Bleacher Report - Florida State Football

Little Tomahawk Will Chop Like a Chief: FSU's Manuel Will Dominate

Jeff Kessock — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:16:41 -0500

TAMPA—This Saturday is a do-or-die football weekend for the Seminoles of Florida State. Coming off of an impressive win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, E.J. Manuel was impressive enough to lead one of the most potent offenses in the country, (fifth when adjusted for opponent's defensive strength) against Jim Grobe's talent-laden defense. For the first time in several tries, Florida State was finally able to overcome their recent struggles against the small prep school from North Carolina and keep their bowl hopes alive with two games remaining.

While a small constituency sees a glimmer of hope for FSU to keep pace with the best team in the country, Maryland is Florida State's only logical shot at finishing the season at 6-6 or better and keeping the Nation's Current Bowl Streak intact.

With young, inexperienced quarterbacks playing for both squads (Maryland turning to sophomore Jamarr Robinson due to Chris Turner being sidelined with a knee injury), this game will feature a lot of questions as to how each offense will run and what each defense will be playing against.

One thing is for certain, Maryland's defense is moderately good against the run (68th) and a bit worse against the pass (84th), but it does feature a talented defensive front five who are capable of the big play.

All in all, this game should be a good tune-up with the Seminoles fully capable on offense and Maryland's offensive output somewhat straggling. Unless Robinson can move with his feet, the men blocking out front will provide inadequate pass protection for him.

Florida State wins this contest easily.

FSU 49, Maryland 19.

Read more Florida State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Did Florida State Create a Monster in Bobby Bowden?

Chris Whitmore — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:54:03 -0500

With one comment earlier this season, Bobby Bowden made it clear.

When asked about him stepping down, he responded: "What would I have to gain by stepping down?"

Not, "What would the team have to gain by stepping down." And with that one comment, the mindset and attitude of FSU head coach Bobby Bowden became apparent. FSU created a monster.

When one goes into the Moore Athletic Center at Doak Campbell Stadium he has to pass by a looming Bobby Bowden Statue and walk under the infamous stained glass window that also features Bobby Bowden. Perhaps FSU should have waited to honor the legacy of Bowden before giving him deity status in Tallahassee.

No one is going to argue what Coach Bowden did for Florida State. What he did was unprecedented. But that "nation's elite" status ended 10 years ago when FSU won their last national championship. And it is that status that Bobby Bowden supporters are hanging on to for the defense on why he should remain as head coach.

Use this scenerio: You dated a very attractive girl. She was probably the most attractive girl you have ever dated. And for whatever reason, you two broke up. Ten years later, she comes back into your life and has gained 90lbs, has mysterious bald patches on her head, and constantly wears Crocs.

Would you date her? Most likely not. Just because someone was the best at what they did over a decade ago is not a legitimate justification to keep him or her.

This is Florida State University. Not Bobby Bowden University.

Even Bowden's wife, Ann, recently made comments in USA Today that question Bowden's mindset towards Florida State Univeristy.

"They need US more than WE need them," she exclaimed.

College football has become a business. The casual observer has seen that Florida State has not been up to par for the standards Bowden set during the dynasty run of the 1990's.

One prominent Florida State booster has said they are willing to completely fund the majority of an indoor practice facility once Bowden steps down. These comments seem to negate the claim Ann Bowden has that FSU needs the Bowdens.

News this week has leaked that the search for the new defensive coordinator has taken a new turn. Both Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Bowden are conducting their own searches, and each have completely seperate candidates in mind.

With Jimbo Fisher slated to take over as head coach in January 2011 at the latest (or FSU faces paying him $5 million), it would seem the best decision for the team that Fisher would have the majority of the input and decision on who the hire would be since this would be a long term decision.

No one can be certain on why Bowden is adamant on getting his own choice in for the new defensive coordinator spot, but many can speculate.

How involved Bowden is with the football program is really only certain for those directly involved with the program. But a fan at last week's FSU/Wake Forest game noted that Bowden seemed distant. He never stood near the players.

The 2009 season will always be a black mark on the history of Florida State football. Whether you defend Bowden or not, everyone can admit this has gotten ugly. And the more Bobby Bowden speaks to the press, the more he shows that it is past time for him to step down. The press conference following FSU's 40-24 loss at Clemson is a prime example.

The following is a word for word transcript provided by Corey Clark's blog at the Tallahassee Democrat:

Reporter: “In the second half, when it seemed like momentum started to switch, how hard was it to try to reverse that?”

