Bleacher Report - Tampa

Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers Preview: Bucs Try To Stop Having The Runs

JC De La Torre — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:51:01 -0500

A lot has changed in the six weeks since the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-21 in Week Six by a soul ripping final drive of the game.

The Bucs have changed quarterbacks (again), fired another coordinator (again), and now have a completely different defensive scheme than the one that surrendered an embarrassing 267 yards on the ground.

Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, it's the same one that surrendered 299 yards on the ground in a game that had very different circumstances riding on it last December.

Indeed, what a difference a year makes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. Since that fateful Monday night on Dec. 8th last season, the Bucs have gone 1-14, while the Panthers have managed a 7-9 record (including the playoffs).

Carolina was one-and-doned in the postseason, while the Bucs pretty much blew up everything and started from scratch.

Now both teams return to the scene of their decline, searching for victory and hoping it's the start of a new rise back to NFL prominence.

Series

Carolina leads the series 11-7 and won the last meeting in Week Six 28-21.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Passing Attack vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Defense

While statistically, the Buccaneers remain in the bottom half of the league in passing offense, under rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, it's a different team. Freeman's seven touchdown passes in four games is nearly as many as his two predecessors combined. His completion percentage and average yards per attempt are also superior.

His arm gives the Bucs receiving core big play opportunities, as evidenced by his quick strike drive against Atlanta last week.

Freeman commands the huddle with authority and poise beyond his years and has been the bright star in the otherwise dark season for Tampa Bay.

Carolina's defense isn't what it once was, but the one thing they do well is stop the pass. The Panthers rank third in the NFL at defending the pass, and star defensive end Julius Peppers will certainly make life hard on Tampa Bay's future franchise quarterback.

Advantage: Carolina

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Attack vs. Carolina Panthers Run Defense

It's the resistible force against the movable object. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' M.I.A. running game faces a defense that is just as bad at stopping the run.

The Bucs had one of their better rushing games of the season against Carolina, totaling 124 yards on the ground.

They'll need it again this week to keep the pressure off of young Freeman.

Advantage: Push

Carolina Panthers Passing Game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass Defense

From all indications, it appears that Jake Delhomme will miss this game against the Bucs, and maybe a few more while he nurses a broken finger. That's bad news for the Buccaneers as Delhomme has been absolutely horrible this season, throwing just eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Young perennial back up Matt Moore takes his place under the butt of the Panther's center and already boasts a victory against Tampa Bay in his career.

The Bucs defense certainly improved for one week under head coach Raheem Morris (now calling the defensive plays). The Bucs held the Falcons to just 222 yards passing and sacked Atlanta quarterbacks six times, but gave up some plays down the stretch that cost them the game.

Even in the old scheme run by deposed defensive coordinator Jim Bates, the Bucs were getting a little better at pass defense, ranking 11th in the league.

Under Delhomme, the Panthers were only 28th in the league passing the ball.

The Bucs will need to watch out for Buc killer Steve Smith, who managed just one catch for four yards against the Bucs in the last meeting and was none too happy about it.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

Carolina Panthers Running Game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Run Defense

The last two times the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Carolina Panthers running attack, the Panthers ran for over 265 yards against them. The good news for Tampa Bay is the Bucs run defense looked revitalized under the play calling of Raheem Morris, holding the hard charging Falcons to just 75 yards rushing, the best performance by the defense this season.

Carolina's two powerhouse backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart didn't practice on Wednesday. While both are expected to play, they will be nursing various ailments.

Stopping the Panthers running game would go a long way in putting the Bucs into position to win this one.

It would also prove emphatically that the defense just might be fixed with Raheem at the controls.

Advantage: Carolina

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Special Teams vs. Carolina Panthers Special Teams

If there was ever a disadvantage between squads, it's the special teams. In the last meeting, special teams nearly won the game for Tampa Bay, blocking a punt and returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

While the Bucs coverage units and return units are among the best in the league, the Panthers have the worst.

Connor Barth has been solid for the Bucs, showing the ability to hit from way downtown. Tampa Bay has a new punter in Sam "Bam" Paulescu.

Carolina's specialists include veteran kicker John Kasay, who's 13-17 in field goals this season, and punter Jason Baker, who's averaging a solid 45.3 yards a kick.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

Intangibles

Carolina has won five of the past seven meetings with Tampa Bay
In four of those five victories, Carolina went over a 100 yards rushing. The Panthers are 1-2 against the Bucs when being held under 100 yards rushing during this current run.
Tampa Bay and Carolina have split the season series each of the last two years and three of the last four seasons.
Carolina is a negative nine in turnover ratio. The Bucs are a negative four.
Tampa Bay is 3-4 in Carolina since joining the Panthers in the NFC South.

Advantage: Carolina

Coaching

Raheem Morris is in his first season as an NFL head coach and is now 1-10. He's 0-1 against Carolina.

John Fox is in his fifth season as an NFL head coach. He is 67-56, with three division championships and a conference championship. He is 10-5 against Tampa Bay.

Advantage: Carolina

Prediction

So this week we figure out if we have something with head coach Raheem Morris taking over the defensive coordinator duties. If the Bucs can get the same production out of the defense they got in Atlanta, they stand a very good chance at winning this ball game.

If Carolina's banged up backs run wild once again on the Bucs, it could be a long day on the road.

Josh Freeman played his first turnover free game of his young career (he did have one fumble, but the Buccaneers recovered) last week against Atlanta. He'll need to protect the football once again against a tough Carolina pass defense.

Freeman also needs to find his weapons, Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow, to make plays in the passing game.

It will be crucial for the Bucs to establish the running game in this one and keep the defense fresh.

I think this is going to be an old style slobber-knocker of an NFC South battle, with defense being the key.

Unfortunately for the Bucs, I think Carolina's defense may be just a bit better on this day.

Final Score: Carolina 16, Tampa Bay 13

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden: End of an Era

Brian Dale — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:15:31 -0500

All great things must come to an end. For some it might be only their fifteen seconds of fame, while for others it will last for decades. When it comes to the coaching career of Bobby Bowden, it appears that after fifty-five years of coaching (fifty of which as a Head Coach) the end of the road has finally arrived for the 2006 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee. Unfortunately though, the ending of this story does not appear to be a happy one.

With Bowden essentially forced out by Florida State, the university he practically made a national name for, a new chapter will begin in Tallahassee. This is truly a sad day for sports, as one of the biggest figures in college football history will no longer be roaming the sidelines.

He is one of the last coaches to stay with one school for twenty-plus years, and once Joe Paterno calls it quits in the next few years, we will likely never see anything like that again.

Too many times throughout the history of sports we have seen athletes stay in the arena for far too long. From Willie Mays, to Muhammad Ali, the list goes on and on. It appears that for Bobby Bowden, in hindsight he should have retired a few years ago to prevent the current scenario from coming to fruition. Bowden deserved a better end to his incredible coaching career.

It's truly amazing to look back at Bowden's career to see all that he has accomplished. His 388 career victories, which is second all-time to Penn State's Joe Paterno, came over fifty seasons of coaching at three different institutions: Sanford (31-6 in four seasons at his Alma mater), West Virginia (42-26 over six seasons) and Florida State (315-97-4 over thirty-four seasons).

Bowden amassed 18 10-win seasons, including a stretch in which he had 14 consecutive 10-win years in a row. It was during this period (1987-2000) in which Florida State finished no lower than fifth in the country and won two National Titles (1993 and 1999), while playing in three others (1996, 1998 and 2000).

This stretch of success will likely never be matched again in college football. To put that run in perspective, up until this season's three-loss year for USC, the Trojans had been on a seven-year run (half the length of Florida State's) in which they have finished ranked fourth or higher in the polls.

The Trojans have won two national championships over this stretch (one split title in 2003 and an unanimous one in 2004), while playing in another national title game as well (2005). While USC boasted three Heisman winners (QB Carson Palmer 2002, QB Matt Leinart 2004 and RB Reggie Bush 2005) over Florida State's two (QB Charlie Ward, 1993 and QB Chris Weinke, 2000), overall the success the Seminoles had is unparalleled.

So, shortly after Bobby Bowden turned 80 years old in November, the Jimbo Fisher era has officially begun at Florida State. While I am sure he will have success at Florida State, he certainly has some big shoes to fill.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

USF-Hampton: The Bulls Make Pirates Walk the Plank, 74-55

Drew Gatewood — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:09:16 -0500

USF (7-1) once again dominated a lesser opponent on their way to a 74-55 win over Hampton. The guards took over this time as both Dominique Jones and Chris Howard had 13 points apiece.

Jarrid Famous had 16 points and 10 rebounds, for his second double double on the season, while Toarlyn Fitzpatrick had 11 points as the only other Bulls player in double figures.

Augustus Gilchrist—who was named Big East Player of the week—struggled, going 4-10 with nine points and seven rebounds. This was one of his worst performances on the season. To make matters worse, he went 1-3 from the charity strip and even attempted an ill advised three-pointer that clanked off the back iron.

Stan Heath has been getting the bench involved lately, this time letting 10 of the 15 Bulls players in the game. The Bulls shot 49 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the arc. The most important stat for USF was that they had 20 team assists to Hampton’s 11. Most of these were due to penetration by the guards and dishing to either Gilchrist, Famous, or Fitzpatrick.

The Pirates were outmatched plain and simple in this one with only two players in double figures and 14 turnovers. Charles Funches had 11 for the Pirates and Kwame Morgan added 10 points in another loosing effort for Hampton (2-6).

The Bulls go at it once again on December 13th against the Central Michigan Chippewa’s (3-4). CMU has yet to win on the road this season, and the Bulls look to extent that loosing streak.

The Bulls will look to capitalize on the post play against the Chippewa’s, considering they have had suspect defense in the paint this season. Look for Famous and Gilchrist to have big games in route to another victory for USF.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden: Remember Him For What He Is...A Legend

Chris Nelson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:00:28 -0500

Words cannot fully describe what Bobby Bowden did for the Florida State Football Program. He made a doormat into a powerhouse, and he didn't take the easy road either. Bobby may have became a national punchline in the last few years, but he has kept his passion for coaching college football.

Bobby grew up in Alabama. Like most boys there he was born with Crimson blood coursing through his veins. When Bobby was the coach at Samford he would attend Alabama practices, not just to learn from The Bear, but to recruit. Paul Bryant would give Bowden a list of players that couldn't play for Alabama.

"If you want them up there at your school, you let me know," Bryant told Bowden. "I'll call them in and suggest they go there."

Bowden had a strong few years at Samford before moving on to coach West Virginia. Bobby had some success at West Virginia, but his career changed forever when he has hired by Florida State in 1976. In only his second season FSU saw great success. They won 10 games and finished ranked 11th in the country. In 1987 Bowden started his streak of an unprecedented 15 straight top five finishes. That streak included two national championships and 12 conference championships.

All was great, until a few years ago. State began to struggle and every year seemed to be worse than the previous. Finally, the Noles struggled just to finish at .500. It was finally the end for the great coach.

Bobby deserved to go out better than he has, but don't blame him for his desire to continue doing what he has done for over 40 years. Bobby should be remembered for his accomplishments and his tremendous character, not for a few bad seasons. His name deserves to be forever remembered with the other all time great coaches, like his idol Paul Bryant.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

The SEC Championship Game: No. 1 Florida Gators vs. No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide

jay holgate — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:19:22 -0500

ATLANTA, GA —Last week, I predicted an upset weekend for Thanksgiving. South Carolina and Georgia knocked off the two best teams in the ACC, Miss. State stuck it to the Ole Miss Rebels, and Kentucky and Arkansas were a field goal away from celebrating upsets.

This past week was clearly full of upsets.

Now we are down to the rematch that everyone wanted: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama, Meyer vs. Saban, and Tebow vs. Ingram. Two undefeated SEC teams playing for what could be the national championship on a neutral field with a 50/50 ticket split for the fans. One play could determine the outcome of this game; it doesn’t get any better than this.

Last week, Florida handed their in-state rival Florida State a huge defeat and may have tipped the scales on the decision for moving Bobby Bowden closer to retirement.

Either way, the Gators ran over the Seminoles and definitely looked like the championship team we came to know last year. Perfect timing for a peak performance against the SEC West champion Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama became focused after Auburn put up two big scores. The Tide finally closed the deal, but it went deep in the fourth quarter before any fan could breath. Regardless, Bama won, stayed undefeated, and lived another day to play one of the greatest Florida football teams in history.

Everything points to another Florida victory on Saturday. Tim Tebow is playing his last SEC game, and he doesn’t lose when he sets his mind on winning; i.e. “The Promise.”

The Gators have momentum that carried over from last season’s BCS championship and they are healthy and playing at a top level again. Coach Meyer has been preparing for this game since last spring and the man is a football genius.

But not so fast. Coach Saban has replayed the second half of last year’s SEC championship 1,000 times in his head. After the 10th time, he figured out how to win it by a field goal. Alabama is tough, battle tested, and undefeated. They are also feeling disrespected, which always plays in Saban’s favor.

How This SEC Championship Game Will Play Out

Alabama Offense vs. Florida Defense

Alabama will try to control the clock with a dominant ground game, short passes, and a clock that continues running. The more the clock runs, the more Meyer feels constricted.

Saban wants to grind it out. Bama will try to keep Tim Tebow and company off the field as long as they can, because they know he is the heartbeat of this team. A low scoring game favors Alabama.

The Florida defense will stack the box and challenge McElroy to throw the ball because they believe their corners can play man to man all day long with Bama. Florida is looking for some interceptions to capture the momentum and swing the game their direction.

