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NAPA, Calif. -- Raiders defensive back DJ Hayden knows his NFL career might already be at a crossroads after just three seasons.That point was driven home emphatically in the offseason when the team made multiple changes to the secondary, bringing in veteran Sean Smith to pair with David Amerson as the starting cornerbacks.The Raiders also declined to pick up the fifth-year option on Haydens contract, meaning that -- barring a change from Oaklands front office -- the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft will go into the offseason next year as a free agent.Not that Hayden seems bothered by it one way or the other.The 26-year-old reported to training camp leaner and more muscular as he transitions from playing on the outside to defending the slot receiver.The move has gone smoothly so far, too, as Hayden intercepted a pass from quarterback Matt McGloin and returned it for a touchdown on Saturday then made a nice play to break up a deep throw from Derek Carr on Sunday.I feel like Im more confident, Hayden said Sunday. Its my fourth year, its about time I made some plays. I want to score some touchdowns. Pretty confident I will.Hayden has struggled to live up to expectations after becoming the first first-round pick by Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie.Hayden came out of college having survived a near-fatal heart injury, was plagued by injuries that limited him to 18 games over his first two seasons and has just three interceptions.Last season, Hayden started 13 games, played in all 16 and had a career-best 70 tackles.Now hes moving inside after spending time there last season as the Raiders nickel back while Smith and Amerson start at cornerback.Inside, you have to kind of come at it at a different approach because (receivers have) got so much field to work with, Hayden said. But its pretty much the same thing. `Thats your guy, cover him. I like it, I like it a lot.The Raiders held their first fully padded practice of training camp Sunday and Hayden stood out with his play to break up the pass from Carr.A small step, to be sure, but a signficant one for Hayden.His confidence is really high, Raiders second-year defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. He loves what hes doing. We have competition across the board and hes a competitor so hes fitting right in and competing every day.The challenge for Hayden isnt so much about transitioning to a new position. Its in convincing the coaching staff -- and perhaps other teams around the NFL -- that he can play, and play well, no matter where he lines up.We have a lot of film, a lot of evaluating but hes a really good football player and he really wants to be good, Norton said. Theres really nothing stopping him. Hes a guy that we really see as a guy thats really going to excel this year.Hayden has been one of the few constants in a secondary that has undergone sweeping changes almost every year since McKenzie was hired as general manager in 2012. One of the biggest changes this year has been adjusting to the absence of safety Charles Woodson, who retired last year after 17 NFL seasons.You cant replace Charles Woodson, but we can pick up the slack, Hayden said. Were going to have to because hes not here anymore. Its next man up.Game notes Kelechi Osemele was held out of practice for undisclosed reasons, but coach Jack Del Rio said he expects the veteran left guard to be back on Monday. ... McGloin and undrafted rookie wide receiver Johnny Holton made the plays of the day when they connected on a pair of long touchdown passes.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Jose Quintana Cubs Jersey . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. 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Tallahassee, Fla. - Theres a pattern developing within the Florida basketball team that has caught the attention of Coach Mike White.And not in a good way.Florida State may not be a Top 10-ranked team like Gonzaga and Duke were, but the Seminoles are very good and figure to have some highlight moments in the Atlantic Coast Conference on the way to playing in the fun part of March. On Sunday, White watched his 21st-ranked Gators play some terrific first-half defense against an excellent offensive crew, only to watch FSU discover its scoring rhythm - much like Duke and Gonzaga did - in the second half on the way to a 83-78 victory in front of 10,028 at Tucker Center.Seminoles guard Dwayne Bacon did a number on the Gators (7-3) for the second year in a row, scoring 16 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. Forward Terrance Mann had 16 points to go with eight rebounds for the Seminoles (10-1), who shot 55.2 percent after intermission, making nine of their first 12 shots to open up a double-digit cushion that withstood a late Gators rush.UF sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen let fly a 3-point shot with 45 seconds left that could have tied the game, but the ball caromed off the rim and into the hands of Mann, who hit two free throws at the other end. The closest Florida, led by Kasey Hills career-high 21 points and 16 from Allen, got after that was within four.FSU was just too big, too good and leading by too much to finish the job.Its been a common theme for us defensively in all three of our losses. Were just not the same, for whatever reason, White said of UFs second-half generosity on the defensive end. Weve got to maintain that energy level, intensity level and communication level when were [defending] away from our bench.Florida States 55 percent and 47 second-half points fell right in line with Dukes 60.9 percent and 43 points last Tuesday, as well as Gonzagas 60.7 and 45 over Thanksgiving weekend, respectively.Bacon, who scored 24 last year in Gainesville when he gutted the Gators with the game-winning jumper with just over four seasons left, hit seven of his 11 shots after halftime. UF shot the ball well enough to be in the game (46.8 percent), but some much needed possessions went scoreless and the Seminoles - whether it was Mann or 7-foot-1, 305-pound Michael Ojo (8 points, 7 rebounds) or 6-10 freshman and NBA lottery-pick-in-waiting Jonathan Issac (9 points, 6 rebounds) - made it tough to get second-chance opportunities off the offensive glass.Its very hard to go over those guys, Hill said.UF guard Kasey Hill scored a career-high 21 points, including this hard drive and finish at the rim.The Gators stayed in the game mostly by going around those guys. The Seminoles love to press, which makes them beatable off the dribble and in the open floor with quick guards like Hill and Allen. Florida was able to get to the rim and finish some tough, challenged shots, with Hill making 10 of his 15 field-goal tries and Allen going 6-for-13.But eveen 6-11, 250-pound center John Egbunu (8 points, 5 rebounds) was dwarfed by FSUs live athletic bodies, getting just four shots off in the post.dddddddddddd Forward Devin Robinson (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Justin Leon (7 points, 1 rebound) were pretty much neutralized, too. Reserve swingman Canyon Barry went 2-for-10 from the floor before leaving the game with a nasty gash in his head that needed 13 stitches to close. Backup bigs Kevarrius Hayes and Keith Stone had a field goal each.You have to credit their length and discipline on the interior, their physicality, White said. They have the ability to throw different [big] guys at you.It would have been nice to draw the FSU bigs away from the basket with some 3-point shots, but UF went just four of 16 from deep.I thought in the second half we played with a little bit more poise and executed better, FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said after his program registered its first victory over a ranked non-conference opponent since beat UF on Dec. 7, 2008. We had some moments where we were indecisive but had quick recoveries. This is type of game that helped grow up a little bit.Developments in first half had a lot to do with the circumstances of the second. Allen appeared in a groove in the first half, but picked up two fouls barely three minutes into the game. White let Allen, his best offensive player, sit for about three and a half minutes before putting him back in the game. UF led at the time 12-11.I didnt want to go into the half struggling offensively, White said. KeVaughn is a not a big foul-trouble guy. I didnt foresee him picking up that third.Florida led 20-17 when Allen, indeed, got his third foul at the 8:40 mark - and it came when he fouled Braian Angola-Rodas on a made 3-point shot. Allen headed to the bench and Angola-Rodas to the free-throw line, where he converted the four-point play and gave the Seminoles the lead and a huge jolt of momentum.FSU led 36-34 at the break and used a 16-6 run early in the second half, with Bacon scoring seven of those points, to ride out to a 12-point lead with 14 minutes to go, a sequence that included the first technical foul called against White in his two UF seasons.Thirteen minutes later, though, Allen had a shot at his game-tying 3.It looked good, he said.Instead, the Gators have their first two-game losing streak of the season and likely are headed out of the Top 25. The Seminoles, meanwhile, very well could be taking UFs place.So what?Its not what we earned this week or last week. None of that matters, White said. Its about learning from this game, the Duke game, the North Florida game [before that]. Im sure Coach Hamilton is talking about the same thing. Its such a long season. Obviously, we really, really wanted this one, but its a process. A journey. We have to get better tomorrow.Second-half defense figures to come up. ' ' '