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FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 5, 2015

Jimbo Fisher

Tallahassee, Florida

COACH FISHER: Very excited about our team being able to go up to Wake Forest and win the game on the road. Again, you go back and look at the game, offensively, we're extremely efficient until about the last ten plays of the game. We had a drop on the first drive, which stopped the drive, and a little wide -- just a hair off throw, then we score probably the next five drives, played very well. Had a couple of opportunities the last ten plays.

Not bad. Just some things, we misdeclared a block up front and changed the thing on -- we had a big play coming. Didn't get a ball to the corner route one time.

That was about it. We had a really good day. Had the ball nine times in the game. It was a very efficient day. Until the last ten plays. So had the opportunity.

Defensively, did a nice job in the red zone not giving up points. Nickel and dime, played some nice -- they had a different scheme. A lot of run/pass combinations things are going on in college football today as far as the runs called or throwing the pass at the same time. You've got to play the runs because you're not rushing. Linemen are allowed down the field ten yards. So you've got to rush and do some things.

At the end, could have got a little more. Still played the passes very well. Got a nice turnover at the end of the game. Had some silly penalties that kept them in, but some silly penalties I don't agree with. Point blank. That's about it. Without being bad. But that's the way it goes. That's football. You've got to overcome.

Tough day, windy day. Good win on the road. We've got to get better this week, 4-0. Now you're at Miami. This is one of the games you come to Florida State to play in, one of the great rivalries in college football. They'll be juiced up coming in here, and we have to be juiced up and keep playing well and keep progressing as a team. Just keep getting better and better at the things we're doing.

I'm very pleased at third down in the game offensively. We're 6 of 12. Picked up some nice third downs on the day, made some nice throws down the field. Hit some nice chunk plays. Made a number of big plays in the game, getting the ball down the field, especially with the limited number of opportunities, only had 52 plays, but made some big plays in that regard.

Q. Is it much too early for something like Dalvin and the hamstring to know?
COACH FISHER: He'll be day to day. Won't do anything the next day or two for sure. It wasn't as drastic and as bad as we think.

Q. How tricky are those deals?
COACH FISHER: It depends by the person. You know what I'm saying? It depends on each guy's -- I don't want to say ability or pain or anything like that, just their ability to heal and how each guy's body can take it. He's a guy that heals pretty quickly and plays tough, but you can't count on that thing. Just got to wait it day by day and see how it goes.

Q. He didn't dress at all during the second half. You guys knew he was done for the day?
COACH FISHER: Yeah, we knew he was done after we went over and got him examined right there in the first half.

Q. Would you rather play a team that's coming off a tough loss or a tough win?
COACH FISHER: It don't matter. I just want us to play well. I can't control what they do. All I can control is what we do. I don't ever think in those regards ever because that's out of my control.

I can sit and go crazy. I wouldn't sleep for a week trying to figure that out. You can't. You've got to worry about yourself. That's all you can worry about. I refuse the question. How's that?

Q. Jimbo, we couldn't tell from where we were. How much of a factor was the wind both in the passing game and also the punting? Was the wind a factor?
COACH FISHER: It was. But you've got to learn to deal with it. You've got to learn to drive it and deal with it. For the most part, we got the ball down the field except for the one last throw where we had the little hook and go, we had the guy beat and didn't get it down. That's technique. You've got to drive it through the wind, you know what I mean? You've got to be able to do that.

Punting, same way. You've got to be able to hit it. It's part of it. It's part of what you've got to do. Maybe lower your trajectory a little bit, maybe a little the flatter, things like that.

It's a factor, no doubt. It was 18, 20, get up to gusts 20, 30 miles an hour. That's a factor. But you've got to be able -- you've just got to do it.

Q. Did you feel that Everett took another step this week?
COACH FISHER: I do. He played better. Controlled the game a lot better. Again, I thought we were extremely efficient. First half, first drive, got three, drop by Bobo, and then a hair throw just right off the fingertips, first drive. Then we go on and hit the big play for 94. Then we go on one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 11, 12 -- 13-play drive and score another touchdown. Great. Then come back and have like an eight-play drive before the half but got a penalty right there at midfield on a motion, the guy set back, and then had the sack. That was it the first half.

Then they hit the punter. Then we come out and score the first drive of the second half. Score the second drive of the second half. Excellent down there, and got a holding call on the 2. Would have been another touchdown put you up three scores, which changes the whole game. And got a holding call on the first drive and overcame it.