Florida Offense vs. Alabama Defense

Florida will spread the ball out and give Bama another taste of the 2008 Sugar Bowl. Look for some trick plays, misdirections, and opportunities for Tim Tebow to shine.

Meyer always goes for the biggest playmakers in the big games. Tebow, Cooper, Hernandez, James, Demps, and Rainey will see all the action on Saturday. Meyer lives off adrenaline rushes with his team making the big plays. An early score by Florida would tip the scales to the Gators.

Saban will be committed to stopping Tebow first and foremost. The only way to kill a snake is to cut his head off. Everything starts with Tebow in this offense, and Alabama will blitz someone on Tebow on every play.

Coach Saban will not let Florida win this game on Tebow’s back. He will force someone else to win it. I believe the Alabama defense will figure out a way to give Tebow plenty of trouble, which would this game wide open.

Who Wins?

Florida is the obvious choice. The Gators are defending their turf, but Alabama feels disrespected and is hungrier. This game could come down to two plays, and only God knows when they will happen. This game is truly a coin toss. I believe Alabama pulls the upset 24-21.

What Tipped the Scales?

The arrest of defensive end Carlos Dunlap was shocking. One of the leaders of the Florida Gators was out late drinking the week of the SEC Championship game?

Dunlap was the MVP of the 2008 SEC Championship game; I’ve never seen a winner celebrate until after the fight. A leader’s actions are always clues to the bigger picture. What is the mindset of this Florida team the week of the big game? Distractions kill focus and I guarantee you Alabama is getting ready for a ferocious battle.

Until next time, I will see you on the ball field.

Original Article Published on SEC Sports Report.

Jay Holgate is a sports analyst, freelance writer, and life coach based in Atlanta, Georgia. Jay can be heard on sports radio around the South.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Urban Meyer Suspends Carlos Dunlap, Finally Takes a Stand

Franklin Crittenden — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:49:24 -0500

Thank you, Urban Meyer!

I would like to thank you on behalf of the thousands of young athletes who see college football players like Carlos Dunlap as role models, and see college football coaches as leaders and mentors.

I would like to thank you on behalf of all the young athletes you may have just discouraged from taking the wrong road in their future.

I also would like to thank you for those of us who still see college football as part of higher education and coaches as a real part of teaching young people about life.

Finally I would like to thank you for setting a good example for all of the other 85 or so football players under your tutelage in taking this stand.

For those who are not up to speed on this situation, Carlos Dunlap is one of Florida's best defensive football players, and he was arrested at 3:25 AM on Tuesday morning and charged with DUI.

He was driving erratically and after sitting through a couple of red lights, he was approached by police officers and was found asleep at the wheel with his vehicle still in drive. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and was released from jail later Tuesday morning.

Today, head coach Urban Meyer suspended Dunlap from playing in Saturday's SEC Championship game against Alabama. His future with the team may be in doubt.

Some will argue that college football is no different from professional football and that things are different today and coaches must make concessions in order to attract great athletes.

To that I say bunk!

I personally do not watch professional football anymore because it has become a cesspool of thuggery and for the most part has become a sport of individualism, hot dogs, and showoffs.

I love to see players celebrate a great play, but the choreographed antics of most of these players turns my stomach, not to mention their conduct off the field.

Every time a player is arrested and then is allowed back on the field in the next game we as fans all grow a little more cynical.

Every time we overlook these actions in order to win football games it is another brick in the wall of this Thunderdome world that today's professional sports exemplify. It is a world where anything goes as long as you are winning.

The message I see coming from professional football every day is that if you are good on the field, your conduct off the field is a non-issue.

I want sports heroes for me and my kids to be better than that, and so should you.

We are all human and all make mistakes, but some of the things that are forgiven and swept under the rug in today's NFL cannot be justified.

That sort of behavior and personal conduct is starting to seep into college football and from there it is just a step away from our high schools and even our little league sports.

Young people emulate their sports heroes on and off the field and someone has to eventually take a stand or risk losing what's left of what we loved about our young people being involved in sports like college football.

I for one admire the hundreds of college football coaches who still understand what the college experience and college athletics is supposed to be about. Coaches that want to win just as bad, but realize that they still have to look in the mirror at the end of the day.

Those coaches still expect their athletes to conduct themselves as representatives of the universities that are paying for their education and paving the way for their NFL futures, or where ever their free education leads them.

So, for those reasons I want to thank you, Urban Meyer.

My only regret is that it had to come to this in order for you to see the light and finally do the right thing. Every time you have cut one of your prized players a break you encouraged another young athlete to push his luck to the limit.

Judging by your past actions in these matters, I still wonder if you would have done the same thing if it were not for the close scrutiny Florida is under in these type of situations due to your past actions.

Every time you didn't make an example of a prized player who got in trouble you made it more difficult for parents all over the country to discipline their own kids.

How can I explain to my young athlete why he is being disciplined when ESPN is reporting that you didn't suspend or punish another one of your players adequately for their transgressions?

My son sees the success you and those players are having and questions why it is necessary to conduct himself any differently.

Maybe, just maybe, if you or coaches like you had stood your ground a long time ago Carlos Dunlap would be still part of the Florida squad and be able to participate in what he has worked so hard to accomplish.

Maybe you bare as much of the blame as he does.

Maybe if you had been a little tougher on the previous 24 Florida football players who have been in trouble at Florida since your arrival this incident might not have happened.

I can point to a dozen examples where you could have drawn the line way before now. The most recent was when Brandon Spikes attempted to gouge the eyes of a Georgia player just a few weeks ago.

Maybe if you hadn't made such a mockery of the Brandon Spikes situation by initially suspending him for only one half of the next game Carlos Dunlap might have been too afraid to party it up the week of the SEC Championship Game.

I am told you are a good person and love your players, and I believe that is true.

Sometimes when you love people the best thing you can do for them is create reasonable boundaries for their personal conduct and stick to them. It is called tough love, Urban Meyer—try it, it really works.

We have a saying at my house: If you make your kids afraid to bring home a C on their report card, then you will never have to deal with one of them ever bringing home an F.

You should take that rule and adapt it to your football program.

How about this?

If you make your players so fearful of being caught out after curfew, then you will never have to deal with one of them passing out drunk behind the wheel at 3:25 AM at a red light in front of a police car five days before the SEC Championship.

Just some advice from a nobody who still can look in the mirror at the end of the day.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

What's Next For Florida State Football?

The Sportmeisters — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:10:03 -0500

As the Florida State University football team enters the next part of the football season, including bowl games and recruiting for next season, they are met with a challenge they have not seen in quite a long time. Even though FSU prepared for head coach Bobby Bowden’s eventual retirement with offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher designated as the head-coach-in-waiting, there are still a number of factors FSU has to be prepared for in the coming weeks.

This is essential if they plan on being more competitive in 2010. Let’s take a closer look at the key areas of interest Florida State has to deal with as the country awaits seeing Coach Bowden in action one last time.

Bowl Game

6-6 still gets you to a bowl game, though a minor one at best. Nevertheless, Florida State still earns the right to play one more game for the 28^th consecutive season. Coach Bowden, along with retiring defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, will dress in the garnet and gold one last time wearing those titles.

The game will ultimately be an emotional one for players, fans, and coaches alike. Sometime within the next week or two, FSU will officially receive their bowl game invitation and can plan their coaching schedule accordingly.

Current rumors have the Gator Bowl, who picks third in the bowl selection process for ACC teams, possibly selecting Florida State. This would be a huge boon for the bowl and FSU alike. The Gator Bowl is played in Jacksonville, which provides good travel opportunities for FSU fans to see Coach Bowden take the field for the last time.

Along those lines, the Gator Bowl is considering selecting West Virginia as FSU’s opponent, pitting Coach Bowden against the only other team he has coached. It would be a fitting tribute, but there are other factors at play.

According to the ACC Bowl regulations, the Gator Bowl and all bowls with ACC tie-ins, can only select a team that has a one loss differential. Gator Bowl officials are arguing that only matters when they are selecting the ACC Championship Game loser, which they are obligated to do once every four years (they selected Georgia Tech in 2007).

After the two ACC title contenders, the next team in line for a bowl position finished 5-3. This allows the Gator Bowl to select the 4-4 Florida State Seminoles, stating they fall within the one loss regulation because they are not obligated to select the ACC Championship loser.

I don’t know how this one will fall out, but when Florida State plays will have a direct effect on the remaining steps of Jimbo Fisher’s new regime, which also includes:

Coaching Changes

As of right now, only Jimbo Fisher and offensive line coach Rick Trickett have contracts that extend beyond this season. With the retirement of Mickey Andrews, finding a new defensive coordinator needs to be Fisher’s first step. Based off of rumors of animosity between Fisher and executive head coach Chuck Amato, I highly doubt Amato will be interviewed for the job.

There will be much speculation over the next few days and weeks on who will be looked at for the position, but I’m sure that Coach Fisher and Athletic Director Randy Spetman will be meeting with a short list of coaches in mind. Look for behind the back negotiations and talks to take place during FSU’s bowl preparation, with the hope that a new coach will be signed following the bowl game.

Finding a defensive coordinator quickly is imperative, as it gives the new coach time to put together his staff prior to the final recruiting run before signing day. At the very least, do not expect Amato or defensive ends/special teams coach Jody Allen to be on the FSU Staff in 2010.

Defensive tackle coach O’Dell Haggins future will undoubtedly be determined by the new defensive coordinator and Fisher together. Remember now, Fisher has final say on all this, but I cannot see him hiring someone he does not have ties to.

Offensively, look for Fisher to keep most, if not all of his staff. Being the head coach now, it would be more beneficial to pass the offensive coordinator duties off to one of his current position coaches. Tight ends/recruiting coordinator James Coley, is the only member of the offense Fisher brought in, so he looks to be the top option to take the position.

Considering the success the FSU offense had this year, I would imagine wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey to be safe. It is possible he could be looking for a new running backs and quarterbacks coach (Dexter Carter and Fisher took those roles, respectively).

For those interested in looking at rumors, Tomahawk Nation does a great job breaking down potential prospects, but again, this is all rumors until a signature is made. Having a coaching staff complete as soon as possible is key if it will improve FSUs efforts in:

Recruiting

According to Warchant , Florida State has 16 verbal commitments, leading to the February 2010 signing period. Of those 16, only one commitment was brought in by Jody Allen, who is not expected to be on staff next season. The rest are brought in by Fisher and members of his staff who should still be in place in 2010.

The idea of the “in-waiting” position was to allow recruits to feel there would be no change when Bowden eventually retired. Fisher and Coley took the reigns of the recruiting business, no longer making FSU a late player (FSU is notorious for its frenetic signing of big recruits on the first day of the signing period). Instead, FSU is now a major player for verbal commitments and because of this, should keep most if not all of their current commitments. Any wavering will come if Fisher cannot have a staff together by January.

There are a number of potential recruits FSU is in the hunt for and in order to sign these prospects away from other top-caliber BCS schools, having a solid coaching staff in place, especially one with knowledge and ties to the areas FSU focuses on, will be a huge gain.

There is also a possibility these coaches can bring in recruits they were hunting for their previous school. No guarantee to grab a big number of prospects that way, but a few could change their mind and rock the garnet and gold. The final concern is:

Current Players

FSU brings back a huge number of players on both sides of the ball next year and have plenty of top quality athletes waiting in the wings. As is the case when the head coach leaves, some players decide to seek playing time elsewhere.

By FSU having the “in-waiting” plan, much like with recruiting, Fisher and Coley brought in a huge number of the current staff and therefore, I expect most of the current players to continue to play for FSU. There may be one or two players that played exclusively for Amato and Allen who might move, but it would depend on if those coaches got new jobs.

Losing the head coach is never easy and while Florida State did their best to plan for this, there will be some growing pains. However, Fisher and the men he employs are prepared for this and I fully expect the cogs of the Florida State football machine to continue to turn without any major interruptions.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden's Retirement and His Legacy: Great Coach or Hypocrite?

Tom Kessler — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:37:07 -0500

Goodbye, Bobby Bowden. I wish you well.

As a Gator fan, I’ll miss you.

I’ll miss you not for what you were, but for what you’d become.

You were hard to love during your incredible run of consecutive top five finishes, national championships, and Gator beatdowns.

But six lackluster seasons of FSU mediocrity had changed me from wishing you were gone…to wishing you’d stay forever.

Were you one of the greatest coaches, Bobby—or was it your staff?

Mark Richt and Chuck Amato left for head coaching jobs at Georgia and N.C. State.

Then you brought in your son, Jeff Bowden, to dismantle the once-feared FSU offensive machine.

When it became apparent to everyone that your son was in over his head, you arrogantly allowed him to stick around.

The hiring of your son—complete with his fat contract—was the very definition of nepotism.

Not only that, but the poison pill in his contract—so that only a huge ransom paid by FSU would ensure that he’d not coach there again—was absolutely disgusting, but I loved it!

During much of your time at FSU, the national press gave you a free pass. You could say anything and do anything, and the press would not question it.

You had a charming and disarming persona, capable of nuzzling the national press into blissful hibernation.

I loathed the Bobby Bowden who would selectively mete out punishment based on a secret formula of a player's impact value, combined with the quality of the next opponent.

The national press bought it when you told them you were waiting on all the facts to come in before taking any action on any player involved in questionable activity.

You tied it into your Christian beliefs. But those not blinded by your aura, Christian or otherwise, saw right through the hypocrisy.

It was moral to not judge a player until all the facts came in (preferably after the Florida game, Miami game, or the bowl game)—but it was just football when your team was coached to hit Danny Wuerffel until the players “heard the echo of the whistle."

You might have stayed around a few more years of coaching, but along came Urban Meyer.

