TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State isn't winding down its preparation for the Labor Day night clash with rival Miami inside Doak Campbell Stadium. If anything, the 18th-ranked Seminoles are ratcheting up the intensity with the anticipated season-opener less than a week away.

"Anytime you go into a season it's always exciting because you've been practicing against each other all spring and fall," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said after Tuesday's 23-period practice. "You just want to see what you've got."

Tuesday's feisty practice atmosphere was indicative of a team that is anxious to finally hit someone else. The challenge for the coaching staff at this point is to get the players to focus and practice with intensity and efficiency.

"We're doing better on our assignments, but we're still busting some," said Bowden, who had not been happy with the team's overall execution the past week. "I hope we get it straightened out."

The Seminoles closed the 2 1/2-hour practice session with 10 minutes of 11-on-11 scrimmaging in the red zone, which produced a handful of productive plays, then finished with the goal line drill.

Day eight of camp highlighted with long TD passes

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The University of Miami football team held its second two-a-day of fall camp on Monday, working out in full pads for two hours in the morning before donning helmets and shorts for another two hour session late in the afternoon.

Junior running back Graig Cooper was among those who stood out in the morning practice, scoring twice in red zone drills (one rush, one reception) before adding a big run later in third down blitz drills.

In the afternoon, back-to-back 65-yard touchdown passes in 7-on-7 action by Jacory Harris to LaRon Byrd and Cannon Smith to Leonard Hankerson highlighted the session.

After temperatures dropped slightly late last week, the heat index returned into the mid-to-upper 90s for both sessions on Monday.

The Hurricanes will practice just once on Tuesday, before holding their third two-a-day on Wednesday.

Practice Highlights - Morning Session (Full Pads)
• Josh Holmes, Ray-Ray Armstrong and Randy Phillips each recorded a sack in third down blitz drills.
• Sam Shields and Jordan Futch each recovered a fumble in 11-on-11 play. Shields returned his for a touchdown.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- For the second straight weekend, the Miami
Hurricanes football team participated in the 2009 Summer Tour, making
eight stops in Broward County on Saturday, July 18.

UM players and coaches made three stops in Ft. Lauderdale, two
in Pembroke Pines as well as stops in Weston, Lauderdale Lakes and
Pompano Beach Saturday afternoon.

At the events, the team members instruct youth in football and life skills.

The next series of tour stops will be in Miami-Dade County on Friday, July 24.