FAMU's offensive line has experience

Tallahassee, FL - Offensive line coach Lawrence Kershaw hasn't felt this good about his unit as he does these days — even with a redshirt freshman as one of his starters. On Monday, Kershaw had to reach back two seasons ago, when he had two All-Americans to make his point.

Understandably so.

Injuries depleted the line after the opening game last season and it wasn't until the last three games of the year that the line featured those same starting five players.

Three of those starters are back this season, along with Lincoln High grad Steven Robinson, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. Aram Wynn is the lone freshman starter. He won the spot with an impressive spring and has been winning praises from his upperclassmen since.

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FAMU offensive lineman is all business

The idea was strictly hypothetically, but it demonstrated the passion that FAMU freshman offensive lineman Kawika Pieper has for business.

During his senior year in high school, Pieper drew up a business plan that included using casinos to market his native Hawaii. He not only outlined every detail of how such a plan would benefit the island's economy, but he illustrated how it would move through government bureaucracy to where it stopped short of senate approval.

The senate rejection has been a real-life occurrence for many who attempted to introduce casinos to the island, where state law bans gambling. But Pieper wanted to show the upside, which he said would entice more visitors to come to the island.

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Barbarino keeping Rattlers in shape, healthy

Some days, Florida A&M strength and conditioning coach Russell Barbarino sets up outside the locker room. Other days he waits inside at the entrance of the shower stall — always with an electronic scale on the floor and clipboard in hand.

It's a routine he does twice a day, checking the weight of FAMU football players going out onto the practice field and immediately after they've completed practice. It's the latest initiative that Barbarino has taken to make sure he gives coach Joe Taylor and his staff the strongest and best conditioned players he can.

That's not all, because the weight check also would give him and the training staff a sign that something might be physically wrong with a player. Barbarino has already spotted one player who had a 13-pound weight loss before he began showing signs that he might be dealing with a health issue.

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