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Section B · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 24, 1998
Florida State, coach improving with age
By David Droschak
AP Sports Writer
AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. — There aren't many things left for Bobby Bowden to accomplish at Florida State — except an undefeated season.
But time is running out for the affable coach, who turns 69 in November
Could this be the season that will give perfection to Bowden with his fastest team ever? The six-time
"This football team would qualify as one that has the potential," said Bowden, second in wins (281) among active coaches to Joe Paterno's 298. "We have a lot of putting together to do. One thing you know is we've got the pieces sitting out there."
defending Atlantic Coast Conference champions have won 10 or more games for 11 straight years.
Despite his age, Bowden remains as competitive and sharp as ever. He was 88-29-3 (.752) in the 1980s, but has
reached another level in the 1990s. His 85-11-1 record during the last eight years is good for an 88.1 percent winning mark.
"I don't feel like I've lost one dime of it," Bowden said. "I'm about as excited now as I've ever been going into a season. When I lose that I'm out. I guess one of these days I'll wake up and not want to go."
No need for concern this year.
Florida State's cumulative 40-yard dash times this spring were the program's best ever. In fact, wide receiver Laveranues Coles ran under 4.2 seconds. Bowden and his staff didn't believe it, and made Coles line up and run it a second time, and then a third. He broke the 4.2 barrier all three times to beat Deion Sanders' 4.21 mark as the fastest player in school history.
top four in the country every year. That's unbelievable."
"Right now they are the dominant team — not only dominant in the ACC — but the dominant team in the country," said North Carolina coach Carl Torbush. "That's not to take anything away from Nebraska or Michigan, but we're talking in a 10-year period a team that has been in the
The Seminoles are 47-1 in ACC games after six years in a league
for basketball than national football powers.
One of Bowden's few con
cerns is at quarterback, where 26-year-old Chris Weinke will run one of the nation's most-sophisticated passing attacks. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder who originally signed with the Seminoles in 1990 is back after a failed minor-league baseball career.
"Being a college quarterback.
jected starter Dan Kendra injured a knee. "When the team wins,
Wainke will be passing to Coles and Peter Warrick, one of the game's breakaway talents, while Travis Minor averaged 5.6 yards per carry as a freshman last year.
people are praising you, and when the team loses, people want to tear you up."
Florida State's defense lost ACC player of the year Andre Wadsworth and consensus All-America linebacker Sam Cowart, but defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews has other talented players to fill the gaps.
"Florida State has a perception of throwing the ball every down, but when they won their first national championship (1993) they played tremendous defense," said Clemson coach Tommy West.
The rest of the conference will try to crack that defense.
North Carolina begins its first season in a decade without Mack Brown as head coach. Brown departed for Texas, so Torbush inherits a program that was 11-1, finished sixth in the country and was hot on the heels of the Seminoles.
Virginia, Georgia Tech, Clem-
 virion and Wake Forest also should
field solid teams and battle for one of the ACC's four guar- teed bowl spots.
M a n v
believe the Virginia Cavalier could be the ACC's second-best team with nine starters back on defense and quarterback Aaron Brooks and tailback Thomas Jones heading an improved offense.
N. C. State has one of the ACC's best offenses, but once again has a suspect defense. Wide receiver Torry Holt is one of the nation's best at his position. He scored five
touchdowns against the Seminoles last year.
Maryland and Duke are expected to bring up the rear. The
Blue Devils have lost a record-
tying 18 straight league games
and it won't get any easier:
Duke's first ACC game this season is Sept. 19 at Florida State
As for the Tar Heels, they lost seven players from a defense that ranked second in the nation in total yards allowed and fifth in scoring defense last season.
Three of those players — Greg Ellis, Brian Simmons and Vonnie Holliday — were taken in the top 19 nicks of the NLA draft.
Returning at cornerback, however, is two-time consensus All-American Dre Bly, a junior who has 16 interceptions in 22 regular-season games.
Despite inexperience, Torbush is confident Brown left him well-stocked on the defensive side of the ball with talented players who have been in the system two or three years.
"They want to prove to the world they are as good as what just left," Torbush said. "That is good, that's going to make them play better. That's not going to be easy, but I like that mentality."