Bowden: “You mean when they got it (momentum)? Well, actually … you know, they had to kick off to us. We had a what? A three-point ….? Did we have the lead at the half?”

(Reporter nods).

Bowden: “We had a three-point lead at the half, I think. Then they had to kick off to us. We needed to take it down and win the darn game right there. We didn’t do it. They stopped us. Then we kicked it to them and then they probably scored.”

Reporter: “They went ahead and then you guys came back.”

Bowden: “Huh?”

Reporter: “They went ahead and then you guys came back again.”

Bowden: “Did we get ahead of them again after that?”

Reporter: “Yeah.”

Bowden: “Then we got back ahead, huh? Umm, it was going that way, you know it? I felt very comfortable that if they could score, we could score. That’s the way I felt, you know it? We’ve done it all year. But then we started turning the ball over.”

Those comments irked a lot of Florida State fans and it makes it hard to defend continually paying someone $2.5 million a year. Especially when he could not recall if his own team was ahead at the half, a mere hour and a half or so prior to the interview.

So, to you Coach Bowden, I say, continue with your comments and questions about what YOU would have to gain by stepping down because the fans and those who invest their time and money into the Florida State football program are more interested in hearing about what the team would gain by you stepping down.

Read more Florida State Football news on BleacherReport.com

How To Ruin a Legacy It Took 35 Years To Build

Jim Folsom — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:31:04 -0500

When Bobby Bowden was hired to be the head football coach at Florida State, I was about 12 years old. In my short lifetime, I didn't recall Florida State doing anything. I don't think they ever beat anybody to speak of. I don't recall them ever playing in a bowl game. If they were ever on TV, it was rare. They didn't seem to have any fans. Nobody I knew was a fan of the Seminoles.

The year before he was hired, I don't think they even won a game. Not only FSU, but Miami and Florida were pretty insignificant also. None of them ever competed for championships or played on TV. None ever appeared in Bowl games. Not any big Bowls anyway. Florida had that whole,"never won the SEC" thing going. Miami was thinking of dropping football altogether.

In school, all my friends and I would have our favorite teams, if you rooted for a Florida team, you also had to have a "Real" team to root for. You know, one you might see on TV, play on New Year's Day, compete for the National Title, etc. Some of my friends rooted for Notre Dame or USC. Some rooted for Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State, or Michigan. Mine was Oklahoma.

Then Bobby Bowden came to FSU. Around that same time Howard Schnellenberger was hired at Miami. The two made it a priority to keep Florida's high school players in state to play their college ball. Schools like Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma had long raided Florida for skill position players. Schnellenberger and Bowden proclaimed that this was about to stop.

In Bowden's first year, the 'Noles went 5-6. That was quite an improvement from the previous 0-11. In Bowden's second year, he instituted an offense that was excitiing to watch. FSU would start throwing the ball all over the place. Most of us had never seen this before. This was in the day of Woody Hayes' "three yards and a cloud of dust" and the Wishbone Offense of 'Bama and OU. Passing was somethig you did on third and long or when you got way behind.

Pretty soon, the Noles were putting up points. In Bowden's third year he rotated quarterbacks. Wally Woodham and Jimmy Jordan were no Terry Bradshaw, but together they passed the 'Noles to a near undefeated record and a berth in the Orange Bowl. There they would face Oklahoma.

WOW! You talk about a big game!! My Sooners playing a school from MY STATE in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Night! Even though I'm a Gator fan and a Sooner fan, I must confess I was pulling for FSU. This might never happen again, you know. Well, the Sooners won the game rather easily as I recall. But, guess what? The next year State went 11-0. The last game was against UF who was 0-10-1 that year. Even I had to kind of pull for FSU against UF. After all we weren't going anywhere.

FSU got a rematch with OU in the Orange Bowl. This time the Sooners won by 1 point. Bowden's Noles were no longer a fluke. Meanwhile, in Miami, A QB named Jim Kelly had the 'Canes on the rise. Earlier in the year they had an upset over very highly ranked Penn State. Suddenly college football in Florida was not to be taken as a joke anymore.

In the early 80s, Bowden would schedule to play the big boys any time he could. Of course he had to play them on the road. But that was ok. He took his 'Noles to Ohio State, LSU, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Michigan, Pittsburgh, whoever wanted to play him. And more often then not, he beat them. He used a wide open passing attack, and would run a trick play at any time. But he was also putting some big checks in the FSU bank account.