Meyer first beat you on the recruiting front, then on the field for five straight years. He took the best players, leaving you the scraps.

Then, he out-muscled your flat, lifeless teams for five beautiful years.

The cumulative work that you’ve done, Coach Bowden, will far outstrip the final dismal years and the futility that was FSU football during your final coaching days.

May you go on to live a long and wonderful life with your large, adoring family and your many friends.

I’m sure that we’ll be seeing you on future telecasts of big games—the national press still adores you.

And if you ever get the urge to come back and coach, please do—as long as it's for a team that Florida will play every year.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Coach Bowden: Thank You for Everything, Especially Loyalty

Jonny Solovy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:49:20 -0500

Coach Bobby Bowden was officially fired by Florida State University Tuesday afternoon. Yes I said fired and not retired.

Anyone close or near the Florida State program is very aware of the fact that Bobby Bowden wanted to come back for his final season in 2010. He was extremely excited about next season so much that he never even hinted at hanging up his straw hat for good; rather, he made sure Defensive Coordinator Mickey Andrews was appreciated in his last game.

Little did we or Bowden know Andrew's last home game would also be Bobby's.

No farewell tour, no win one for the gipper speeches, and no more straw hats.

No more "dadgummit" comments during halftime interviews, and no more post game honesty.

What the FSU Athletic Department did to Bowden was not only cruel, it was also very sad to see. It's awful enough by itself to push him out the door he built but when you start criticizing the man who has made you who you are, it is simply going to far.

Several former Seminoles players were on the radio this afternoon on ESPN760.com in South Florida, including former National Champion and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke. Weinke, along with many other former players, is very disappointed with how everything unfolded and he specifically remembers Bobby talking about being excited for the 2010 season with so many returning players.

Not only did Bowden make a huge impact on Weinke's life in college, he still stays in touch with him now and always has something positive to say.

Weinke told a great story on the radio this afternoon and it exemplifies the very man Bowden is...

When Chris first went to FSU as a freshman, he was also very interested in playing baseball. His talent grew and the opportunity was there, Bowden's future star quarterback was leaving FSU immediately to go play minor league baseball. And not once, not even for a second, did Coach try to convince him not to go.

In fact, Bowden wished him the very best luck and said if it doesn't work out I will always hold a scholarship for you.

Several years later a now balding 24-year-old man wandered back to the FSU campus. Minor league baseball was over and Chris wanted to go back to get a degree and play football. Current Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt was Bowden's assistant at the time and he begged Bobby not to allow Weinke back because they already had a top recruit coming in to play quarterback.

And you know what happened next?

Weinke, older than most seniors on the team, asked for another chance to play football at FSU. "If I am the best player Coach, will I get to play?"

The rest is history, and Weinke said he will be forever grateful that his coach always kept his promise. That's what sets him apart from other people, he does what he says and he is always loyal to players, coaches, but most importantly, people.

When Bowden's dream job came calling, the University of Alabama, what did he do? Did he leave FSU for the big bucks and the job his mentor, Bear Bryant, had years before him?

No. He stayed. He always stayed. He was always loyal, always.

When people he cared about struggled, did he throw them under a bus and leave them there to die alone? Never, he stood by them, hand in hand,, and preached all the good they have to offer.

Old school football and old school coaches are known for their strict rules and rough intimidating mannerisms, but not good old Bobby...he is the grandpa that everyone wanted. He is the best friend you want to live next to forever. He is the golfing buddy that you know will always make you smile after a double bogey on the ninth green.

When you grab a dictionary and look up the word coach, there may not be a picture of Bobby Bowden but he is most certainly the one who defined it.

I want to thank you Coach Bowden from the bottom of my heart for all that you did for not only football but also our world. Loyalty doesn't exist anymore and people can rarely rely on a colleague to stand in front of them to take a bullet. Coach Bowden did all that and it is truly a sad day when a man who has given so much receives so little back.

The dollar bills you hand him only last a lifetime, the embarrassment and lack of loyalty you showed him lasts forever. What he did for FSU is something no other man could have done. It takes one kind of Coach. It takes one kind of person. It took Bobby Bowden.

God bless you Mr. Bowden and all you have given and for all of the class you have shown everyone, including rival teams. Thanks for the memories and thanks for always being yourself.

What is this world coming to? It is no wonder our economy is a mess, politics are nothing but a joke, and the loyalty is the most forgotten trait.

Our world needs more role models like Coach Bowden.

Our world needs more honest people like Coach Bowden.

Lastly, when you hear the world loyalty you will smile and think of people like Bobby Bowden.

His kind don't come around very often and we are likely to never see his type of loyalty again. Cherish it, remember it, learn from it.

It really is a shame that Bowden's best trait, loyalty, is also the very same thing that got him fired.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

"Just Left" Bobby Bowden Will Always Be "Wide Right" in Our Hearts

Jeff Kessock — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:12:10 -0500

TAMPA—Does this look like the face of a man who just lost a BCS Bowl game? Does it resemble the echo of a heart that has been defeated? Following the triple-overtime thrill ride of the 2006 Orange Bowl, Bobby Bowden showed us a glimpse of what life would be like for him when he finally had to hang them up.

And we all missed it.

Randy Spetman met with coach Bowden last night to discuss the options available to him for his gradual succession, that one might imagine, felt more like a secession.

Bowden has coached longer than the average NFL player has been alive. Today marked a day, one day, for a man who has lived through so many memorable days.

Bowden was once quoted as saying, in the words of his idol, Paul "Bear" Bryant, "Once you retire, there's only one more [milestone], you know, and I'm just not ready for that.”

Well, coach, I don't think a lot of us were ready for it either.

Florida State is Bobby Bowden. A program long identified by the successive bowl trips, the unfathomable NFL first and second round draft picks, top five finishes, national championships, and memorable rivalry games that forever changed the way college fans and pundits viewed football in the state of Florida.

In the end, winning seemed to be more important than the lore, the significant contributions to the University, or the uninterrupted pageantry Bobby created.

It would be easy to list off the names of the players he sculpted. Names like Charlie Ward, Warrick Dunn, Corey Simon, Chris Weinke, Thad Busby, Kez McCorvey, and Tamarick Vanover.

It would be even easier to list the coaches: Mark Richt and Chuck Amato, who went on to impressive careers in their own right.

The easiest thing to list would be the amount of people Bobby undoubtedly touched with his compassion, caring, and love for the game: We all were. Every last one of us.

In the coming weeks and months, we will all undoubtedly be recognizing the facts that are presented to us, those about a man who became the poster child for the most celebrated pastime in the land. Time and inevitability have claimed the career of one of the best men ever to coach the game, but his footprint will be cemented for generations to come.

He's left an impression that will last for lifetimes.

Memories of coach Bowden are hard to come by right now, as the sadness that an entire nation may be feeling is still making those moments seem somewhat hazy. While the "next milestone" seems to sadden my heart personally, the Seminoles of Florida State are already in mourning for such a loss.

Wins or no wins, he was the most anticipated person to watch every Saturday, and turning on the television, will not feel quite the same.

Was it not for you, Coach, our lives would have somehow been Wide Wrong, and nobody will ever retire that notion.

Bobby Bowden—truly unconquered.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Dunlap, Robinson, and LSU's Troubles: Where's the Outrage, SEC Fans?

Joel Barker — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:36:32 -0500

My how a month changes things. It was only three short weeks ago that Lane Kiffin and three Tennessee Volunteers were publicly mocked and ridiculed at the thought of the freshmen holding up two men with a pellet gun.

Should there have been outrage? Absolutely!

Should there have been a public crucifixion of a coach who had pretty much nothing to do with it? Absolutely not.

Even I wrote about my discouragement with the apparent lack of rules for a bunch of freshmen at Tennessee. I still stand by the discouragement.

However, some on this and other sites decided to publish lies and edicts declaring that Lane Kiffin was something akin to Satan himself for not being there to hold the three fools' hands so they would not do something incredibly stupid.

Florida fans were absolutely giddy with this news. Georgia fans, oh they loved it. I would venture a guess that even some fans of the Mad Hatter in Baton Rouge were even pleased.

I know many a Bama fan that was enjoying the moment, although most of that fanbase showed restraint because they've been there before.

So I'm sure you can imagine my sheer amazement at the news of Carlos Dunlap's DUI arrest on Tuesday morning.

Carlos Dunlap. He's not a freshman. He's not some immature kid who has just realized his independence. No, he's an integral part of the No. 2 defense on the No. 1 team in the land.

According to some in the media, the quarterback of that team is the "greatest leader in the history of college football." According to some in the media, his coach is one of the best in the land.

And six days before the biggest game of the '09 season this guy is sleeping off a drunk in his car at 2:00 am. Wow. Just wow. Someone should tell the guy not to be behind the wheel while drunk, even if you are sleeping.

On the same day we hear from LSU that their program is under self-investigation for potential violations.

Not 24 hours earlier those same Bulldogs fans learned that one of their own freshmen, Montez Robinson, was arrested for underage possession of alcohol.

Yet, I do not see stories on this website with 10,000 reads and 400 comments proclaiming this to be the most egregious error in the history of the SEC. I do not see Mark Richt, Urban Meyer, or Les Miles burning in written effigy.

I wonder why that is? I wonder why there haven't been lies and innuendo thrown all over cyberspace like it's October of an election year.

I know why the outrage is not there. I understand completely.

I am not here to throw mud, stones, or any other compound object(s). I am here simply to state that those who call out other coaches and programs need to make sure their's is completely clean first.

The bottom line is that no one is completely clean. Not Florida, LSU, Georgia, or even Alabama. Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow can no more control a junior with a thirst for alcohol and good time than the Gainesville Police can.

LSU apparently couldn't control certain situations within it's recruiting circles. (Remember all those petty secondary violations that Tennessee reported?)

And Georgia could not keep a freshman away from partying at an age deemed too young by authorities.

I don't expect outrage now any more than I did when Lane Kiffin experienced his first bit of adversity at Tennessee. I do expect fans to be responsible and realize that this is the real world and things happen.

These things happen at every school in America—whether they be in the SEC, ACC, Big East, SWAC, MEAC, Big Sky, or MAAC.

Maybe next time something happens we can all express our disappointment without slinging more mud all over an already dirty landscape.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Old Spice Classic Shows the Florida State Seminoles Need To Find Scoring

Jameson Fleming — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:26:19 -0500

ORLANDO— Florida State doesn't have much that resembles an offense.

That's a fact.

Now that Toney Douglas is gone, a weak Seminoles scoring unit is even worse. Freshman Michael Snaer hasn't emerged as a quality replacement yet, and Soloman Alabi hasn't developed into a go-to guy in the post despite his incredible, well-built 7'1'' frame.

Even with the anemic FSU offense, the Tomahawk Chop was in full force in support of Florida State as they eked out an Old Spice Classic Championship because of a ridiculously good defense.

"The defense is what we pride ourselves on," said power forward and tournament MVP Chris Singleton after defeating Alabama in the second round of the tournament. "It's what we do. Our offense won't always be there, but our defense will be."

Florida State's devastating man-to-man defense starts with its incredible size. Leonard Hamilton doesn't have a player shorter than 6'4'' in his rotation.

His front line has a seven footer and two more players that are at least 6'8'', but also extremely bulky. They are tall, longer, AND strong.

Teams simply cannot shoot against Florida State. The Seminoles ranked 19th in field goal percentage defense last year; this year Hamilton's team is third. The Noles' D is making up for the fact that FSU can't put points on the board.

Despite Florida State's problematic offense, the Seminoles have figured out a way to get just enough points on the board. Their sparks haven't come from their stars Chris Singleton and Soloman Alabi.

Against Alabama, it was long range shooter Deividas Dulkys who hit several three pointers in a late first-half spurt that sent the Seminoles into the locker room with a five point lead.

"We need him shooting threes," said point guard Derwin Kitchen, "When he's hitting threes, we are a good team."

Dulkys isn't exactly your go-to guy, but neither is junior forward Jordan DeMercy.

His energy sparked Florida State's 17-point comeback against Marquette. After playing a total of 15 minutes in the first two games of the Old Spice Classic, Hamilton played DeMercy for 19 minutes against Marquette.

"Jordan and Luke [Loucks] came in and gave us tremendous effort," Hamilton said. "Jordan's activity diving on the floor for that loose ball and making that back-door play...that dunk, it kind of energized the team. His enthusiasm inspired the players and they followed his lead."

The back-door play Hamilton is referring to is a thunderous slam DeMercy thew down after taking a pass on a backdoor cut along the baseline. DeMercy brought the Milk House to its feet and kept the Seminoles from drowning in the second half.

Once DeMercy got Florida State going, coach Hamilton finally found scoring from his two stars. He needs Chris Singleton and Soloman Alabi to consistently give him 30 points between the two.

Singleton's development has been more noticeable than Alabi's.

"He was very smart," Hamilton said. "He was in foul trouble for long periods of time, but he was able to still be aggressive. When the game is on the line, he made the plays, and that's shown he's growing up as a sophomore."

Even with Alabi's struggles (entering the final minute against Marquette, he was just 2-of-5 for four points), Hamilton took a BIG step forward by giving Alabi the ball with the game on the line.

Twice Hamilton chose to run the offense through Alabi as the largest defender Buzz Williams could throw at Alabi was 6'7'' Lazar Hayward.

Despite Alabi showing there was no reason why he could take advantage of the size disparity, Hamilton trusted Alabi to deliver two big baskets.

"Soloman is very capable and I have a tremendous amount of confidence in him. I think it's a matter of him relaxing, getting a few more games under our belt and gaining more confidence."

