Colleges
CB Has To Forget Last Raleigh Trip
COREY CLARK
Tribune Correspondent
Published: October 14, 2008
TALLAHASSEE - One of the rules of playing cornerback is you must have a short memory.Tribune Correspondent
Published: October 14, 2008
But for Florida State's Patrick Robinson, he would have to have amnesia to forget the Noles' last trip to Raleigh, N.C.
The talented cornerback was a freshman in 2006 when 17th-ranked Florida State took on North Carolina State on a Thursday night in October. With the Seminoles ahead 20-17 early in the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack drove to the FSU 12-yard line.
Robinson was in man coverage on N.C. State's John Dunlap when QB Daniel Evans lofted a pass into the end zone. Dunlap leaped over Robinson to make the go-ahead touchdown catch in an eventual 24-20 win.
"It was very hard at the time," Robinson said. "But my teammates told me that's going to happen. They just helped me get through it."
Though that play certainly wasn't the only reason the Seminoles lost - they had more than 10 minutes to come back that night - Robinson admits it stuck with him for a while.
"To be honest, I thought about it for a long time," he said. "But, you know, that happens. When you're playing football you're not going to win every game. And you're not going to win every play, but you try to win most of them."
He then added: "But that's in the past. I'm getting ready for this week."
READY FOR THE RUN: With Florida State's offense having averaged more than 280 yards on the ground the last two weeks, it's obviously not going to shock the FSU players or coaches if the N.C. State defense is geared to stop the run on Thursday night.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they load eight in the box and try to stop it and play man-to-man outside," QB Christian Ponder said. "I can't predict what they'll do, but if that happens we'll be ready to throw that ball. And that's something we'll probably have to rely on this game."
That's sweet music to the ears of senior Greg Carr and the rest of the FSU receiving corps.
"We know that brings about a lot of man coverage," said Carr, who has the Seminoles' lone touchdown catch in the last three games. "If that comes, if people start to stick more guys in the box, that's when we have to step up and make our plays."