Then come back and have a really nice drive into the five-play, hit a 16-yard pass to Bobo down the sideline. Then we come back and hit Travis on an over. We're at midfield going down. Got a little corner route. Got a little greedy on the next one. I thought we could have hit the corner. If we hit the corner, we're inside the 20 and score and put it away.

Last two drives of the game, hit a pass for five, got second and five. We have a missed declaration up front. I mean, it changes the whole angles of the block. Instead of stretching it out, if we steal that, we're running around the corner for a 10, 15-yard gain, and probably going down to score again and really take control of the game. That set us back. And then we had after the next play when the guy's arm hit when he threw, third down.

The last drive we got the first down on the penalty. That's when we didn't hit the -- we tried the double move and missed that one. That's it. That's all we had on offense, and it was victory time. We got in there.

I thought he took a lot of steps forward. I thought we were efficient. Until those last couple of drives. There's a couple plays, like I say, two or three plays, it's really close to being really, really good like you want it. You only get it nine times, that's not many times. Usually average 13 in a game, 12 to 14. That's one of those games that that happens.

Just like Boston College last year. Sometimes you only get it seven, eight times. They keep it, even if they don't score, just shorten the game. It shortens the games and your opportunities. It becomes more like a pro game when it happens. That's why pros use the average, and that's why their scores are so low until the end.

I thought he took a couple nice steps forward. Some things we have to continue to keep getting better at, but we'll continue to keep coaching in that regard. A missed declaration up front, one more drop, there's your other three series.

Q. (Indiscernible) quarterback, you said before you (indiscernible) giddy up. Are you seeing that from Everett, he's getting more assertive taking shots downfield?
COACH FISHER: He is, and how we call things and also how the defense allows us to do that. One thing I thought we did a real nice job on the offensive line picking up blitzes on third down. Only time they got pressure, and it wasn't a missed assignment, we got beat where the one guy just -- had a guy open, and the guy just caught his arm on the one third down, but that was just a physical -- just got pushed back.

Other than that, our backs and tight ends and line were doing a real nice job, and they bring a lot of different blitz packages. They do a lot of different things on defense as far as the different looks. We're doing a real nice job. They probably blitzed 60 percent of the time in that game. That's why we were trying to throw the football and get the one-on-ones we wanted.

Q. Do you think the offensive line overall took a step forward?
COACH FISHER: I definitely did. The assignments, how they picked things up, had nice big runs, I mean, ran the ball in the red zone. We're running it again. We're going to be third and two or third and one on the 1, and we're ready to score again. We were running in the mix. I thought they played a solid football game. Just wish we had more. We only had 52 plays.

Q. What is your confidence in the running backs and the running game when Dalvin is --
COACH FISHER: I feel good about Vickers. I feel good about Vickers and Patrick. Those guys are really good. Like I said, Vickers was doing well in the game. You saw the carries he made. Nice red zone run. Caught a nice screen. Picked up the blitz, knew what to do. Knew where he was going.

Patrick, when he got in, made a nice chip route going out. We'll get him out there more. It was a nice game as far as numbers. I feel very confident going in.

Q. You mentioned on Saturday about confidence, just finishing the game with confidence. What's the difference between starting the game with confidence and then having that confidence carry over?
COACH FISHER: Sometimes you get caught up in wanting to win. You don't get caught up in wanting to win, get caught up in wanting to play well, play the next play. Don't look at the scoreboard. I know that sounds crazy, but you shouldn't ever look at the scoreboard. How are you going to control the scoreboard? How you play. If you play the next play well, guess what? Sometimes that scoreboard will change in your direction.

I think that's what we get so caught up in is the outcome. Don't get caught up in the outcome. Stay in the process and just keep playing.

I don't think that was the total factor. I think at the end we had, like I said, a missed deck and a throw. That changed the game. You're talking about scoring again and scoring 8 out of 9 drives -- excuse me. 7 out of 9 drives. Really, really good.

Q. Is this a fun game for those guys from Miami going back and playing the guys they grew up with?
COACH FISHER: I think it's a fun game for everybody. What I mean by that is, what I consider a fun game, it's a rivalry game. They're big games that you want to play in. Of course, when it's from your hometown, I think, by each person how they look at it, but I'm sure they're wanting to play well.