For Alabi, converting both opportunities came down to focus.

"My team believes in me and they told me to take care of the ball, to be patient and read the defense before I score."

If Alabi's stretch play is an indication of the player he can become, Hamilton could have the missing link to make his offense effective. If Alabi develops an inside game like the one he showed late against Marquette, then it will free up Florida State's shooters.

Freeing up FSU's shooters means the Seminoles offense should dramatically improve.

An improved offense means Hamilton won't need his defense to ALWAYS suffocate his opponents.

For more updates and stories about college basketball, follow Jameson on Twitter.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Buell's Eye: Championship Week Picks

Brandon Buell — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:03:00 -0500

The rumor is true: "Championship Week" does, in fact, produce champions. However, not every "champion" is guaranteed a BCS Bowl berth. A run for the Rose is on the table, six schools look to stay undefeated, and a dynasty in Gainesville, Florida is only two victories away from being unveiled. In all ten Top 25 match-ups this weekend, the underdog goes for a knock-out punch. Meanwhile, I go with my gut. After a 14-4 effort in Rivalry Week, my season's record moves to 214-54. I'll need my instincts to come through for me this weekend to steer me away from a very obtainable 5-5 posting, especially if every game winds up being as close as predicted. At least one upset will take place. Four Pac-10 programs go into their respected Bowl games after this weekend with identical 9-3 records. And, the BCS is under scrutiny once again as five undefeated Universities stake their claim as to why they belong in the Title game at season's end.

Begin Slideshow

A Gator's Fan Perspective on the SEC Championship Game

Michael Oleszek — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:05:01 -0500

Game Preview

No. 1 Florida Gators (12-0) vs. No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-0)

What a difference a year makes.

Or does it?

In a repeat of last season’s SEC Championship Game, Florida and Alabama get set to battle once again for the chance to play for a national championship, only this time against probable Big 12 champion Texas.

And like last season, the loser gets relegated to the Sugar Bowl to probably play an undefeated team that was kept out of the BCS title game.

Unlike last year’s game, however, is the style of which both teams arrived in Atlanta. Alabama is still the same workman-like, smash mouth team that many people think are better than the one Florida played last season.

Florida has only looked like defending champions a handful of times this season and until recently, was only a shell of the harbinger of death squad that searched and destroyed everything in its path to close out last season.

Florida wins the game if....

Florida’s defense contains Alabama’s running game.

Any team that can put eight in the box and effectively single-cover Julio Jones can slow down Alabama significantly. Teams have tried this all season long and have been effective in stretches. Florida has the best defensive personnel Alabama will see all season and should prove to be a tough opponent for Alabama’s offense.

Alabama has used their hard-nosed running game to set up their efficient passing game, entrusting quarterback Greg McElroy not to only win games, but not lose them as well.

Florida needs to shut down running back Mark Ingram on early downs, limit him to short gains, and force the Tide to rely on Greg McElroy throwing the ball to beat the Gators.

Ingram has been the most effective this season when he gets 20 or more carries on the ground, going over 140 yards each time this happens. In the seven games when he hasn’t gotten 20 or more carries, he has only topped the century mark twice.

Florida’s big game experience shines through once again.

All season long, I couldn’t help but compare this team to the 2007 National Champion Florida Gators basketball team. Like the basketball team, the Gators have been faced with enormous pressure to repeat as national champions, coasting through the regular season with almost little to no effort living under a cloud of doubt about their true ability until it was time to play with the bright lights on.

Those lights won’t be any brighter than on Saturday when they kickoff in the Georgia Dome. The upperclassmen on this Florida team have been to the mountain top twice. They know what it takes to win a championship. The experience of playing at such a high level more frequently than Alabama will give the Gators the edge they need to step on the throat of Alabama when the time comes.

Florida loses the game if....

Greg McElroy and Julio Jones can exploit Florida’s blitz package.

In the fourth quarter against Auburn, Alabama was consistently able to exploit the Auburn defense and their blitzing schemes by running Julio Jones on shallow crossing routes and picking defenders with either a tight end or another receiver.

Whether its Joe Haden covering when Julio lines up on the short side of the field, or Janoris Jenkins covering when Julio lining up on the wide side, both corners for Florida need to be physical and jam him at the line, disrupting his route timing so the pass rush can get to McElroy.

Also, look for safety help over the top with either Ahmad Black or Major Wright, as Will Hill plays closer to the line of scrimmage to help stack up against the run.

Carlos Dunlap's suspension is a distraction

From a team stand point, nothing could be worse than a major distraction before the biggest game of the season. Losing Carlos Dunlap is huge; period. He was the Gators' best pass rusher, forced more sacks than he has gotten credit for, and was to be a huge part of the game plan for Saturday.

Now, his suspension is going to be a distraction. If there is any silver lining to this, the suspension came early in the week, so both teams can gameplan from today forward with the knowledge that Dunlap won't be there.

His probable replacement, Justin Trattou, is no slouch at defensive end and has seen a lot of action this year, including the season saving interception against South Carolina.

The X-factor will be....

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow

Do you think it would be anyone else?

If you take him out of the game last year, Florida had no chance. The same goes for this year. Sure, they would be competitive with John Brantley and they will be after Tebow leaves, but as long as No. 15 is suiting up for the orange and blue, the Gators have an edge that many people haven't been able to beat.

Florida didn't look right on offense for the first part of this season and most fingers were pointed at the quarterback. Throw in a serious concussion and some lackluster performances in the weeks that followed, and many people began to wonder if "Superman" had finally found his kryptonite.

Now, he gets to come full circle with Alabama. The Crimson Tide recruited him heavily as a high school player and they eventually lost out to Urban Meyer and Florida, drastically altering the direction of both programs. Mike Shula was fired, Nick Saban was hired, and Urban Meyer has won two championships.

Tim Tebow will be the difference that wins the game for Florida.

Game Prediction - Florida 24, Alabama 14

To see what Alabama Crimson Tide superfan Tim Croley has to say, click here.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Impact: Shoppach to Tampa Bay

Eric Stashin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:14:47 -0500

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Kelly Shoppach from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for a player to be named later, according to Bill Chastain of mlb.com (click here for the article).

The move gives Shoppach a second chance, as it is assumed he will get regular catching duties for the team, replacing Dioner Navarro (who could be non-tendered). Shoppach is just one year removed from a 21 home run season, when he stepped in for an injured Victor Martinez. His performance sent him flying up fantasy draft boards for 2009.

He struggled with his average in 2009, costing him playing time. However, that shouldn’t be alarming given his recent strikeout rates in 2006 (110 AB, 40.9 percent), 2007 (161 AB, 34.8 percent), 2008 (352 AB, 37.8 percent), and 2009 (271 AB 36.2, percent).

Those are scary numbers that make it almost impossible for him to post a usable average. His .261 mark in 2008 came courtesy of an unrealistic BABIP of .359. Last season he fell to a believable level of .286, sending his average plummeting to .214. While he could see some increased luck in 2010, hitting above .250 is going to be an accomplishment in itself.

The power, however, is extremely real. He has maintained an above average home run per fly ball ratio over the past few seasons (17.1 percent, 22.1 percent, and 18.5 percent). With an opportunity to play regularly, he’s going to produce 20-plus home runs. In a Rays line-up that should provide opportunities for him drive in runs, that’s going to make him worth considering in all two-catcher fantasy formats. Just make sure you have a solid average team surrounding him.

The Indians are no worse from this deal as they are perhaps the deepest catching team in the league. While Lou Marson (acquired as part of the Cliff Lee trade) may get a look early on, it is only a matter of time before Carlos Santana is given the chance to take the job.

The Indians gave Santana a full season at Double-A in 2009, where he hit .290, with 23 home runs, 97 RBI, and 91 run scored. He also showed a tremendous eye at the plate, walking 17.4 percent of the time, which lead to an OBP of .413. The average was steadied by a very realistic BABIP of .314.

This quickly pushes him up to one of the best prospects for 2010, as he could have value in all formats before long. Those in long-term keeper leagues, or two-catcher formats, will want to target him from the outset. He could emerge as a top 10 catcher by the end of the season.

What are your thoughts? Who is the biggest benefactor of the deal? Will Carlos Santana get a shot to start the season as the Indians catcher?

Previous Fantasy Impacts of Recent Transactions:

Hermida to Boston

Teahen for Fields & Getz

Iwamura to Pittsburgh

Hardy for Gomez

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Hunting For Gator's Bait

Mike Casella — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:04:36 -0500

I was inspired to retell this story after reading Lord of the Flies with my eighth grade class the other day.

I've been teaching this novel for years. For those who don't know the story, it's basically the story of some school-aged boys who get marooned on an island with no adult supervision (sign me up!) and what happens as a result. It's the whole "darker side of human nature bit." Anyway there's one character named Jack. He's sort of the bad guy of the story.

The part that "inspired" me is where Jack decides to paint his face, ala Rambo, so he can hunt down pigs for food. There's a famous line that goes something like this (and I'm paraphrasing), "the mask hid Jack from self-consciousness," blah, blah, blah.

As I was reading this part to my class, my mind wandered back to Gator Growl (the University of Florida's homecoming pep rally held every year where they fill Florida Field and perform all sorts of funny skits at the expense of the patsy de jour. Usually there's a headline comedian and the year I'm thinking back to had Robin Williams in the house)...

My friends and I got to watch from the field this year.

We positioned ourselves as close to the stage as possible strategically behind the Gatorettes (need I say why or more). As we were sitting there, one of my buddies turned to me and goes, "Hey look, it's Albert the Alligator" (UF's alligator mascot that you always see on the sideline during Florida games on t.v.).

Now mind you, we had done the appropriate pre-Gator Growl "preparations" at one of the many near campus watering holes, so I was a bit dubious to my friend's admonishment to turn to look at Albert. Thought he might be "messing" with my already messed up mind. But I did turn.

And this was what I saw: Albert sitting too, right behind the fairest Gatorette in the land.

Now if you've ever seen Albert, you know, that like all alligators, he has a rather over-sized "tail" which pretty much touches the ground whenever he's standing. He also has a huge gator head which masks his true identity.

Well on this night, Albert sat with his tail between his legs, literally. And his "over-sized tail," was pointing right at this Gatorette's "tail." When I turned to look at Albert, he returned my glance.

And I swear he was smiling.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

This Gator is Going to Miss Bobby Bowden

Jim Folsom — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:03:03 -0500

I'm going to miss Bobby Bowden.

Not because he has taken FSU and turned them into a Gator whipping boy. That's not the Bobby I miss. I miss the younger Bobby. I miss the Bobby that used to bring it every week, year after year.

I miss the Bobby that would beat the other team's brains in and then give the media that "aw shucks, we were lucky to win. yaknawit?"

I miss the Bobby that would take his team to Columbus, Ann Arbor, Lincoln, or South Bend, maybe all in a row, and pitch the rock all over the yard and walk out of there leaving the home crowds scratching their heads.

One thing you cannot say about FSU during the Bowden era, they were boring.

FSU made college football fun.

Before Bowden, college football was three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust. Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, Barry Switzer, and Bear Bryant lived by the motto that "three things can happen when you throw the ball and two of them are bad."

Bobby showed them that the good thing is worth the gamble. By opening up the offense, you can recruit fast kids. Kids want to score touchdowns. Kids want to make plays.

Bobby wasn't at it long before the rest of the college football realized that the road to the national title was through the sub-tropics of Florida.

You either had to beat Bobby to win the title, or beat the guy who did. The Bear himself always said that "if Florida ever gets a coach, we're all playing for second place." Well, he was right. Of course he didn't know that FSU would be the "Florida" that did it first. But it forced Miami and Florida to keep up or get left behind. It also gave them a blueprint.

Miami soon became "Quarterback U" and Florida was right behind them. Steve Spurrier brought his gunslinger mentality and when the three forces collided, it was huge. Every "Sunshine State Showdown" was a game for the ages.

We have Bobby to thank for it.

Whenever I see Bobby on TV, he reminds of my grandfather. He too was from Alabama. He spoke like Bobby. He had a nickname for everybody. Bobby's is "buddy". To talk to him you think he's a hayseed. But in reality he's pretty sharp. Or at least he was. If anything has been proven by FSU's recent slide it is that a young Bobby Bowden was the difference maker in his prime.

Can FSU ever get back to powerhouse status? Sure.

The way to do it is to go back and look how Bowden did it before. Start taking on the big boys again. Schedule some big time out of conference games. Don't be afraid to run a trick play. Get that gun slinger mentality back.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Tampa Bay Rays Acquire C Kelly Shoppach From Cleveland Indians

Thaddeus Walk — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:25 -0500

Late Tuesday afternoon, the Cleveland Indians traded C Kelly Shoppach to the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later or cash.

Shoppach, 29, was a former top prospect and International League All-Star with the Boston Red Sox organization. Throughout his Major League career, almost entirely with Cleveland, he's hit .241 with a .776 OPS. He is arbitration eligible this offseason, and the Rays are expected to give him a raise from his $1.95 million he made in '09.

Shop comes into the Rays organization as a hitting catcher, seeing as his defense is worse than current starting catcher Dioner Navarro's, if only slightly (27% caught stealing rate compared to Navi's 30%). In front of the plate, however, Shop knows how to take a walk and hit with consistency, something that Navarro seemed to lose his grip on in 2009 after his All-Star year in 2008.

Throughout his career, the righty Shoppach has tormented left-handed pitchers, batting for a .999 OPS in a small sample size of 258 plate appearances.

Shop was traded from Boston to Cleveland in 2006 in the deal that brought OF Coco Crisp to the Red Sox, where he was primarily a back-up for C Victor Martinez.

