College football

Bowden can relate on changing schools

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published October 6, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - If you think a 75-year-old coach, soon to be 76, can't relate to youngsters, you'd be off the mark.

Bobby Bowden proved that a couple weeks ago when he met with his team just before a bye weekend, the players' first chance this season to get home and see family and friends and hear about their playing time, especially if they were backups.

"You go home and what's your momma say? "Oh, son, why didn't they put you in there? Why didn't you get to play? They're not treating you right. Why don't you come back home?' " Bowden said.

He can relate. He heard the same thing. After high school, he went to Alabama and, in the days of unlimited scholarships, found himself one of 113 freshmen. He was a halfback, one of 13 getting reps in practice. Do the math. He didn't get a lot of work.

He ended up returning home and entered tiny Howard, where he was a star quarterback.

"I saw my limitations," Bowden said. "I probably would have played some, but I wouldn't have played much. I saw what those other guys were."

That's not to say he endorses players transferring at the suggestion or urging of family, friends and prep coaches.

"The biggest mistake I ever made in my life was when I left," he said, adding, however, that Alabama didn't keep married players on scholarship and he wanted to get married. "It may have turned out good. My life may not have turned out any better had I stayed, but it's the thing I've always regretted."

ENCOURAGING PERFORMANCE: Bowden was thrilled with redshirt freshman receiver Kenny O'Neal's performance against Syracuse last weekend. For the first time, he returned kicks (two for 64 yards) and had one catch for 75 yards. O'Neal, an All-American sprinter last season, showed his dizzying speed and that, yes, he can hold on to the ball.

"When he's out there practicing you see this guy who can fly, but he forgets to take the ball with him," Bowden said. "In fact, I've accused him, and I think I'm about right on this, "Son, your problem is you run before you catch the ball.' ... (Saturday) was the first day he began to do some things."

WEIGHT LOSS: Senior tailback Leon Washington came into the fall practice a little heavy, at about 218, but Bowden said he has dropped about 8 pounds and is clearly "getting his quickness back."

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT: If there's a loose ball on a kickoff, you can almost bet that linebacker Lawrence Timmons is somewhere near it, if not on top of it. Last weekend he recovered a fumble and forced one.

"I try to get there," he said with a broadening smile.

"He has been dominating on special teams," defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Opponents have returned five Chris Hall punts for a total of 16 yards. That's ninth nationally. And consider, one of those returns went for 4 yards when Syracuse's J.J. Bedle fumbled at the 14 and teammate Reggie McCoy recovered at the 18.

"Unbelievable," Andrews said.

HE SAID IT: Washington has had high praise for both redshirt freshmen quarterbacks, Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee, saying, "The quarterbacks are smart. Last year we had to look to the sideline for an audible. Drew and Xavier are doing that right at the line, reading the rotation, reading the defense. ... That's saving us a lot of time. It's all looking good right now, I can tell you that."

ODDS AND ENDS: The women's soccer team (9-2-0 overall, 2-2-0 in the ACC), ranked No. 6 by SoccerBuzz, looks to move into third in the league with a pair of crucial games this week at home. The Seminoles meet Maryland, a team they've dominated of late, tonight then face No. 8 Boston College on Sunday. The Eagles eliminated FSU from last year's NCAA tournament with a shootout win at Gainesville in the schools' first meeting. ... Senior cross country star Andrew Lemoncello, who finished 11th at the Notre Dame Invitational (24:00 for the 8K race), was named the ACC's performer of the week.

Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. Reach him at 813 226-3347 or at landman@sptimes.com

[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:14:18]