Q. I didn't see Lorenzo in the game (indiscernible). Are you kind of holding off on him?
COACH FISHER: He didn't. The way the rotation went early, we were going to. He got stiff on the sideline, and we just held him. He's fine. He'll be ready to go. He'll be playing in this game and practicing and going everywhere.

Q. He did get in on it?
COACH FISHER: No, he didn't. The way the game flowed, we were trying to and we didn't. We had a couple of long drives, and then the half was over. Just the scenario of the game.

Q. Those of us who are a little bit older might have a better historical perspective for the Miami rivalry. Do the kids get it? Do they need it explained? Do they need to be up on that at all?
COACH FISHER: Heck no. Heck no. They know the Miami rivalry. They know what it means. They got a great program. We've got a great program. We have a lot of respect for them. They have a lot of respect for us. Two teams going to go play their tails off. They definitely do that.

Q. You said (CHECK AUDIO) kind of had some trepidation after seeing Nate and Terrance go down --
COACH FISHER: No, I didn't think so. Doesn't seem like it. You can't do that. That's part of ball. Sometimes it's going to be in, and it's going to be guys banged up. You better not get that. I didn't sense it at all.

Q. What's the update on Nate and Terrence?
COACH FISHER: Nate did not blow an ACL, which was really good. I think he's got a bad bone bruise, a couple weeks, two, three. Just got to play it by ear. We'll be good. Terrance's ankle is swollen. Just got to play it by ear. Dalvin is day to day.

They all should be back. It's just a matter of when. And I don't have any idea, and the trainers -- it all depends on each body, you know what I mean? They're bad, but they're not as bad. You know what I'm saying?

Q. Miami's offense has been very productive this season with Brad Kaaya. Talk about what they bring.
COACH FISHER: They move the ball very well. They throw the ball with a multiplicity of things. They're running the ball very good with Yearby and Walton. They've got a nice offense. They do a good job. Similar to us as far as route packages and things like that. A lot of things we do. But it's got good players and execute well. They've got a good grasp of what they're doing.

Q. Are the issues on third down surprising to you watching that offense?
COACH FISHER: That's one of the areas -- again, that goes to what I talk about, situational football. You've got to play situation. That's what I was happy about when we were 3 for 3 in the red zone, and 6 for 12 on third down in that game, in the Wake Forest game. We were throwing 50 percent. Those are playing situations very well, and they're getting chunk yards. It went and shocked me a little bit, their numbers, when I looked at them, on third down, because they are throwing the ball and moving it so well.

That just goes to show everybody's got issues. I think, if you watch football on Saturday, everybody definitely has issues, don't they?

Q. Is there a fine line -- you haven't turned the ball over in four games, which is an incredible stat. Also, is there a fine line between being a little -- maybe a quarterback being too conservative and trying to fit it in that window?
COACH FISHER: No, I don't think so.

Q. Are there times he might have had a shot?
COACH FISHER: Of course, there's been two or three, no doubt. But that just goes with confidence and you get used to what you're doing. Or sometimes go to the wrong plays and get it deflected. He's been pretty sharp with the ball and taking care of it very well.

Q. You mentioned Yearby a minute ago. What do you see on film that makes him effective?
COACH FISHER: Just a good player. Body quick, strong, sticks his foot in the ground, good vision, good burst. He's got all the qualities a good back has. He's a heck of a player. He's gotten bigger too.

Q. Did you recruit him in high school?
COACH FISHER: Yeah, he was actually committed to us.

Q. That's right. How good is that backfield with him and Dalvin when you were recruiting him? Have you ever seen a backfield like that?
COACH FISHER: Yeah, I've seen guys in the backfield of their caliber. That one right there ranks as high as any. I've seen some really good backfields, but those two right there are pretty daggum good now.

Q. Jimbo, you talked in the past about how each team is different every year with the turnover of players. Given that, is there any easy explanation for why one team will have a long winning streak over the other? The one you've got over Miami now, the Florida versus Kentucky streak, how does that happen with so much turnover year to year?
COACH FISHER: That's ball. That's life. I don't know. The world just goes like that. I have no ideas. There's so many factors that factor into it. If you could pin it down to one or two things, I'm sure they'd all get fixed on both ends. I really don't have an answer for that. I don't know.

Q. Jimbo, talk about the third down from every time we get to third down, seems like we're not executing to get the first down. What's going on this year with that?
COACH FISHER: We are. We were 6 for 12 in the last game. I just spoke about that.

