JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- This trip to Florida will be different for West Virginia starting cornerback Keith Tandy -- at least that's his hope.

The last time Tandy was in this state, albeit further south from where he stood yesterday on a practice field at the University of North Florida, he got beaten badly by deep balls as West Virginia lost, 30-19, Oct. 30 against South Florida in Tampa.

As Tandy and his teammates prepared for Friday's Gator Bowl against Florida State yesterday, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound sophomore spoke of what that night did for him.

"That was a turning point," he said. "Every cornerback gets beat. You have to come right back and remember what you got beat on. You just have to come right back."

West Virginia coach Bill Stewart was pressed hard by the media and Mountaineers fans to bench Tandy. Stewart, though, never wavered, and Tandy has performed admirably in the four games since, as West Virginia finished out the season 3-1 after that South Florida loss.

"Keith just got out-matched that night," Stewart said yesterday at practice. "Guy flew by us and they threw a deep ball; not much you can do about that."

And now, as Tandy readies for a Florida State receiving corp that has both size and speed, he understands the Seminoles' saw plenty of film of that subpar performance against South Florida.

"This is a different team and a different situation," Tandy said. "But they have a lot of the same kind of athletes [as South Florida did], so I have to be ready ... I know they are going to try everything we got beat on this year."

Although Stewart would not divulge what players were involved -- and the portion of practice where it happened was closed to the media -- he said there was a dustup between a couple West Virginia players in practice.

From what could be gathered -- although no one would give up any names -- there were a couple training-camp variety fights between Mountaineers players during practice.

Stewart brushed it aside as healthy competition.

"That happens," Stewart said. "But it all stayed on the field. We walked in that locker room and it was done and forgotten."

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