College football

Bowden: Give win time to look better

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published September 8, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - His team's offense didn't rack up many style points or points, period, but Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said the win against Miami might look better with time.

"This early in the year, you don't know, Miami might be the best football team in the country," he said after the Seminoles just got by the Hurricanes 10-7. "You don't know."

He remembers a cautionary tale former Arkansas coach Frank Broyles used to tell.

The Razorbacks were preseason Associated Press No. 4 in 1972 and opened against visiting Southern California, No. 8 in the poll but coming off consecutive 6-4-1 seasons and not viewed as the juggernaut it was in the 1960s.

USC won 31-10.

"He went back and made drastic changes on his offense and his defense," Bowden said. "But he ended up underestimating Southern Cal; they won the national championship (that year). He didn't know it but he was playing the best team in the country."

The Razorbacks finished a disappointing 6-5 and tied for fourth in the Southwest Conference, their lowest spot since 1967.

"What I'm saying is, you're playing Miami; you know they're good," Bowden said. "They might be the best team in the country."

ROOM WITH A VIEW: Bowden moved quarterbacks coach Daryl Dickey into the press box, along with offensive coordinator/receivers coach Jeff Bowden, during games to improve and speed up the exchange of possible plays as well as what each sees unfold.

"I felt like last year there were too many times I'd talk to Daryl on the sideline and he'd have a good idea and Jeffrey was up there and we couldn't communicate it," he said.

Needless to say, the verdict is still out.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW: Bowden has been a proponent of the instant replay adopted by the ACC and most other major conferences this season, but he quipped his first experience with it has given him time to rethink it.

Less than five minutes into the game, Miami's Devin Hester fumbled a punt near his sideline. FSU freshman Fred Rouse seemingly recovered it at the 28, but after 4:32, more than three minutes longer than ACC officials pledged reviews would take, the call on the field was reversed. Rouse was ruled out of bounds.

"What happened in our game, we'd have to change it from instant to long time," Bowden said. "That's not what they want. They want it much faster. It was slow, men. ... They're going to have to speed it up or they're going to make people mad."

FUTURE SCHEDULES: Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett said he, FSU and Alabama continue to talk about scheduling a neutral site meeting in Jacksonville to fill a 12th game spot in 2007.

"The issue ... is the television has to be worked out," he said.

Alabama, as a member of the SEC, has a CBS contract, while FSU, in the ACC, is with ABC.

FRESHMAN LOSS: One of the men's basketball team's touted newcomers, freshman forward Ryan Reid, did not enroll for classes and won't be with the team this fall. He could enroll for the second semester.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Former star defensive end Jamal Reynolds, who learned of a slipped disc and a fracture in his back that he sustained during his time with Green Bay and essentially ended his NFL career, is back at school to complete his degree. He said he's about two semesters shy. Basketball standout Terrell Baker is another ex-Seminole back in school. He had been playing overseas but wants to finish up his last year of work.

Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. He can be reached at 813 226-3347 or landman@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 8, 2005, 02:08:37]