Q. Okay.
COACH FISHER: We did a great job on that. We were 6 of 12 and 50 percent on third down. That was one of the key areas we exceeded on.

Q. And talk about Miami's two-headed monster at running back with Yearby and Watson. What type of running backs are they, and how are you going to stop those guys on Saturday night?
COACH FISHER: Yearby does a great job and Mark Walton does a great job. They're athletic, strong, fast. They're both from right there in Miami. Know them well, had them in camp. Those guys are dynamic backs, as well as anybody in the country, and they've got a good line in front of them. Those guys have all the qualities that great backs have.

Q. Jimbo, defensive replacements, the other night from the injuries, Hoskins played a lot and Reggie and Hoskins played together a lot.
COACH FISHER: I liked Reggie and Ro'Derrick both ended up playing and doing a nice job in there. Lorenzo Phillips got in on some of that. I was very pleased with Derwin James' ability to go back to safety, and then also when Trey went back there and Hunter at nickel. All those different combinations. Sometimes we bring Derwin up to blitz and very pleased up front. More about the communication and calls for the most part. Did a real nice job.

Again, just like had happened -- when we lost Brutus in the South Florida game with the hit, those kinds of things. So those things are all very, very pleasing. Again, have given guys a lot of reps in practice and felt very comfortable with those guys. And very pleasing as a coach that they go in there and know exactly what to do and how to do it.

Q. Just showing versatility?
COACH FISHER: No doubt. Not just his versatility, but his knowledge and wisdom. It's easy to be versatile athletically. It's very hard to be versatile mentally because it's a lot of retention and decisions and things that go on for a young guy. And Derwin is a very -- he's very intelligent. I think that was very encouraging. Not that he wasn't doing it, but just to see him do it at that level in a big situation.

Q. Trey, in particular, is that about as well as he's played? 11 tackles, ACC defensively?
COACH FISHER: He's played -- even though sometimes -- I don't mean this -- we get caught up in numbers by tackles. Sometimes a guy will play better at DB when he's not making tackles because there ain't nobody open. It's like Deon, you know what I'm saying? But Trey has played pretty well at times, but he played really well and tackled and did a great job in the game. Don't get me wrong. I've seen Trey play that well before. Again, the numbers might not show it. Sometimes that doesn't always come out in stats sometimes. I've been very pleased with his overall performance in general.

Q. Jimbo, if Dalvin can't go, you have Vickers, but you'll be one back away from Patrick?
COACH FISHER: He'll play. Jacques is going to play. I feel very comfortable with Jacques in the game. Freddy can run the football and do things in that area. We'll be fine. He's got good hands. He's a big body in protection. Runs the ball, got speed, agility. I like him. He's practiced well.

Q. If Miami has a different passing attack than you guys have seen this year, you've seen a lot of kind of nickel and dime, dump it down, Miami will take shots on you, right?
COACH FISHER: Yeah, they're going to get the ball down the field now with receivers, big bodies.

Q. What's the challenge in the secondary that maybe you haven't faced?
COACH FISHER: They're bigger body guys too. They're big long guys, big body jump ball guys, back shoulder, fades, all that kind of stuff. James does a great job with the bunch packages and different things they do, throwing and catching the football and protect well. It is a more pro style passing attack that we'll face -- than we've faced before.

Q. More in your pass rush maybe to get in the backfield a little more?
COACH FISHER: And also you got -- and Kaaya is not a quarterback run guy, which allows to you play a little bit differently, too, in how you have to do -- I mean, you can or cannot how you want to do things. You're not worried about all the quarterback runs and things. Not that he can't run and scramble. I don't mean that. But it's not a main stable, true true running quarterback.

Q. How big of a concern was that against (indiscernible)? Didn't seem like guys were really playing the field?
COACH FISHER: That's what I'm saying. A lot of those passes they throw were runs. They were quarterback runs. They fake it, give it and start to run it and run back up. They're playing the run and then playing. That's the thing of college football now, it's a different craze even more. You know what I'm saying? That people are doing.

Because they'll gash you on the counter. Those are true -- like you run a counter where you pull a guard in the back. They're doing that with quarterbacks at the same time they've got passes on. That's what I say. Now the linemen are allowed downfield. That was my point about making things. I think that's very hard -- and I'm an offensive guy, and we can do some of that, and that's great. I just don't think it's good for the game. I think it's bad for the game, I really do.

