.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) No. 1 Florida State gets an early open date this year, and it comes at a nice time for the banged-up Seminoles.
Florida State had three defensive linemen go down with lower leg injuries last week and the extra time could allow them to return to the lineup in time for No. 23 Clemson on Sept. 20 - arguably their toughest conference game of the season.
''I think it does (help),'' coach Jimbo Fisher said. ''You get to watch more film, but sometimes you get to overthinking things, too. What I like about the week is getting fundamentally sound again.
''And it came at a good time because of our health. Off weeks, you think they're at the right times before games, but this one turned out to be pretty good because of our health. Let some guys get healthy, get some other guys back hopefully and see where we'll go.''
Defensive linemen Eddie Goldman and Nile Lawrence-Stample missed practice Tuesday after they were injured during the Seminoles' 37-12 win against The Citadel last weekend. Backup defensive tackle Justin Shanks also sat out.
Fisher said all three will be ''evaluated day by day,'' but didn't give any specifics about the injuries.
The linemen have lower-leg injuries that were being attributed to cut blocks used by the Bulldogs in their triple-option scheme. Goldman was seen on crutches with his left foot in a walking boot after the game.
Cornerback P.J. Williams was not in pads as he recovers from a hamstring injury that he aggravated in the season opener. He didn't play last week.
The Seminoles are 3-1 against Clemson since Fisher took over the program, so the coaching staff knows the Tigers as well as any opponent. FSU went into Clemson last year and won 51-14 in a rout that propelled the team to the national championship.
Defensive end Derrick Mitchell Jr. said he plans to use some of the extra time from the bye week to watch Clemson's 45-21 loss to Georgia from two weeks ago. Former FSU defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt holds the same position at Georgia and Mitchell wants to see what the Bulldogs did that worked well.
''Clemson has a very unique offense,'' Mitchell said. ''Just having that extra time to break down their film.''
Offensive lineman Cam Erving said an off week is always a positive, but agreed with Fisher that the extra time can lead to unnecessary nitpicking.
''You can never watch too much film, but I've watched so much film that I started second-guessing myself as to what I was doing,'' Erving said. ''There's pros and cons to it all. You just have to make sure that you know what you're looking at and have the discipline to just stay within the framework of what you've been taught.''
The Seminoles did get linebacker Ukeme Eligwe back on the practice field for the first time since spring on Tuesday. He's been out with a foot injury, but the Clemson game has been a target for his return.
''Very athletic, looked very good,'' Fisher said. ''We'll bring him along here as we go, as quickly as he can go.
''We have a little plan for him. It was his first day out at practice, we have to see how it reacts, if there was a lot of soreness, any swelling. I don't anticipate any, but you have to wait to see.''
