Florida State WRs Travis Rudolph, Ermon Lane are 'ready'

Rashad Greene warned the former five-star duo.

As talented as true freshmen wide receivers Travis Rudolph and Ermon Lane are, Florida State's senior star stressed that physical ability, potential and hard work were not going to be enough for them to earn starting roles, or even be a part of the Seminoles' rotation.

After spending much of Florida State's first three games on the sideline, Jimbo Fisher says Rudolph and Lane are finally understanding the consistency they must practice with to get on the field more during games. Just before the team departed for Raleigh, N.C. on Thursday night, the head coach said the freshmen are ready to play a bigger role in Saturday's game at N.C. State.

"Fifteen (Rudolph) and 1 (Lane) have had tremendous weeks," Fisher said following Thursday's practice. "Sometimes you have a great week and then you hit that freshmanitis, as I call it, and then all the sudden it just clicks back in. They are playing fast, they know what to do. (I'm) very happy with their progress and they'll definitely play.

"And that's not because of any lack of happiness with anybody else. They're ready. I think they're really ready."

The pair of south Florida talents have a combined three receptions for 37 yards in FSU's first three games of the 2014 season. Rudolph, who Rivals.com ranked at the nation's top wide receiver prospect, has yet to be targeted.

"What I tell them is, 'Sometimes you've got to be careful what you ask for.' Some guys pout because they're not used to (not) playing," Greene said. "But you're not really focused when you pout and you worry about not playing."

As things have started to click for the former five-star recruits, Fisher says 6-foot-3, 206-pound Lane and 6-foot-2, 184-pound Rudolph each made "a bunch of plays" during practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

"You never know when your time is going to be called and then when it's called and you mess up, that makes you look bad," Greene said. "I just tell them, 'Stay focused. Your time is going to come. Hard work (doesn't) go unnoticed. So you're gonna get your shot, just be prepared for it.'

"I just try to make sure I keep them on top of assignments and technique and doing things the right way – just staying locked in and focused."

It may have taken longer than Rudolph and Lane expected, but this Saturday they will get their opportunity to show if their new-found consistency on the practice fields can carry over to the game.

"All y'all, you've got them built up to come in and start from Day 1 and catch 700 balls and run for 1,200 yards," a laughing Fisher said to the media on Thursday, "and then they get up here and say, 'There's some guys around here that are pretty good, too.' But then they realize, 'I can play here.'"

Edwards, Pender, Eligwe out for N.C. State game

Defensive end Mario Edwards Jr., tailback Mario Pender and linebacker Ukeme Eligwe are all listed as 'OUT' for FSU's game at N.C. State.

Edwards and Pender both suffered concussions during the Seminoles' overtime victory against Clemson last Saturday, while Eligwe continues to recover from an offseason foot injury.

With Pender sidelined, freshman Dalvin Cook will get more carries behind starter Karlos Williams, and Fisher says he has full confidence in Chris Casher taking on a bigger role with Edwards out for the game.

Despite being listed as 'OUT' on FSU's official injury report, Fisher says there is a small chance that Eligwe plays Saturday.

"I saw some really good things out of him (Wednesday) and (Thursday)," the head coach said of the athletic linebacker. "We'll have to wait and see how it goes and how he feels after those hard days of practice, but (he) could (play)."

Defensive tackle Justin Shanks, who suffered an ankle injury against The Citadel, and did not play against Clemson, is healthy and expected to play Saturday