I think they cross the line, there ought to be a penalty. If they don't cross the line, that's good. Not all of them may do, but I think those are -- that's how the game is being played now, and it's a whole different animal now. In college. In college. I think that's where -- I'm not saying -- we should have rushed the passer better at other times, there's no doubt. But a lot of those things, which people misconceive, they don't understand what's going on. Their runs and passing -- that's what I'm trying to tell everybody, it's different for the -- just like you saw Alabama. On that play Alabama got beat in the Ole Miss game. Lineman is five yards down the field. That was a run he pulled, and then he still had the option to throw.

So there's all those things -- and a guy can't rush when he's getting a run read. There's play action, but then there's run reads. It's a whole different ball of wax now, but that's the college game.

Q. Think that will change?
COACH FISHER: I hope it does, but it actually went the other way. They actually put a rule in for one, and then somebody -- the rule says one yard to book, but we got it squeezed out to three yards. I don't know how it happened.

Everybody has the same problems. Don't get me wrong. When you ask those questions, it's like you're saying you're -- well, I'm not because actually the game is a totally different game than you see on Sundays or whatever else. It's a totally different perspective.

I don't know if the true -- I'm not trying to insult anyone. I don't know if you understand the significance of how different that makes things happen. I mean, it goes against all your rules of teaching and coaching. Defensively, I don't know how -- I mean, there's not an answer, as crazy as it sounds. It's hard to have an answer for those things.

At the same time, it's hard to execute too. If you happen to have blitzes on -- I mean, it's a different animal. But our defense, again, we complain, but they still gave up 16 points and did a nice job. I like they got the ball back more in some of those nickel and dime things. But that's been better on third down and gotten off the field a little bit. But we all want to do that. Just a different game.

Q. What does Ro'Derrick need to do to continue the confidence he started the season on?
COACH FISHER: Exactly what he's doing now. Don't get bored. When guys have success -- just like with the question, people think, okay -- and players do this. I'm doing this real good now. Now I got to do this now and do this. They keep trying to move -- no, just keep doing what you're doing. Boredom is usually the downfall of a lot of good teams and good players. They think there's more to do sometimes.

Sometimes there is. If there is, you have to. And if there's areas that coach comes to you, then you do. But if not, keep -- athletics is a game of repetition. How many times in a row can you do it right? And sometimes we overthink. Okay, I'm doing that right. I'm doing that right. I'm doing that right. They're going to know I'm doing that right. I'd better do this. Then you do that, and all of a sudden -- you know what I mean? You're your own worst enemy. You overthink sometimes.

Keep doing what he's doing, trusting his eyes, staying on his keys, reacting, and playing great football like he is. Not only on defense, but special teams too.

Q. How have you seen Kaaya progress? He played well last year but he was just a true freshman in his second year --
COACH FISHER: I haven't watched him a lot. You can see his mastery at the line of scrimmage. So much more comfortable, making more calls. You see him communicating with so many other guys, just in that quicker manner and knowledge of what's going on. You just see his maturity. He's a really, really good player.

Q. And going back to the question on the phone about Dalvin and Yearby's improvement. Is that him and -- is that kind of a microcosm of recruiting in general? Yearby is recruited to you at one point and Dalvin is committed to a different school at one point?
COACH FISHER: Sometimes it is, sometimes it ain't. I mean, we say that, but if you really go back and research, there's still an 80, 85 percent of things that still stay where they always are. You know what I'm saying? That's the world we live in. It's just like the transfers. Guys go to a school and don't play early, what do they want to do? You stayed. You fought it out and went through it. What's everybody doing now? Transfer. It's just the world we're in.

You ain't playing. You should go here. And I understand that. It's just kind of -- social media, communication.

See, what people don't understand -- and I say this not blaming it on social media. It used to be hard for guys to switch. You never could get a hold of them. It used to be hard. I remember calling guys at their house 20 times in a day just to get them once. You know what I mean? In the old days of trying. There wasn't no cell phone. So when they left the house, they wasn't thinking about recruiting. They was whatever normal teenagers do.

Now they got a cell phone, a Twitter, a text, a Facebook. The ability to reach kids has a lot to do with our communication world, has a lot to do with why guys change. As a coach, that's what I keep saying about the early signing period. You get guys committed, then you find out -- say you're in a big game stretch and maybe talk to them five times this week. I'm trying to coach too.