When Shoppach filled in for an injured Martinez in 2008, he led American League catchers with 21 homers, and the Indians were expecting big things from him in the 2009 campaign. However, he batted just .214 with 12 homers and 40 RBI in 89 games, striking out 89 times.

From a Tampa Bay standpoint, the obvious question post-trade becomes: Who is going to be the backstop for the Rays in 2010?

With Navarro slumping, C Sean Riggans perpetually hurt, and C Gregg Zaun and C Michel Hernandez out of town, the corps are a little muddled. While Shop does bring a fresh new face to the mix, his defense leaves much to be desired, and his power against lefties is what makes him so valuable.

Zaun is still rumored to be being pursued by the Rays for a back-up/platoon man like he was in 2009, so a Shop/Zaunbie platoon is not out of the question. But then what to do with Navi, only a year removed from an All-Star berth? Only time will tell.

The PTBNL from the Rays has to be announced by Dec. 20; a small-name pitcher makes the most sense regarding Cleveland's needs. A corresponding 40-man roster move for the arrival of Shoppach will be announced later Tuesday night.

EDIT: RP Jeff Bennett has been designated for assignment by the Rays to make room for Shoppach on the 40-man roster, but still no word on who the PTBNL is.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden: A Class Act

Alex Ferguson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:45:00 -0500

I don't know a lot about the history of Florida State football, but I know this—Florida State will be forever linked to Bobby Bowden.

And while I don't want to be a downer on Doak Campbell, if FSU's stadium isn't re-named "Bobby Bowden Stadium" (shorted to "The Bowd," or "The Bob" by ESPN , or "The Bow," and finally "The B"), it'll be a crime against college football.

Why?

Because in Seminole country, Bobby Bowden has a legacy that stretches beyond football and into the classrooms.

How many kids went to Florida State because they loved watching winning football? How many kids went to Florida State because of the chance to see a legend on the sidelines or seeing one speak at one of FSU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings? How many people fought to keep Bowden almost as much as those who fought to kick him out?

Bobby Bowden is more than a decent man. He is an icon. He is a champion of his faith, he is a champion of longevity at one school, and more's the case, he is a darned good football coach

He turned around a program that was nothing and it became something. He went to 27 straight bowl games. Heck, Joe Paterno might have the Division I record for the most wins, but Bobby Bowden and 27 straight bowl appearances? That's pretty impressive by anyone's standards. And you know what, even Joe Paterno didn't manage that.

Paterno said in a statement , "Bobby has been a tough competitor. He has meant an awful lot to the universities he coached and to the game of football overall. He and his wife, Ann, have dedicated their lives with untold hours to better the teams and universities they cared so much about. They will be missed by the coaching profession and college football. Sue [Paterno's wife] and I wish them well."

If you want "tough competitor", then check out the 2006 Orange Bowl between Penn State and Florida State. The game lasted through three overtimes in a battle for the ages. And both coaches—friends to the end—hugged it out after the game.

If it's a class act you want in college football, I dare you to look somewhere else other than Bobby Bowden.

"Faith is the most important thing in the world to me," Bowden said (reported by ESPN ). "It's the greatest strength I've had. It's helped me get through the hard times. You're not going to win every one of your football games. I've always said I'm not going to make football my god. A lot of coaches put so much into coaching football games that they have nothing left. I've never made football my priority. My priorities are my faith and my dependence on God."

Some of you might scoff at that statement, thinking that the only person who would say such a thing would be Tim Tebow or Colt McCoy. But Bowden is a captain of faith as much as he is a captain of football, and that's a good thing.

I could sit here and try and darken Bobby Bowden's past by pointing out the failings of the 2009 team, the off-the-field problems in the past years, and the cheating scandal that lost both Bowden and the school a bunch of credibility (although—and it's a personal opinion here—I don't think Bowden was involved), but you know what? I'll shut up.

Sadly, it wasn't a surprise when Florida State asked Bowden to retire. We don't know if Bowden walked or if he was asked to step down. But we do know this—the kings of Seminole country were fed up with looking stupid, and certainly weren't happy about being the state of Florida's third team this year in the face of possible National Champion Florida and a re-ignited Miami team.

The defense was an embarrassment this year as well. Ultimately, Bowden and his long-time defensive coordinator and assistant Mickey Andrews paid the price for the shocking lack of tackling ability.

Bobby Bowden, you're a class act.

Thank you for your years of service and all the memories.

We only wish we could have 'said goodbye' on a higher note than the 2009 season.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Tampa Bay Rays Acquire Kelly Shoppach From Cleveland Indians

Adam Bernacchio — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:15:02 -0500

According to the Tampa Bay Rays official site, the Rays have acquired catcher Kelly Shoppach from the Cleveland Indians for the vaunted player to be named later or “PTBNL” as us cool kids say.

I really like this pick up for the Rays.

I have always been a Shoppach fan going back to his days with the Boston Red Sox. I thought the Red Sox were going to reacquire him this offseason, but it was not meant to be.

Shoppach will be catching for the Rays in 2010

The Rays have been looking for a catcher because Gregg Zaun is a free agent and Dioner Navarro was completely useless last year. Talk about a World Series hangover. What happened to him last year?

Navarro hit .295 with a .757 OPS and was an All Star in 2008, but in 2009, Navarro reverted back to his 2006 and 2007 form by hitting a pathetic .218 with a .583 OPS.

Shoppach’s career has taken a similar path as Navarro’s. Shoppach was a backup catcher in 2006 and 2007 and then in 2008 Shoppach had the opportunity to start thanks to a Victor Martinez injury.

Shoppach proceeded to have a career year in 2008 when he hit 21 home runs and had an .865 OPS in 113 games for the Indians. In 2009, Shoppach suffered through injuries and had a down year, hitting only .214 with a .734 OPS in 58 games.

This trade gives the Rays a couple of options. The Rays could now let Navarro go instead of offering him arbitration by the December 12 deadline and re-sign Zaun. This would give them a Shoppach/Zaun tandem in 2010.

The second option would be to keep both Shoppach and Navarro. With Shoppach arbitration eligible as well, I believe the Rays will go with the first option.

If you were to ask me, Shoppach is a much better candidate than Navarro to have a bounce back year.

For the Indians, they will get a back player for a player who was probably going to be non-tendered in a couple of weeks, so it’s not a bad deal for them.

With Lou Marson and top prospect Carlos Santana ready to take over the catching duties in the future, Shoppach was expendable.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden's Legend Will Never Die

Ryan Meyer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:51:43 -0500

It’s official, Bobby Bowden officially announced his retirement Tuesday afternoon, relinquishing his command of the program he built over the past 34 years.

Bowden, born and raised in Birmingham, AL would go on to play quarterback for the Crimson Tide from 1946-48.

His coaching career began as an assistant track and field coach at Howard University, now Samford University, in 1954 before becoming athletic director and head coach of baseball, basketball, and football coach at South Georgia College.

In 1959, Bowden returned to Howard to become head football coach while compiling a 31-6 record; those 31 wins heavily scrutinized by Penn St. fans as non-D1 wins.

Bowden became an assistant coach at Florida St. in 1963, along with legendary coaches Bill Parcells and Joe Gibbs, before returning to West Virginia as an assistant in 1966.

In 1970, Bowden took over as head coach of the Mountaineers compiling a 42-26 record in his six years at the school. That same year, Bowden and West Virginia was involved with the rebuilding process of Marshall University after a tragic plane crash left all passengers dead.

Bowden was portrayed in the movie, We Are Marshall, as a person who provided game film and playbooks to help new Marshall head coach Jack Lengyel put together a new offense. Additionally, Mountaineer players wore green crosses on their jerseys and “MU” stickers on their helmets.

In 1976, Bowden settled in his final stomping grounds at Florida State after being pushed away from Alabama, a job he still admits he wanted at the time.

However, college football fans, specifically Seminole fans, could not appreciate Alabama’s reluctance any more, considering Bowden brought a team who won just four games in the previous three seasons to national prominence.

Other than his first season, Bowden has never coached a losing team. It’s hard to complain about a 5-6 record considering he acquired more wins in that ’76 season than FSU had in the previous three seasons.

In 34 years, Bowden has achieved 18 seasons with 10 or more wins, including two national championships in ’93 and ’99.

From 1987-2000, Bowden’s teams finished an unprecedented 14 years with 10-plus wins while finishing in the Top Five of both AP and Coaches polls. During that span, FSU played in five national championship games.

Bowden coached two fine quarterbacks, Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke, to Heisman Trophies, coincidentally the same years as the national championships.

From 1992, the year FSU joined the ACC, through 2005, FSU finished second in the ACC only twice while winning or tying for first every other year during that span.

Bowden has coached dozens of NFL players at FSU including prominent players like Derrick Brooks, Warrick Dunn, Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, Peter Boulware, and Corey Simon.

This past Saturday, before a 37-10 loss to archrival Florida, former players weighed in on the situation surrounding Bowden agreeing with much of the Seminole nation that Bowden has earned and deserves the right to walk out on his own terms.

In some ways, that opportunity was given to him, but not really. Sure, FSU President T.K. Wetherell and Athletic Director Randy Spetman offered an opportunity to stay on board as an ambassador; however, Bowden obviously felt that wasn’t enough.

Bowden’s retirement on Tuesday marks the end of one of two college football’s greatest active coaching legacies.

Bowden will retire with 388 wins with an opportunity to get one more in what may be a FSU-WVU matchup in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1.

According to Warchant.com, FSU’s Rivals.com site, Gator Bowl Association President Richard Catlett is more than willing to bring the two programs together on New Years Day in what would mark an historic event, much like that of the 2005 Orange Bowl between Penn St. and FSU.

Catlett and the association has already expressed their complete interest in putting this game together, although they still must receive permission from the ACC.

The Gator Bowl usually offers a bid to the runner-up of the ACC Championship game; however, they are not required to.

If given the opportunity, this would be an excellent way to end a career that compares to only a few legends like Joe Paterno, Bear Bryant, and Pop Warner.

It will be an interesting 2010 season not seeing Bowden on the sidelines in Tallahassee, walking back and forth, while looking for his headset to get an update.

College football fans across the nation will surely always appreciate what Bowden brought to college football; not only his dominance but the classy way he handled every situation.

Nowadays, with trash-talking coaches like Lane Kiffen of Tennessee, there aren’t too many head coaches that carry the class and ability to handle diversity the way Bowden has for decades.

Coaches and players everywhere should remember Bowden, not for what happened in the past few years, but for what he has brought to the game.

He brought class, dominance, and the ability to stand behind his kids because at the end of the day, “They’re all good kids.”

From one Seminole fan, Bobby, you will always be appreciated and never forgotten.

From The Sandlot , “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”

Bobby Bowden is a legend.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden Steps Down, Florida State Moves on With Jimbo Fisher

Michael McGuffee — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:17:20 -0500

Today, Florida State says farewell to a living legend.

There will never be another Bobby Bowden, nor will college football ever witness another coaching tenure as long or as successful as his.

At Florida State, Bowden built a national powerhouse from scratch. His values not only shaped his football program and the many young men he mentored, but also the university that grew around his personality and his success.

Beyond football, Bobby Bowden has always been a class act and a role model.

There are no mysteries when it comes to Bowden—the definition of “down to earth.” He is a man of faith whose lighthearted, Southern charm can make anyone feel comfortable.

He’s a fighter who sees the best in every situation, and whose success has made him a college football icon—though you wouldn’t know it by looking at him.

In a perfect world, Bobby Bowden would coach forever.

Unfortunately, the real world is far from perfect.

In the real world, football is a business, and the Seminoles are on the verge of going bankrupt.

It’s not that the Florida State faithful are not thankful for everything Bowden has accomplished; they just don’t want their debts of gratitude to keep the Seminoles from investing in the program’s future.

As Florida State struggled through the six-loss seasons and the humiliating defeats at the hands of the team’s biggest rivals, Bowden’s goal, as he said it, was always to get back to the way things were.

But it can’t be done. Bowden may be a saint in Tallahassee—with a statue and a stained glass mural to prove it—but not even Bowden can turn back the hands of time. Not even Bowden can keep college football from evolving beyond his years.

The fact of the matter is Florida State needs to get to where college football is going, not to where it has already been.

In 2007, Florida State’s offense received a modern makeover with the addition of Jimbo Fisher—an offensive coordinator hand-picked by Bowden to retool a once dominant offense and, eventually, to take over as head coach.

But this season, with the offense finally starting to show signs of life under the leadership of junior quarterback Christian Ponder, it was FSU’s defense that uncharacteristically deteriorated.

With the retirement of Mickey Andrews, Bowden’s right-hand man and longtime defensive coordinator, Florida State will undergo yet another dose of reconstructive surgery—this time on defense—this offseason.

With so many developing changes on the horizon for Florida State, it’s only fitting that the Seminoles finally embrace the new era waiting in the wings with head-coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher.

Sure, Bowden could stick it out for another year, but why? What does Bowden have to prove? That he can still coach?

Being the competitor that he is, I know it pains Bowden to see Florida State struggle, and I know he would keep coming back year after year if he could in his determination to right the ship in Tallahassee. But I hope Bowden realizes his work is done at Florida State.

His legacy is cemented in place. The values and traditions he has passed on to Florida State will guide his program for generations to come—even in his absence—and there’s nothing Bowden could have done for better or for worse next season to change that significantly.

Sadly, for Florida State, Bowden’s retirement is exactly what FSU needed. The sooner Bowden stepped down, the sooner Fisher could begin to provide Florida State with a new and more ambitious vision for the future—a vision that extends well beyond a one-year renewable contract.