Miami was duplicating FSU in South Florida. Heck, even Florida was getting in on the act. Miami was no longer Notre Dame's homecoming whipping boy, they were starting to beat them. Florida in 1982 welcomed USC to Gainesville by beating up on the Trojans.They went to L.A. the next year and proved it was no fluke with a tie game. Florida football was no longer a joke.

In 1983 the impossible happened, a school from Florida won the National Championship! It was Schnellenberger's 'Canes. After that he decided to give pro football a try. In 1984 another impossible dream cam true. Florida finally won the SEC! OK, it was short lived because the Gators were then put on probation and the title was stripped. But on the field they were contenders. In fact the Gators won the National Championship in more polls than the concensus National Champions, BYU. You can look it up.

Probation also meant a new coach at UF. So Bowden was all that was left. He kept the train rolling at FSU. All those roadies against the big boys were paying off. Money and exposure led to stadium improvements and better facilities. It wasn't long before the Pittsburghs and LSUs were coming to Tallahassee.

By the mid 80s Miami and FSU were national powerhouses. Miami played for the title in '86 with a Heisman winning QB named Vinny Testeverde. They went into their National Title tilt with Penn St a bit too cocky and Joe Pa showed them why that was a mistake. In '87 Miami and FSU met in Tallahassee in what was "the Game of the Century". Noles and Canes rosters were littered with future NFL stars. The game's name would later be changed to "Wide Right I". Bowden stood on the sidelines looking stunned as FSU's potential game winner sailed wide right by inches. Miami went on to win another National Title.

Miami and FSU's battles were now epic. Miami usually seemed to find a way to come out on top. FSU would repeatedly have to settle for almost. But they were always right there. For 14 straight years, Bowden had FSU right in the thick of the race. 14 straight top five finishes between 1987 and 2000. In 1993 and 1999, the Noles won the Titles. They also played for the title in January Bowls in 1996 (won by Florida), 1998(won by Tennesee), and 2000 (Oklahoma). Bowden had become a college football icon.

Bowden and Penn State's Paterno have been waging a neck and beck battle for the record for all time wins in college football history. Many feel that this has caused both of them to overstay their welcome. Both schools have endured some very mediocre seasons in the '00s. But, the schools are hog tied. After all you can't fire the coach who literally built your program from scratch. You can't run a guy off after you put a statue of him up outside the stadium and name the field after him. Of course not.

Bowden's Noles have slipped to the point that the ACC which they used to rule with an iron fist, routinely beats them now. In fact, the 'Noles haven't sniffed an ACC title in about six years. FSU has already got Bowden's successor picked out. In fact, Jimbo Fisher is already running the offense and has been for three years? Hey Bob? When the new coach is already on the sidelines standing next to you, that's a hint. GO AWAY!

But Bobby has no intentions of going away quietly. It has become quite evident that it's all about him now. When he makes statements like "I will evaluate myself at the end of the year", that tells us all we need to know.

Lately it's gotten so bad that his wife Ann is talking for him. She is throwing down the gauntlet. This week she threatened FSU that "if they think they have the guts to run him off then remember we have the connections. They need US more than WE need them." WOW! Has it gotten to this? Florida State University and Bobby Bowden are now adversaries? How do you let this happen Bobby?

You let this happen by being greedy. You let this happen by being stubborn. You let happen by getting old. You gotta let this thing go Bobby. You don't have it anymore. It's time. In fact, it's way past time. Here's a clue. When you have to ask a reporter in your post game presser if you were ahead at halftime, you need to go. When your wife is running interference for you, you need to go.

Don't let the way Bobby Bowden is remembered be, "the guy who hung around too long". You accomplished way too much for way too long for that. It may already be too late now anyway. But if you follow up these mediocre seasons with a nasty exit, flipping FSU the middle finger on the way out the door, it will be for sure. Don't let that happen. Hey Terry, Tommy, somebody, talk to the man. Make him leave graciously.

Read more Florida State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Jimbo Fisher Shows His Head Coaching Skills

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:59:23 -0500

Admit it. When the word came out that Christian Ponder was out for the season following Florida State's 40-24 loss at Clemson, the season seemed hopeless.

FSU's record was 4-5 and things looked as though they'd be gettin worse.

Backup quarterback E.J. Manual played only in mop-up duty against BYU, one option run versus USF, and the last few minutes against Clemson. Overall, he looked arguably unimpressive.