All of a sudden, it's like anybody. Who keeps talking to me the most? We're in a different world now. That's how guys get their minds changed so quick. It has a lot to do with the availability of how we communicate in today's world. It's a big part of it.

Q. Last week somebody asked you about the young receivers getting in more. You said they need to practice better. Are they getting closer?
COACH FISHER: Some, some aren't. It's not hard. Just consistency. I'm not disappointed in them. They're freshmen. I'm not disappointed. Some had some injuries, you know what I mean, to get back in the mix. It's hard to -- once you get behind sometimes as a freshman, it's hard to get caught up. We're going to keep practicing or getting better. Maybe the next couple of weeks we'll be able to keep in that rotation.

Q. Jordan (indiscernible) ten times --
COACH FISHER: A whole bunch. That hinders you. That really, really hinders you in consistency and what's going on. He's going to be a really good player.

Q. Having a nice game like this, how much does it help in recruiting? Not only for the environment but you have more time to sit down with them when they come in?
COACH FISHER: We do. It's hard to find time for guys. But they want to be in the atmosphere and environment. It's great. It's all part of it. It does give you more time.

Q. Is it overstated how much one game like this means to recruiting? You hear so much --
COACH FISHER: I think it doesn't. It's still extremely important. Do not get me wrong. But, again, because of media and social media and the ability to communicate with kids, I think it has changed it a little bit, you know what I'm saying? And I think kids in recruiting today still look for where can I play quickly? Where can I have an opportunity? Where can I win championships?

Winning is important, but also then you have the other kid who, okay, that's important, but I want to play now. I think that's changed a little bit than in the past because guys were willing to be redshirted, wait until their second, third, fourth year to play. We all know that. That's just back in the '80s and '90s, most guys never played, those programs, you're a redshirt sophomore or junior. That has changed too. I think that's still a factor too. This game, it's still very important.

Q. Jimbo, I'm not trying to get new trouble here, but it's a safety issue with something like a horse collar. Can you be -- what do you do --
COACH FISHER: Or targeting.

Q. Well, right. How do you communicate with the ACC about a call?
COACH FISHER: Just call them and ask them. Our head official guy is a tremendous guy. I love him. This new guy, he does a great job, great job. Very easy to communicate with. We send those into him or call him, and he's excellent with what he's doing. Very happy with him. Hopefully, they'll see those things and make adjustments. And they tell you if they don't agree with you. You know what I'm saying? And you move on. You've got to communicate that. Those are major.

When you get into 15-yard penalties, those change ball games big time. Change lives.

Q. Did you get an explanation on the horse collar?
COACH FISHER: We're waiting yet. We sent the replies in.

Q. What's impressed you the most about Everett? Four games into the season, the way he's progressed with the offense?
COACH FISHER: Just patience. He's showed his maturity, and just growing into what's there, being -- making sure his team is in positions to win games. Taking advantage of opportunities in the red zone. Third down has been pretty decent in protecting the football in those areas.

Just an overall -- it's not -- team camaraderie is not the word, but his ability to fit in with the guys and be one of the guys and lead them and make them feel like he's here just to help them.

Q. I see Hoefeld penciled in as a starter here. How did he end up (indiscernible) Mavety?
COACH FISHER: Hoefeld played pretty well. A couple plays he didn't play well, but he played pretty well. Did a real nice job communicating, getting blitzes, getting calls, getting us on the right guys. I thought he played a nice football game.

Mavety did a nice job coming in. More physical, getting more depth in there. Derrick Kelly did a nice job for his first start. They've all got to get better. But they did well in one of their first opportunities to play a significant amount of time.

Keep evolving. That's all we've got to keep doing is keep evolving.

Q. You talked about the pressure on college coaches. Did you ever think you'd see a time where a second-year head coach, people are calling for a change?
COACH FISHER: I'm not sure what you're --

Q. Coach Strong?
COACH FISHER: Again, and I -- you ain't going to believe this. I live in a vacuum as far as that. I don't get caught up and listen to everybody else.

Q. But the big --
COACH FISHER: No.

Q. But second year of the program --
COACH FISHER: I mean, it's -- we're an instant gratification world. We talk about players, and like I said, a guy ain't playing by his sophomore year, end of his freshman year, he wants to transfer. They want instance gratification. I call it wanting glory without the sweat. You've got to mature. There's nothing wrong with that. That's the world.

