Florida State opens spring practice this week

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Jimbo Fisher has landed several top recruiting classes the past four years and now he's about to learn if that talent is as good as advertised.

With more than a dozen Seminoles departing from last year's team that finished 12-2 and ranked No. 10 in the final poll of the season, Fisher and an overhauled coaching staff enter spring practice Wednesday looking to replace several of his top performers from one of the nation's top defenses and high-scoring teams of a year ago.

There is work to be done first for the who must replace quarterback EJ Manuel along with a handful of NFL-bound defenders and record-setting placekicker Dustin Hopkins, who finished his career as the NCAA's all-time leader in career field goals and points scored by a kicker.