FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- When Ernie Sims got a chance to talk to suspended Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson on Thursday, the conversation was brief.

“I just told him that I'm behind him 100 percent,” Sims, a junior linebacker for the Seminoles, said.

Nicholson was suspended from his team on Thursday and questioned for two hours by police in Hollywood, Fla., after a 19-year-old woman accused Nicholson of sexually assaulting her.

A senior and the Seminoles leading tackler, Nicholson was sent home by his team after the police released him. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said Thursday that Nicholson was suspended for violating a team rule.

Well past the Seminoles' team curfew at 3 a.m. on Thursday, the woman called police and said a Florida State player assaulted her, and that player was later identified as Nicholson.

Nicholson has been arrested twice this year. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI and a charge of resisting arrest filed in June, following an incident at a bar that was dropped.

Sims said Thursday's allegations were the last things he wanted to hear. “I was in shock -- couldn't believe it,” he said. “I was around it for a minute. His roommate was around me. He had came in and slept in my room.”

“As a teammate and as a really close friend, we hung around each other every day.”

Seminoles defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said Friday that the team was disappointed and it would be a challenge to replace Nicholson.

“Well, we've had to face adversity all year,” Andrews said. “We lost a total of six starters [to injury] throughout the year.

“We've got to establish a middle linebacker now, and it's going to require a freshman to play like an older player.”

One of those freshmen could be Nicholson's younger brother Derek, who has seen time in all 12 games so far this season. Freshman linebacker Geno Hayes is also expected to fill in.

Freshman cornerback Tony Carter said all the team could do is pray for Nicholson.

“It's been pretty hard because he is a great person and a good player,” Carter said. “He's not that kind of guy to do something like that.”

Junior linebacker Buster Davis, second for the Seminoles in tackles, said he would be comfortable switching to Nicholson's position on defense. Davis said he is always ready to play any position on defense if necessary.

Most of the Seminoles were willing to entertain questions regarding the allegations against Nicholson, but they appeared much more comfortable discussing the upcoming Orange Bowl against Penn State.

“What happened is over with,” Seminoles defensive tackle Broderick Bunckley said. “Ultimately, we came here to play.”

What Nicholson brought to the Seminoles was speed and experience, the two predominant components for success on a Bowden defense.

But, even without Nicholson's presence, Sims said yesterday's practice was the Seminoles best practice to date.

“I feel bad for A.J.,” Sims said. “It's going to be very, very different.”