Though it’s disappointing that Bowden did not get the opportunity to leave on his own terms, I think—despite his more recent statements—this is the exit Bowden always talked about.

Bowden said he didn’t want to be the boxer who fought one year too long. He said wanted to leave his successor with a promising team, and he said he would leave when it was the right move for the program.

Well, that day has come. Sure, no one thought it would end like this, but that’s reality. We don’t get to pick and choose how our lives unfold.

I think for Bobby Bowden it took one more loss to Urban Meyer and the Gators to face that reality. After six consecutive losses to the team’s archrival, including three consecutive dominant performances by the Gators, Bowden realized he could still coach, but not at a high enough level to compete with Meyer and the other elite coaches whose programs have surpassed his own.

Today is a sad day for Florida State, but it is also a day in which Tallahassee will embrace a fresh start and an exciting new era.

Today is a day to celebrate and be thankful for everything Bowden has accomplished—achievements so glorified they do not need repeating.

Bobby Bowden is an icon for all the right reasons. He is one of a kind, a great man and an incredible coach, and he has left his mark on the world as we know it.

So thanks, Bobby. Thanks for being a person first and a football coach second. Thanks for making college football fun, and thanks for all the memories.

You will be missed, but never forgotten, and Florida State will live on.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Carlos Dunlap Arrested for DUI Days before SEC Title Showdown

J. Garcia — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:20:35 -0500

Florida star defensive end Carlos Dunlap was arrested and charged with drunken driving early Tuesday morning in Gainesville. Dunlap is a projected first-round NFL draft pick and is currently the Gators' sack leader on defense.

Early reports suggest Dunlap was found passed out behind the wheel of his car at a Gainesville intersection, failed field sobriety tests once awakened, and refused a breathalyzer. Dunlap was later released on his own recognizance.

One figures Dunlap will certainly be suspended for Saturday's SEC title game in Atlanta, especially after the heat Florida coach Urban Meyer received in the offseason over numerous disciplinary issues concerning his players.

A DUI is a very serious offense, but Dunlap's decision to be out drinking in the middle of the night only a few days before the season's biggest game will certainly be questioned by team officials, fans, and NFL scouts.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Thank You, Bobby Bowden

The Sportmeisters — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:05:44 -0500

Early Tuesday morning in Afghanistan, I awoke to the news that Coach Bobby Bowden was announcing his retirement Tuesday on the East Coast. All too much in sports, both collegiate and professional, fans are of the “what have you done for me lately?” mindset.

While many fans will point to a 16-16 record since 2005, six straight losses to the University of Florida, and an overall decrease in the quality of play, coach Bowden should be remembered for what he brought to not just a football program, but the entire Florida State University.

I’d like to step out of the mindset of recent success and instead, look back and give thanks to a coaching legend and all he has done.

I want to thank Coach Bowden for raising the bar on NCAA football. He has amassed 33 straight winning seasons and 37 overall, tied for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He took a struggling Florida State football team and made it the standard for a successful football program.

His 14 straight seasons of 10 or more wins (1987-2000), is a record that he holds alone. During that same period, Florida State finished in the top five of the polls each year, another unprecedented run. His 12-0 1999 National Championship squad was the first ever to go the entire season at No. 1.

Coach Bowden even raised the bar in the postseason, winning 11 straight bowl games from 1985-1996 and ensuring his team was bowl-eligible for 28 straight seasons, the nation’s longest streak.

I want to thank Coach Bowden for bringing FSU to the ACC. His guidance and approval of joining the ACC over the SEC, was instrumental for the entire athletics program and the university as a whole.

Back in 1990, being an independent was all the rage, but with many of the big independent programs like Penn State, Miami, and still-independent Notre Dame taking the lucrative offers of conference play, FSU decided to join the fray.

Both the SEC, a football-rich conference and the ACC made plays, FSU, with Coach Bowden involved in the process, ultimately decided on the ACC. With conference expansion, the big piece of the early 1990s, FSU’s allegiance to the ACC has helped them gain fame as well as the entire conference.

Since joining the ACC in 1991, FSU football has won 12 conference championships, including a record nine in a row (1992-2000). Beyond that, FSU football helped bring a sense of focus and relevance to a conference known primarily for basketball. If it wasn’t for FSU, the ACC likely would not have brought in Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College.

Florida State, especially with its early success, forced their opponents to step up their football programs allowing for strong parity in the conference over the past few years. FSU’s success in the ACC is not just held to football though.

The rest of the sports moved over from the Metro Conference (the Metro Conference did not have a football league) and all found continued success thanks to greater exposure and a higher quality of opponent.

All told, FSU athletics have won 41 ACC Championships and five national championships in 12 different sports.

I want to thank Coach Bowden for what he brought to FSU. As a alumnus, I grew up following FSU football and from there, developed a love for the school that was one of only two schools I applied for during high school. His contributions as a coach helped Florida State grow into one of the top universities not just in Florida, but in the United States.

It’s little surprise, that athletics brings in the big dollars and FSU football is the biggest contributor in that.

At the same time, I want to thank Coach Bowden for never leaving Florida State. All too often, coaches leave at the chance for bigger and better. Even when his favorite team growing up, Alabama called, coach never wavered in his support and loyalty to the Seminoles, a trait that many coaches forget today. He instead focused on raising young boys into men and won an amazing 388 games doing so.

As I close an article I never wanted to write, I’m sorry Coach Bowden leaves under these trying times for the Florida State program. However, I choose not to look at what was done lately, but the body of work that has allowed the Florida State football team to have such high expectations year after year.

Thank you Coach Bowden. I hope you enjoy sitting back in your chair, enjoying some lemonade, and remembering the days of FSU lore.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden's Retirement Marks a Sad Day for Seminole Fans

Ryan Meyer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:42:42 -0500

Dadgummit.

After a dreadfully slow Monday night, I came home to check the UK basketball score only to notice a more important update. Bobby Bowden is expected to retire Tuesday morning. Honestly, I think my heart skipped a beat while reading those dreadful words.

Bowden met Monday with school officials and was given two options. Either take a program ambassador role with decreased control or walk away from the game he dominated for years.

There’s no need to mention 2009’s stats. College football fans knew the end was near in Tallahassee after an FSU trustee called for Bowden’s job in the middle of the season.

As a long-time FSU fan, I knew the end was near. However, I didn’t expect or want it to conclude in such a disappointing way.

At one angle, Bobby Bowden deserved a better last season or at least another opportunity to improve on this tumultuous year. On the other side, Seminole fans are ready to take a step in a new direction.

If Bowden were to stay head coach in 2010, he should not be allowed to have any input on hiring a new defensive coordinator. Jimbo Fisher deserves complete responsibility to revamping one of the worst defenses in the NCAA in ‘09.

The Noles let up long play after long play throughout the season while consistently finding themselves out of position, missing tackles, and producing little pressure on the quarterback. Not to mention that jump-up-in-the-air, waving-your-hands-around, looking-for-someone-else-to-blame thing whiny kids did when they were little.

To build on this lack of discipline, there seems to be no killer instinct that loomed over opposing offenses in the 90’s and some of this decade. Seminole linebackers used to pin their ears back and attack a ball carrier.

Nowadays, everybody on defense is back on their heels waiting to hit somebody; however, quick players end up blowing right by them.

In Bowden’s defense, the offense finally looked promising this season, putting up yardage Nole fans saw circa Chris Rix. On the other hand, the defense was horrendous in nearly every game this season, including the third straight blowout loss against Florida that I turned off right before halftime.

Blame the defense on this season, but let’s look at the overall situation in Tallahassee. Under no circumstances, should there ever be four coaches, in the same program, with the title “head coach.” Not to mention, Fisher isn’t one of them.

As an athlete, who do you begin to take orders from when getting instruction?

Rick Trickett, who joined the staff the same year as Fisher, is the assistant head coach and offensive line coach.

FSU’s offensive line played great, organized football this year, which was not the case in recent years past. However, how does one explain why an offensive line coach should also carry an assistant head coaching title while the head coach-in-waiting only carries titles of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach?

Chuck Amato and Mickey Andrews are executive head coach and associate head coach, respectively. Amato, who returned from North Carolina State the same year as Fisher arrived, is in charge of linebackers.

Andrews, on the other hand, is tenured at FSU, well-respected by the Seminole Nation, and maybe the only coach who deserves a head coach title in his job description.

This season’s defensive woes can somewhat be blamed on the losses of Myron Rolle and experienced members from 2008. However, it was easily apparent that the defensive back field and linebackers simply didn’t know what they were responsible for.

There was more passion in finding blame in somebody else rather than focusing on coverage and making necessary tackles.

It’s possible that the fossil-aged coaches, who I strongly supported when put together in 2007, were just not getting the job done anymore.

Andrews announced his retirement midway through the season while Bowden was left convinced that he had a say in his future and the future of the football program. Again, blame the entire situation for what finally unraveled this year.

It appears FSU’s upper office is in shambles with Andrews retiring, Bowden expecting to announce his retirement Tuesday, and the retirement of school president and longtime friend of Bowden, T.K. Wetherell as soon as a replacement is named.

Bowden gave his life to the program and deserved the opportunity to go out on his own.

It’s important for the Seminoles to get one last bowl win for one of college football’s greatest members; if not for Bowden himself, at least for the simple fact that a losing season is at stake.

Bowden, while maybe not wanting to, is passing the torch to an already-proven coach in Fisher and allowing the once-proud program and its fans to move on.

With Bowden’s expected retirement, Fisher will now have the opportunity to rebuild the program exactly to his liking, including naming his own defensive coordinator.

It’s already obvious that Fisher and the rest of this coaching staff can recruit after achieving top 10 recruiting classes over the past few years. The athletes will always continue to come to Tallahassee. However, recruits will now have the knowledge of who their head coach will be throughout their college career.

Fisher has successfully brought back a dominating offense who is ranked 24th in the NCAA. He’s also helped develop quarterbacks Christian Ponder and E.J. Manuel, a promising freshman who took over the helm after Ponder suffered a separated shoulder against Clemson.

Not to say Seminole fans or college football fans in general waited for the day Bowden announced his retirement, but it’s easy to at least know one person will now be in complete control of a much undisciplined FSU team.

For myself, as sad as it is to accept, I am happy inside that I hopefully won’t have to witness another season like 2009—one marred by a mediocre record, trustees stirring up feelings, and not knowing who is actually coaching the team.

You’ll be missed, Bobby.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Bobby Bowden: A Florida Gator Fan's Take on the Career of FSU's Coach

James Walker — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:25:00 -0500

It's official: Coach Bobby Bowden will end his 34-year head coaching career on December 1, 2009.

It was inevitable that Coach Bowden would retire from Florida State University, but after the game against Florida this past weekend, there seemed to be a possibility that he would return for one more season.

Frankly, I feel he is being forced to retire, and that bothers me.

Conventional wisdom could lead some to believe that Bowden's time had come and gone. Many argue that he should have retired years ago when Jimbo Fisher was named the coach-in-waiting. Some may even go as far as to say he should have been fired when FSU started losing four or five games per year.

If you feel or agree with any of the above, then shame on you.

When Bobby Bowden left West Virginia to take the job at Florida State, the Seminoles had won just four games in the previous three seasons. After 34 years as the FSU head coach, the only losing season he ever had was his first in 1976.

His overall record at FSU: 309-91-4, pending NCAA review. Hopefully the NCAA will come to their senses and leave his record alone.

Now that it appears that it is all said and done, Coach Bowden is the second-winningest coach in NCAA history. He coached FSU to two national championships and 14 straight seasons of 10 or more victories, as well as 14 straight seasons finishing in the top five in the final AP poll.

I remember when I was younger and dumber, I used to take jabs at Coach Bowden and FSU for being an Independent or member of the ACC. That was my reason for their success; the Seminoles were not a member of a "real" football conference.

The ACC may not have been as tough as the SEC, but any team that can win its conference nine-straight times right after joining it is impressive. In fact, from 1992-2005, FSU won the ACC Championship a total of 12 times in 14 years.

Sure, FSU lost more games than usual the last five seasons. The last time the Seminoles has been to a BCS bowl game was during the 2005 season when they met Penn State in the Orange Bowl. The game was played on January 3, 2006.

I will always remember the FSU teams that Bobby Bowden coached. I will always remember the stars he coached: Deion Sanders, Charlie Ward, Warrick Dunn, Derrick Brooks, Peter Warrick, and Terrell Buckley.

I will always remember the post-game interviews, and most of all, I will always remember that grand-dad persona that prevented anyone from disliking him.

Dadgummit will always be a word in the college football dictionary.

Football will never be the same in the state of Florida. That is the thoughts and memories of a Florida Gators fan.

Thanks for the memories, Coach Bowden.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Florida State Fired Bobby Bowden, He Was Just Graceful Enough To Accept

Burton DeWitt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:01:37 -0500

Let's cut out all the wish-wash and euphemisms and get straight to the point.

Florida State fired Bobby Bowden Monday morning, sacked him, canned him, showed him the door. Pick your phrase. But please don't say Bobby Bowden retired.

Because Bobby Bowden did not retire, did not step down.. At the very least, he did not chose to chose to end it.

No, Florida State president T.K. Wetherell fired Bowden, made the decision for Bowden, and for Wetherell's sake, Bowden complied.

According to various reports, Wetherell and athletic director Randy Spetman met with Bowden this morning and gave him two choices: retire or come back as head coach in name only.

If he did the previous, they would say it was his choice. If he did the latter, offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher would take over almost all the day-to-day operations of the Seminoles team, including hiring assistants, running practice, and calling the plays.

Simply put, Bowden would merely be an ambassador with the title of head coach, a figurehead, a head coach emeritus in some sense.