On offense, quarterback Oscar Davenport is one of the more dynamic players in the ACC, but he is injury-prone. The school's leader in pass completion percentage broke an ankle in the Florida State game last season and missed North Carolina's 42-3 Gator Bowl victory against Virginia Tech.
Veteran football coaches show no signs of slowing
The Associated Press
Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden are at it again, preparing their teams for yet another championship run. After 32 seasons each and more victories than any other active coach, it might seem as if they were ready to turn in their headphones.
ries.
Not so fast.
"I still love it, especially game day," said Penn State coach Joe Paterno, 72. "All those people, all the excitement, all the schmaltz that goes along with it. It still gets me going."
Paterno enters this season poised to become the sixth coach to collect 300 career victo-
"I still enjoy the preparations for the game, the constant evaluating of players and trying to find out which combinations will work, which schemes will work," he said.
Florida State's Bobby Bowden is just as pumped, especially with his Seminoles ranked No. 2 in the preseason.
He said that after a season, he likes to forget football for two months.
"But when July rolls around again, 'Whew, gosh!" Bowden said. "It pops up and them juices start going again, and I don't even want to see a golf ball."
Bowden, 68, is beginning his
"I'm rejuvenated all over again," he said. "I can't wait. But I know one of these days it's not going to be there."
Paterno takes his career in four-year bits. Bowden favors the five-year plan.
23rd season with the Seminoles.
"I'm not interested in retiring," Bowden said. "I'll be 69 in two months. I have no desire to quit. It's not like when I'm 70, I'm getting out. Or when I'm 73, I'm getting out. If I stay healthy and we win, I might never get out. But I can't judge that."
"I'll be here another four years, but in two years from now, if I feel good, I'd go another four, or beyond," Paterno said.
While the highly ranked Seminoles open the season next Monday night against Texas A&M in the Kickoff Classic, the Nittany
Lions start with question marks at quarterback and running back and a No.13 preseason ranking. Southern Mississippi is at Penn State in it
admired by most other programs. Winning helps, too.
Paterno has a 298-77-3 record,
while Bowden is 281-83-4.
"If I stay healthy and we win, I might never get out."
Bobby Bowden Florida State coach
Penn state in the Sept. 5 opener. Under these two coaching icons, who rank first and second in victories for active coaches in Division I-A, Penn State and Florida State have become football factories
Paterno has more bowl wins (18) than any other coach; Bowden is next with 16. The Nittany Lions have five perfect seasons and titles, under
two national titles under Paterno; the Seminoles have a record 11 consecutive top four finishes in The Associated Press' final poll and one national title under Bowden.
Only three I-A coaches have
topped 300 wins — Bear Bryant,
Pop Warner and Amos Alonzo
Stagg.
With administrators quick to fire coaches — there were 24 I-A coaching changes after the1996 season and 14 before this season Paterno looks at the scene and wonders.
"They think there's a Moses out there that will lead them out of the desert," Paterno said. "We have a solid program. There's stability, and the pieces are in place to continue to be successful."
Dance Cheerleading &Big Jay Tryouts
Open Gym Thursday, August 27th 6:30pm-8:30pm @ Anschutz. $5 fee Enhance your tumbling, stunting, leaps, and turns.
DANCE TEAM:
MANDATORY CLINIC: Wed., September 2nd, 6:30pm-9:30pm Robinson Gym, Room 210 $5 fee TRYOUTS: Thurs., September 3rd, Starts @ 6:00pm 242 Robinson Gym, Dance Studio FINAL INTERVIEWS: September 4th (if you make cuts)
CHEERLEADING:
All Activities @ Anschutz Sports Pavilion (West of Allen Field House)
TRYOUTS: Thurs., September 3rd, Starts @ 6:00pm
MANDATORY CLINIC: Wed., September 2nd, 6:30pm-9:30pm $5 fee
BIG JAY (MASCOT):
(MUST BE 5'11" - 6'2" IN HEIGHT)
MANDATORY CLINIC: Wed., September 2nd 6:30pm-9:30pm $5 fee and wear running shoes! TRYOUTS: Thurs., September 3rd, Starts @ 6:30pm
All Activities @ Anschutz Sports Pavillion