So when the news broke Manual would be starting his first game as a Seminole as a redshirt freshman against Wake Forest with the Seminole's bowl streak record on the line, many fans felt the season was lost.

But future FSU head coach and offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher had other plans.

Instead of just plugging Manual into his playbook, Fisher tailored the playbook to Manual to ensure he was comfortable with the situation.

When Florida State scored on its first four offensive possessions to take a 24-7 lead, Fisher showed he has the skills and mentality to lead the 'Noles when head coach Bobby Bowden steps down.

And E.J. Manual isn't just the 'Noles' backup quarterback. He is Fisher's first prized recruit and will be the first quarterback to go through his career under Fisher's guidance.

Manual went out in his first game and threw for 220 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also had 45 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

The offensive line also played well, providing gaping holes for running back Jermaine Thomas to run for 149 yards and a touchdown.

That kind of play on helps to take pressure off of Manual.

Fisher showed that his schemes and mindset work. Not only did his first prized recruit from the 2008 recruiting class shine but his second prized recruit that came in the 2009 class, true freshman defensive back Greg Reid, returned a punt for a touchdown against Wake Forest to give the Seminoles a 31-7 lead.

If these types of recruits are going to be the ones that keep coming in and wanting to play for the Seminoles under Jimbo Fisher, than the future looks bright for the 'Noles.

Read more Florida State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Florida State Needs Prized Recruit E.J. Manuel in the Worst Way

Michael McGuffee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:39:28 -0500

For Florida State, the success of standout quarterback Christian Ponder has been the saving grace for an otherwise dismal season. But even Ponder faltered last Saturday against Clemson, throwing four interceptions and suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in a loss that all but put the kibosh on the Seminoles’ 2009 campaign.

With a slim chance of becoming bowl eligible, a great chance of taking another pounding from in-state rival Florida in a few weeks, and an 80-year-old head coach who sadly doesn’t really know what’s going on anymore, FSU’s season is essentially over.

So, while the spotlight now turns to redshirt freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel for FSU’s final three (possibly four) games this season, does it really even matter?

Well, for Seminole fans, it certainly should.

No one expects Manuel to come in Saturday against Wake Forest and deliver the performance of a lifetime or make up for all the agonizing moments the program has endured this season, but what the Seminoles do need from Manuel is a sign.

More than anything, Seminole fans need a sign that not all is lost. Saturday’s game is a chance for Manuel to prove there is hope for the future at Florida State, and that he has the potential to live up to his billing as an elite quarterback and Jimbo Fisher’s first prized recruit.

Sure, Ponder will most likely forego the NFL to return next season, but what happens the year after that? Will Manuel step up and provide the kind of smooth transition Florida State needs to continue to build on the progress Fisher’s offense has made thus far? Or will the defense turn around under a new coordinator just in time to see the offense regress with Manuel under center?

Granted, Florida State won’t have all the answers after Manuel’s first start in garnet and gold, nor would it be fair to put that kind of pressure on him, but like it or not, Florida State desperately needs Manuel to prove he can play.

After all, there are plenty of reasons why Florida State’s football program has fallen from grace, but none bigger than the fact that the big-time recruits that have kept FSU’s recruiting classes ranked among the best in the country have not delivered the big-time performances Seminole fans trusted they would.

Whether it was failing to qualify academically, disciplinary issues, or a lack of development on the part of the coaching staff, time and time again, prized FSU recruits have failed to contribute—none more so recently than the last highly touted duel threat quarterback recruit that committed to Florida State in 2004.

For those of you who do not already have a bitter taste in your mouth or a lone tear welling up in your eye, his name was Xavier Lee.

But it doesn’t stop there. DiShon Platt? Callahan Bright? Fred Rouse? Brandon Warren?

If you’re an FSU fan and these names don’t ring a bell, you’re not alone. Florida State has suffered through numerous five star recruits over the last several seasons who never, ever came to fruition.

Ironically, Christian Ponder—the best thing going for Florida State this season—was a three-star prospect from Colleyville, Texas that not many thought twice about.

As grateful as Seminole fans are for Christian Ponder and what he has meant to Florida State as a person, as a student, and as an athlete, it’s about time a big-time recruit came through for Florida State in a big way.

Saturday’s game against Wake Forest is the first of several opportunities for E.J. Manuel to do just that.

It may not matter this season, and it may not matter the next, but if Manuel can prove he's ready and willing to take the reigns and make a difference, the program may just be one step closer to making a comeback.

Read more Florida State Football news on BleacherReport.com