As a coach, when you're going into a program and talk about changing culture, talking about demeanor, all those things, that's extremely hard. If they're doing that, that's tough because it takes time to change how people think. Or making sure you get your people in there.

That's why you see a lot of coaches, when they do go in, just get rid of everybody. You know why? Because it's hard to change how people really think. And until you change the culture of an organization, you never change the organization.

Everybody talks about players. It isn't about players. Only. It is about players, but there's way more factors that go into changing a program how it wins than just players, you know what I'm saying? And recruiting well. You've got to change the way all the people around there think, the culture, to make sure everyone understands what you're trying to create, and that takes time. Now, unfortunately, I hate that if that's going on. I really do hate that because you've got to give a guy time.

But also, that's the world we're in. That is the world we're in. Fun job, ain't it?

Q. How's (indiscernible) doing?
COACH FISHER: Still in the hospital. We're getting reports back. I won't go into detail, but according to all the reports I'm getting, he's getting better and better. I say prayers for him all the time.

Q. (No microphone)?
COACH FISHER: I don't know.

Q. What's the added excitement of playing this at home? Last time you guys played, you set the all time attendance record.
COACH FISHER: Did we? I'm trying to think of that game.

Q. Last time you played Miami at home.
COACH FISHER: We were both top ten and both undefeated. That was '13. It's great. To have that atmosphere and environment to go out and experience it, it makes it great for the fans. To play your rivalry games at home, man, it's great to have that fan support behind you. There's no doubt about that.

Q. In 2010, Coach, you went down to Miami, a significant road game.
COACH FISHER: We were a big underdog if I'm not mistaken.

Q. Underdog. What does that mean for the program to be able to go down there?
COACH FISHER: I think it was huge because of the past that Florida State had so many tough games in Miami. So much tough time in Miami in that game. I think it was significant. It woke people up to say, hey, Florida State does have a chance to be that program again, you know what I mean? That was a big game. I remember that night. That was a great night for Florida State, but they had a great team.

We kind of got control of the game later and took off and ran away with it a little bit. It was a lot closer game than that. It was significant. It was the first high-ranked opponent on the road. Miami of all people. We had struggled so much as a university in the past, and to be able to get down and do that, give people hope for the future. Once you get hope, anything can happen.

Q. Coach, Da'Vante had six TDs the last two games.
COACH FISHER: Extremely proud of him. Extremely proud of him. Doesn't surprise me. Doesn't surprise me. I mean -- and I say that because nothing he does -- because that -- you talk about a guy -- you talk about somebody you miss too. I just miss his smile every day. I miss his attitude at practice every day.

Not that we don't have it, but just that guy, he loved everything about football. And he's one of the true guys that, when he made a mistake, it really hurt him. Not because he got singled out or that he made the mistake, but because he let his coaches and his teammates down.

You talk about a genuine great person and great teammate. And you'll be walking off the field: Coach, Coach, I promise, that will never happen again. I know, buddy.

He's one of those guys, when I yelled at him, I felt bad. I tried not to, but I really did. His heart and soul was in it. He's genuine as the day is long. I'll tell you what, there's not enough work hours in the day to outwork that guy.

I'm so happy. The things he went through and tough times that went on and his hard work, I'm extremely, extremely happy for him, but not surprised one bit.

Q. Chris and Carlos too? Chris Thompson and Carlos are both having --
COACH FISHER: Doing great. Carlos, I told that knucklehead, didn't I? Is I always tease him all the time, but he's doing really well.

And I think you see him growing is the knowledge of the position. You know what I'm saying? It's going to keep getting better and better and better. Chris, of course, I said this all along. It's a shame Chris Thompson wasn't healthy at Florida State because I don't know if the fans -- and I don't mean it -- truly respect how good he was because you didn't get to see him enough consistently because of injuries.

But I mean, that guy now, you talk about just a natural, great running back and what he did and the things -- remember he broke his back and all those things. Up there at Wake Forest. Remember that day? That's always -- we've always got guys banged up up there for some reason.

But you talk about -- you talk about great human beings, the guys you're talking about -- and I know I say that -- those guys are great people, man. They really are. It's no accident that they're having -- who they are as people and then have the ability to have that success on the field. I can't be happier for any of those guys. Great, great people and ambassadors for Florida State.

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