But really, there was only one thing Bowden could do.

Bowden could have chosen to hang it up. But his comments from the past few days show anything but a desire to do that.

“I want to coach next year, but let me say I need to go home and do some soul searching,” Bowden said following the Seminoles 37-10 loss to Florida on Saturday, the team's sixth straight loss to their in-state rivals. It completed a 6-6 season that easy could have been worse, trailing into the final minute against FCS-side Jacksonville State and two-win Maryland.

Moreover, ESPN's Mark Schlabach reported Sunday that a source close to the legendary coach said that Bowden planned to come back in 2010, that he wanted to coach one more year.

Unless Wetherell had a really convincing heart-to-heart, I doubt he convinced Bowden that Bowden wanted to retire. How do you convince a man that he wants to give up what he's done for nearly three dozen years and still loves?

Quite simply, you can't. At the very least, I know I can't. Even Wetherell, who played for Bowden when Bowden was the wide receivers coach in Tallahassee in the mid-1960s, wouldn't know how to do that.

No, Wetherell convinced Bowden that he needed to retire, that the only choice was to retire, that Florida State and Bobby Bowden needed Bobby Bowden to retire. That T.K. Wetherell needed Bobby Bowden to retire.For his good and for the team's.

And Bowden was not happy about it.

When Wetherell gave him the two options, he knew which one Bowden would pick. He knew Bowden had too much pride to accept being a figurehead.

After 388 wins, 315 of those at Florida State, and two national titles, Bowden was not going to accept working for someone else. He had been the boss ever since Jim Carlen left West Virginia for Texas Tech in 1970, almost forty years ago.

By comparison, Fisher, Bowden's heir-designate, was four years old when Bowden coached his first game at West Virginia. And Wetherell expected Bowden to agree to work for Fisher?

Somehow, the ultimatum was leaked to the public, whether by design or not, who knows. But it was leaked. And more likely than not, it was a bluff.

If Bowden wanted to return, if he wanted to be the head coach in 2010, he would have been. He could have told Wetherell, “I'm taking my swan song and then you won't hear from me again. I'm not an ambassador, I'm the coach.” And Wetherell would have had to accept it.

Wetherell couldn't actually fire the man who coached him 45 years ago, no matter how much he knew he had to. God knows Spetman couldn't.

Tom Jurich couldn't fire Denny Crum at Louisville, but he could convince him that he had to leave. And he did. Wetherell did the same to Bowden.

Wetherell bluffed. He had to. He wasn't actually going to fire Bobby Bowden, at least not this year. Bowden was going to get one more year if Bowden persisted. And when Bowden left the meeting to think over his decision, Bowden in essence was calling Wetherell out on his bluff.

But after he had time to think of it, something Wetherell said made sense. Somewhere during their meeting, Wetherell must have instilled in Bowden's head that Bowden needed to retire.

Somewhere it sunk in that Florida State is no longer Florida State, that the mystique that lead to 14 consecutive top-five AP finishes, two national championships, and a 152-19-1 record from 1987 to 2000, was gone.

Since losing to Oklahoma for the BCS Championship in the 2001 Orange Bowl, Bowden's Seminoles are 73-42 in nine seasons. They've won only three ACC titles after winning every ACC title from the time the school joined the conference in 1992 through 2000.

Moreover, this year was quite possibly the worst in Bowden's 34 years in Tallahassee, and at least it was the most bitter.

First, Bowden was forced to forfeit 14 wins from the 2006 and 2007 seasons for using ineligible players as a result of a university-wide academic scandal. While the allegations were not tied to Bowden himself, it did effectively end, pending appeal, his race with Penn State's Joe Paterno for the NCAA Major College record for most career wins.

Second, the Noles performance on the field was sub-par. After losing on the final play to arch-rival Miami in Tallahassee on Labor Day, Florida State trailed FCS team Jacksonville State until two touchdowns in the final minute staved off a huge upset.

After a 2-4 start, Florida State did reel off four wins in their next five, all close games, to clinch bowl eligibility. The final three wins, against North Carolina State, Wake Forest, and Maryland, were all against teams that are not bowl eligible. Their only win over a bowl eligible ACC team came in mid-October in Chappel Hill by three points.

Third, the Seminoles had their worst defensive seasons under Bowden, surrendering 30.75 points per game while being outscored for the first time since 1981, the last time they did not get a bowl invite.

Finally, Florida State lost six games for only the fourth time in Bowden's 34-year tenure, but the third time in the past four years.

It was time for Bobby to hang up the whistle and go fishing, no matter how anyone looked at it. Wetherell made sure Bowden saw that too.

So he gave Bobby the ultimatum, the bluff if you will, and even if Bowden saw it as a bluff, and he's too smart of a man not to, he knew Wetherell was correct.

Wetherell wanted to fire Bowden, and one way or another he let Bowden know that. And Bowden chose the option that would cause the least public stir.

Even if he wanted to coach in 2010, and Wetherell wouldn't have been able to stop Bowden, if Bowden decided he wanted to coach, Bowden also did not want to embarrass the university, and by association Wetherell, like that. If Bowden was on the sidelines in 2010, it would be an embarrassment to Wetherell, a life-long friend of Bowden's. And Bobby wasn't going to embarrass Wetherell just to coach for one more year.

So Bowden agreed to accept his dismissal as head football coach with his head up, showing for just one more time the dignity and class that along with unprecedented sustained success on the field earned him the distinction of one of the greatest coaches of all time.

He could have come back, gone 0-12, retired, and his legacy would have been exactly the same. But if he did that, T.K. Wetherell's would have been ruined. Any sign of Bobby in 2010 would have destroyed the outgoing president's prestige.

And in his final act as head coach, Bobby Bowden prevented that from happening.

Use whatever word you want, but Florida State fired Bobby Bowden Monday morning. Bowden just accepted it gracefully for the sake of the legacy of everyone else around him.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Florida–Alabama Preview: Tim Tebow and 14 Other Reasons This Game Rocks

Jay Hendry — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:45:22 -0500

We finally made it. The improbable rematch to the best game from last year is here. Both teams are missing key pieces from last year. However, neither slipped up, and for the first time ever we have a battle of undefeateds in the SEC championship.

To put it bluntly, this game will rock.

Not convinced? I've got 15 pieces of evidence backing me up.

15. No. 15

I don't mean number 15, as in the 15th most important reason to watch this game. I mean jersey No. 15 for the Florida Gators, Tim Tebow. The Heisman winner—and probably two-time Heisman winner—shows up in big games. And this is one of the biggest.

Take a look at his career stats in what I consider the big games (LSU, the traditional rivals, bowls, and championships):

212/333, 2872 yds, 34 TDs, 5 INTs, 166.8 Pass Eff.
285 rush, 1,068 yds, 19 TDs

To give you an idea of how good he's been, the career mark for pass efficiency is 168.9, set by a WAC quarterback. Tebow's been doing nearly that against his toughest competition.

Don't expect anything less than a huge game by No. 15 with a title and an outside shot at the Heisman on the line.

14. The Coaches

Say what you want about the SEC, but the league is the fun. In fact, it's the most fun, most successful league, thanks to the guys calling the plays.

My theory on it? The SEC's model for success is professional wrestling. We've got heels (Kiffin, Meyer, Saban, Spurrier), Wildcards (Miles, Nutt and his wacky daughter), Good guys (Johnson, Richt), inept refs who "never see nothin'," even when somebody smacks a guy with a chair, and a jackass commish who plays favorites.

The championship gives us two of the heels, an all–star cast of crappy refs, and Vince McSlive in attendance. How could you not watch that?

13. Defense, Defense, Defense!

The Gators rank first in total defense, second in passing defense, first in scoring defense, and eighth in rush defense. They are also top 20 in sacks.

Alabama ranks third in total defense, first in pass defense, second in scoring defense, and second in rush defense. They are 25th in sacks.

Neither team gives up more than two scores a game—Florida at 9.8 points per game, and Alabama at 10.8.

For those of you a little skeptical of how two dominant defenses can make for an exciting game, look back at last year's 31–20 SEC championship. Both teams were top 20 in all of the above categories. The two unstoppable forces were able to put up a combined 51 points on the immovable objects. This year they just went and turned it up to All–Madden.

12. Mark Ingram

The other Heisman candidate took a big hit in both his candidacy and on the field. Right now he's not practicing. But he says he's playing, and I believe him.

Ingram's second effort has killed teams this year, and it will be the ultimate test for the Gators' stout defense.

At nearly 300 yards and 11 TDs behind Gerhart, Ingram has some work to get back into the Heisman race. A big game on the biggest stage will do just that.

11. NFL Pre-draft Workout

This game should be the first choice for every NFL scout in the nation. The Gators have Tebow, Spikes, Haden, Dunlap, Hernandez, James, Cunningham, and the Pounceys to show off.

Alabama's bringing Cody, Daederick, McClain, Arenas, and Woodall.

McClain and Spikes are the defensive leaders, likely the first and second best players at the inside linebacker position, respectively. Haden and Cody are possibly the best players on each team.

Short of bringing the 2001 Miami squad back, you're not going to get more talent in a college football game.

10. Spread Versus Stuff

Last year, Urban's offense got the best of Saban's defense, but it wasn't easy. Florida averaged just 3.4 yards per rush, never gaining more than 14 yards on a single rushing play.

Every hard yard was worth it in the end though. Every time Demps failed to get outside, every time Tebow got stuffed up the middle, every seemingly ineffective play increased the tension until finally, one got free for a 10 yard gain. It felt like an NFL playoff game.

9. Brandon James

I don't know what happened during the beginning of the season, but James forgot how to run. Well, Florida's return man has come on a bit in the last few weeks, gaining 182 punt return yards over the past five games.

Last year he averaged 24.2 yards per kickoff return and 8.3 yards per punt return. I doubt Urban will let him regress to his early 2009 form, so I'd expect similar numbers this year.

8. Javier Arenas

This year, the better return man clearly plays for the Tide. Last year, it was a wash—both were extremely explosive on every play. However, James has fallen far from his 2008 form, and Arenas remains the same.

Something should be said about his confidence not leading to mouthiness, too. Greg Reid said he'd break one. Florida didn't give him a chance, only punting once. Arenas has wisely stayed silent, allowing his impressive résumé to speak for itself. I doubt Henry will only be punting once, and Arenas will get his chance.

7. Power Run Versus 3–3–5 Mega-blitz

Florida has the deepest, most talented secondary in the nation. Charlie Strong realized this last year and put in the 3–3–5 package. It worked, so it became the base set.

This year, he's taken blitzing from the nickel and turned it up to 11. This, coupled with the Gators' all-around athleticism, has led to a high-reward defense that managed to keep risk low.

Most of the risk management falls on No. 5. Haden can tackle anyone in the open field. He leads the team with 61 solo tackles, and is often left by himself while Florida sends the house. Strong trusts him to save the TD, and so far he has.

Enter the Alabama rushing attack and Mark Ingram.

Ingram leads the lead in "holy s*** he just rolled that guy!" (HSHJRTGs). He sheds defenders that hit him low or high, and if Haden doesn't make him fall on one of his frequent left-on-the-island-alone plays, Ingram will be in the end zone before someone else catches him.

6. Revenge

Revenge for what, for losing one game? Nope. Revenge for a missed BCS title.

Dumb people will say, "Alabama lost to Utah. There's no way they would have won the title last year." I disagree with those dummies. Alabama's hearts were broken in Atlanta. One month later, they had lost their edge and barely showed up against a hungry Utah team that felt like they deserved to be in Miami.

The result was an unexpected beat-down where Alabama never really got into the game. If the roles were reversed, the results might have remained the same. A defeated Florida squad could have done the same thing against Utah, and a perfect Alabama team might have stalled the mighty Sooners offense, outlasting them and hoisting a trophy in South Florida.

There's no real way to know, but you should know this. Alabama believes that to be true. That's all they need for this year.

5. Hits

These are the two most athletic defenses in the nation. If a quarterback sails a pass, the safeties will punish the receiver. If a running back or running quarterback goes for the extra yard, he's getting his helmet knocked off.

Even if the score is 3–3 after four overtimes, the game will be exciting because of all of the highlight-reel hits.

4. Julio Jones

Even though he was more exciting last year, before teams knew that they could shut him down, he's still a game–changer. Part of Bama's game plan will be getting Jones involved more as a receiver than a decoy because he's the only Tide WR who can make big plays on the Gators' stingy defense.

3. Porous Pass Protection

This one's for all of the Tebow haters. He might get rocked on Saturday. His line has allowed 28 sacks (81st in the nation). While the Gators have cleaned up a little bit since Xavier Nixon began starting at tackle, they haven't faced a defense like Alabama.

Tebow's going to get hit, and he might get hit hard. Those of you who like that stuff should probably hang around.

2. Alabama's Redemption

One game is one game. Two games is a series. If the Tide lose the big game twice to the Gators then it clears up two things. First, Urban is the better coach. There's no other way to slice it. He's the better big game coach, he's better head to head, he's just better. Sorry, Bama.

Second, it clears up how far my road trip will be in January. It's either a 2500 mile drive or a 700 mile drive. As soon as I know, I'll be able to plan accordingly.

1. It's 12–0 No. 1 vs. 12–0 No. 2

This is a BCS championship in early December. Need I say more?

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Living Legend: Bobby Bowden's Departure Leaves Huge Shoes to Fill in Tallahassee

Tim Bielik — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:22:38 -0500

According to ESPN, Florida State Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden, one of the all-time legends of the game, is expected to retire after 33 years of coaching in Tallahassee.

