SOUTHPORT — Roberto Aguayo and Cason Beatty know a little bit about preparation, sticking to a process and achieving success.
That’s why the Florida State football players were the perfect examples for Susan Street’s fourth-grade class at Southport Elementary School. They made an appearance on Saturday as part of the FCAT kickoff in conjunction with Street’s longtime reading initiative that has included Seminoles football players for the past 16 years.
Aguayo, who as a freshman won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top place-kicker, told the students to not be bogged down by the relative enormity of the test. He said they have been prepping for this moment all year, much like the Seminoles geared for a 14-0 national-championship season. It began well before fall practices and continues today.
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher started his process when he took over four seasons ago and the results have been undeniable. FSU capped this season with a 34-31 win over Auburn in the final BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, Calif.
“It couldn’t have been scripted any better. It was like a movie,” Aguayo said. “Now we know what to do to win a national championship and we have to keep it up.”
Aguayo said the focus quickly shifted to next season. FSU held a championship celebration several weeks after the game played in early January. Thousands of fans attended to commemorate FSU’s third title.
“To me, it didn’t really sink in until the championship ceremony,” Aguayo said. “Every day I think about it. I think ‘wow, we won a championship.’”
The sentiment has been placed in the back of his mind, however. The team held a meeting on Friday and Fisher reiterated that the past is behind the Seminoles. The aim is for a strong spring practice and Garnet and Gold Game and then work begins on the 2014 season opener against Oklahoma State in Dallas on Aug. 30.
Aguayo will be hard-pressed to have a better sophomore campaign. He missed only one of his 22 attempted field goals last season, a 43-yarder in a 59-3 win over Wake Forest on Nov. 9, and led the nation in scoring with 157 points. A bystander joked that Beatty, the holder on field goals and extra points, was at fault for the missed kick.
Beatty quickly shook his head no and Aguayo immediately accepted the blame.
“The pressure was building,” Aguayo said. “I was up to 77 consecutive kicks and it was my 13th field goal. The wind wasn’t helping me, either. I hit it too much.”
Aguayo came back and connected on a 42-yarder in the second half in the lone bounce back from adversity.
“They say the hardest shot to make in golf is the next one after hitting a bad shot,” Aguayo said. “No one said anything to me. (Special teams) Coach (Charles) Kelly said he wanted me to figure it out for myself.”
Fisher employs the same philosophy, for the most part. Aguayo and Beatty said Fisher isn’t afraid to point out mistakes. He also isn’t afraid to light fires under players.
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston was asked to leave the field early in one of the practices leading up to the BCS game because Fisher felt he wasn’t giving total effort. Aguayo said it served as notice to everyone else that no one is above complacency.
Beatty understands the concept, as he was criticized by some for finishing 11th in the Atlantic Coast Conference in average net yards per punt. Fans would routinely take to social network Twitter to voice their displeasure with Beatty, who said he doesn’t have a Twitter account and doesn’t pay attention to detractors.
“There’s always going to be criticism,” he said. “You can let it hurt you or get better. We led the nation the past two years in least punts.
“But even if you only have 35 punts you have to make the most of those 35 punts. Fisher will tell you if you're not doing well. He's not afraid to say you'll be fired."