his team heard about the plethora of ways an ACC team was supposed to be at a disadvantage compared to an SEC team.

ACC teams aren't as physical. SEC teams are too tough in close games; you can't hang. On and on it went, and Fisher was tired of it.

"I didn't want to be in the SEC and win a championship," Fisher told the softball team. "I wanted to be in the ACC. I wanted to break that mold. We were begging to play an SEC team, and we were hoping it was Alabama."

Florida State got an SEC team, of course, as it beat Auburn to win the title, and Fisher didn't mean any disrespect to the Tigers. But Alabama is widely considered the best team in college football, and Fisher mentioned his team wanted a chance to compete with the best.

"We have a saying: Our opponent has no face," Fisher said. "We don't care who they are. It doesn't matter."

Fisher rattled off many sayings and nuggets of wisdom in his speech. Among the best:

On being a selfless team: "Play don't care who makes it."

On criticizing, and taking criticism, teammates: "We still friends, right? Don't get mad. Take yourself higher."

On having a competitive spirit: "Sink your teeth into something."

On self-doubt: "The hardest person in the world to believe in is yourself, because you know your own warts."

On playing in big games: "The secret to all this is there is no secret. It's a softball game."

Here's video of Fisher's speech. It's well worth your time.

(H/t College Football Talk)

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