With the recent struggles of the Seminoles and the inability to sustain success in recent years, it seems the game had passed Bowden by. But if indeed he does decide to step down, he is doing so maybe a little too late.

The legend is second in the FBS in wins at 388, just behind Penn State legend Joe Paterno.

But even though Bowden has had issues with lack of success, one thing he deserves more credit for than anything else is putting the Florida State football program on the map.

Since he arrived at Tallahassee in 1976, Bowden and the Seminoles have missed the postseason only three times, including a 26-year stretch of consecutive bowls with hopefully a 27th straight appearance on the way this season.

But more than anything else, Bowden will be remembered for how he and the Seminoles ruled the college football world for most of the 1990s.

When FSU joined the ACC in 1992, the 'Noles went through an eight-year stretch where they won the ACC title and never finished with more than two losses.

In that decade, Florida State won two national championships, and had two Heisman Trophy winners in Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke.

Also, not too many coaches have put out the caliber of star NFL prospects than Bowden and the 'Noles. Among those who hailed from Tallahassee were Derrick Brooks, Deion Sanders, Corey Simon, Warrick Dunn, and Sebastian Janikowski.

But lately, Bowden's legacy has been tarnished with mediocrity and an inability to adjust to the current game, something fellow legend Joe Paterno has been able to do in Happy Valley.

Since 2000, Florida State has mustered only one 10-win season and has not won a BCS bowl game in that stretch.

Florida State just hasn't been able to get the type of players they used to have in the 1990s, mostly because of Florida and Miami becoming powerhouses in different parts of the last decade and leaving the 'Noles in the dust.

And Bowden's schematics seem outdated as he no longer has the speed advantages in the older days, which made his man-to-man schemes so effective.

Ultimately, the difficulties in keeping up with their in-state rivals and adjusting to the game caught up with Bowden.

It's a shame, because Bobby Bowden is Florida State football and literally gave them legitimacy the same way Pete Carroll has done in USC this decade.

But he is still one of the greatest coaches of the modern era of college football, and possibly of all time.

As Jimbo Fisher now steps in, he has as big a set of shoes as any man in recent memory to fill in the coaching ranks.

It's tough to tell if the Seminoles can return to past glory and launch another dynasty.

But with a legend stepping aside after 33 years, 12 conference titles and two national championships is quite a stat line for the Hall of Fame coach.

With those 33 years, Bobby Bowden has been one of those coaches such as Woody Hayes and Darrell Royal, who single-handedly put their programs on the map.

The difference is how far Bowden carried the Seminoles, from four wins in the three years before he took the helm, to one of the most dominant decades in the history of college football.

Bobby Bowden may be done in Tallahassee, but his legacy, and the building of the Seminoles' football program, will live forever.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com

Hesiman Candidates will...Remember, Remember the Fifth of December

Bryan Flynn — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:54:32 -0500

The 2009 college football season started with three clear cut contenders for the Heisman Trophy. Those contenders were Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, and Colt McCoy.

In the first week of the season Sam Bradford was injured against BYU and his hopes to repeat as a Heisman winner were gone. To be fair, Tebow and McCoy have seen the door opened to other contenders by unrealistic expectations being placed on both quarterbacks.

Now, heading into the last week of the season during the conference championship games and the final regular season games, the contenders get to make one last statement. December fifth the Heisman hopefuls get to make their final case for the award.

The Heisman will be won on this final week before the bowl season starts. Let’s look at the contenders, and the game ahead of them that could win them the Heisman.

Two for Timmy:

Season Stats: 2,166 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, 796 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns

Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators could be peaking at the right time. In the big season finally before the SEC Championship Game against Florida State, Tebow threw for 221 yards, three touchdowns, rushed for 90 yards and two more touchdowns.

Tebow could be helped more than other Heisman contenders in the SEC title game. His Gators play the undefeated and second ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Tide has a top ten defense and has gotten a lot of help from the defense to remain undefeated. Tebow will get a chance to put up numbers against this defense. If he can put up big numbers against this defense, while securing a win, he will wrap up the Heisman.

Much like last year in the fourth quarter against the Tide, all eyes will be on Tebow, especially if the game is close.

The Heisman is supposed to be a seasonal award, but Tebow’s past accomplishments could give him an edge if voters cannot decide. He has broken nearly every school record, several SEC records, and is without question the best leader in college football today.

Tebow will get extra credit if he can lead the Gators to the national championship game and a chance to repeat for the first time in school history. The only negative could be that Tebow has won the award before and voters may not want to give him two.

The Real McCoy

Season Stats: 3,328 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, 368 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns

Colt McCoy has to be the sentimental favorite for the Heisman. Of the big three quarterbacks, McCoy is the only one who has not won the award. Bradford and Tebow both have a Heisman and this fact could swing a few votes Colt's way.

McCoy could be helped by a big game in the Big-12 Championship against Nebraska. He will face a very tough Cornhuskers team.

Again, the stats for McCoy are not as good as past seasons, but he owns nearly every school record at Texas and several Big-12 records. He is also the winningest quarterback in college football history.

McCoy helped his case with a big game against in-state rival Texas A&M. Colt threw for 304 yards with four touchdowns and rushed for 175 yards with one touchdown.

All Colt has to do is keep Texas heading to its first national championship game since Vince Young led the Longhorns to a title in 2005 season.

A loss against Nebraska would end Colt’s Heisman hopes.

The award might not be for career accomplishments, but it has happened in past seasons. The most recent example would be Ron Dayne and what he did for the Wisconsin Badgers. Dayne won the Heisman his senior year based on the body of work in his college career.

McCoy could fall into that category in a season where no one has stepped up to win the award. Still, that could also go against McCoy if voters look, specifically, at his senior season.

Ingram Might Not Be “Hip” Enough To Win

Season Stats: 1,429 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 246 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns

Mark Ingram was in the driver’s seat for the Heisman, until Alabama played Auburn. While McCoy and Tebow helped themselves against rivals, Ingram did not.

Ingram only rushed for only 38 yards and was on the bench while the Tide rallied to beat the Tigers in their final drive. Alabama head coach Nick Saban believed that Ingram had a bruised hip and it kept him off the field.

The Crimson Tide has one of the most storied histories in college football, but has never had a Heisman Trophy winner. Even with the bad game this fact could help Ingram win the award.

Gutting out a game against the top ranked Gators and a top ten defense would sway a lot of voters in favor of Ingram. He will have to go over the century mark rushing and the Tide will have to win the game for voters to give him their vote.

Ingram could have his Heisman hopes ended by a late season injury.

If he does not play or is ineffective, he will not leave the lasting mark on the voter’s and it will be unlikely that he will get the Heisman.

While Tebow has a lot to gain this week, by playing in the number one versus number two matchup in the SEC title game; Ingram has a lot to lose.

Making the Case for Keenum

Season Stats: 4,922 passing yards, 38 passing yards, 120 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns

Case Keenum is one of two quarterbacks from non-BCS conferences that are putting up video game numbers. Keenum, who plays for Houston, is in Conference USA and does not get a lot of national exposure because of that.

Keenum has had big games against teams from BCS conferences. In three out of conference games against Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, and Texas Tech, Keenum threw for 1,235 yards, 8 touchdowns, rushed for 56 yards, and two more scores.

Two things hurt Keenum's Heisman chances. Those two things are loses to Central Florida and UTEP. The two loses were not Keenum’s fault, but the fault of a bad defense which forces Keenum and the offense to have to keep scoring.

In the C-USA title game Keenum will get one more chance to impress voters. The 10-2 Cougars will play the 8-4 Pirates from East Carolina.

Keenum might have to put up unheard of numbers in a win to even have a shot at the Heisman.

One thing that does help him is that Houston has had a Heisman winner before.

The fact that he plays in a non-BCS conference with two loses will hurt Keenum’s chances.

His numbers, on the other hand, make it impossible to ignore his potential to win this award.

An Undefeated Boise State Could Give Moore More Votes

Season Stats: 3,053 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, nine rushing yards, one rushing touchdown

Kellen Moore is the other quarterback putting up video game type numbers. Moore gets a lot of attention playing for an undefeated Boise State team.

Moore will get a final chance to state his case in the final regular season game against New Mexico State. He should have no problem putting up huge numbers against an Aggies team that is 3-9 on the season and giving up 30.8 points a game.

The Broncos and Moore will be playing for a chance to make a BCS game for the second time in school history.

Boise State might need to win big to impress the bowl representatives of the BCS bowls who will take at-large bids.

Moore faces a lot of the same problems that Keenum faces. He plays in a non-BCS conference and on the West coast. By playing in the WAC, which does not get much national television exposure in primetime, Moore's Heisman chances may falter.

Moore will also be helped if Oregon can win the Pac-10 and Boise can say the beat the Pac-10 champions. If he can be the only player from the West coast who plays on an undefeated team, the voters will have to give him a look.

Suh, a Defensive Player Could Win the Heisman

Season Stats: 70 tackles, seven sacks, one interception, one blocked kick

Ndamukong Suh could steal the Heisman in the Big-12 Championship Game. Suh will get a chance to stop a nearly unstoppable Texas offense.

Suh has been unblockable and unstoppable this season.

He faces constant double teams and is still is able to disrupt the opposing team’s offense.

More importantly he opens the door for his teammates to make plays because of all of the attention he gets.

The Cornhuskers have not forgotten about James Brown and Texas beating them and keeping them from winning a national championship. Suh and his Nebraska team will come out firing.

Suh will be a big part of the game plan if Nebraska has any chance of beating the Longhorns.

He will need to harass McCoy and force Colt into mistakes all day long to create an upset win.

The only thing that hurts Suh’s chances of winning the Heisman is the fact it is hard to quantify the impact of a defensive player on a season.

Anyone who has watched the Cornhuskers play would see that against Missouri and Oklahoma Suh dominated the game.

C.J. Scoring Talent Spiller’s over

Season Stats: 912 rushing yards, seven touchdowns, 440 receiving yards, four touchdowns, 210 punt return yards, one touchdown, 645 kickoff return yards, four touchdowns, 17 passing yards, one touchdown

Clemson’s C.J. Spiller can score on any play in which he touches the football. Spiller is the only true game breaker in the college game today.

Spiller has scored in the return game, rushing, receiving, and even throwing for a touchdown. He is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.

Clemson will play Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game. Spiller was outstanding in the regular season match-up against the Yellow Jackets rushing for 87 yards and adding another 69 yards receiving with one touchdown.

Spiller did have a somewhat bad game against South Carolina with just 37 offensive yards, but he did have an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The bad game against the Gamecocks and the fact the Tigers are a four loss team could cost Spiller the Heisman.

To be fair to Spiller, he has been nursing an ankle injury the later part of the season. A huge game rushing, receiving, and in the return game in an upset win would give Spiller a lot of attention for the award.

Still, Spiller will be a very long shot to win the Heisman. He will need all the other contenders to have very poor days since he hasn't gotten the hype other players have all season long.

Other Hopefuls

There are several other hopefuls for the Heisman. One of those hopefuls is Toby Gerhart who leads the nation in rushing yards.

The main problem for Gerhart is that Stanford's season is done after their win over Notre Dame. In that game Gerhart rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns. He also passed one time for 18 yards and a score.

The other problem for Gerhart is two subpar games against Wake Forest and Oregon State. Against the Demon Deacons he rushed for only 82 yards and no scores and against the Beavers he rushed for only 96 yards, but had two touchdowns.

Stanford not playing December fifth, and the fact that Notre Dame has a horrible defense that everyone put up huge days on could hurt Gerhart’s Heisman hopes. Especially if the other Heisman contenders listed above have huge days for teams playing for BCS bowl games and conference championships.

There are players who are on the Heisman radar who are playing before December fifth and could sneak up and steal the award.

Three of them will be on the same field playing for both a BCS game and a conference title.

The Oregon versus Oregon State game will be for the Pac-10 title and a berth in Rose Bowl. Jeremiah Masoli for the Ducks and the Rogers’ bothers for the Beavers have one last chance to make their Heisman case.

Masoli will be helped in his case if Oregon wins. He has passed for 1,865 yards with14 touchdowns through the air and 619 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns on the ground.

Masoli will need a big game to make people forget about the egg he laid against Boise State. Plus the fact that he missed the game against UCLA and Oregon won without him.

James and Jacquizz Rodgers are the play makers for the Beavers. They both have had solid seasons for an Oregon State team that has three losses.

The Beavers have losses against USC and Cincinnati. James Rodgers has 865 yards receiving with 8 touchdowns, 260 rushing yards with one touchdown and 151 return yards.

Jacquizz Rodgers has 1,313 rushing yards with 19 touchdowns, 436 yards receiving with one touchdown, and 14 passing yards with one touchdown. All three players will be hurt by playing on Thursday and their efforts could be overshadowed by other contenders.

The only other player who might even have a chance at the Heisman is Noel Devine. The West Virginia running back could use a monster day against Rutgers to have a chance at the Heisman.

Devine has rushed for 1,232 yards with 11 touchdowns and has 149 receiving yards with one touchdown. Devine has kept West Virginia in games and provided a spark on offense when needed.

Still, Devine has been hampered with an ankle injury that has slowed down his amazing speed. A huge day by Devine could jump him in to the Heisman race.

In a year that no one seems to want to standout and win the Heisman, the last week of the season could determine who wins the award. The contenders will all have one final chance to impress voters.

That is except for Toby Gerhart who will have to hope that all the contenders playing this final week stumble. Gerhart will not have a chance to make a final statement to voters these other players will.

This could be the year all Heisman hopefuls tell the voters the same thing. Remember, Remember the fifth of December.

Read more Tampa news on BleacherReport.com