Colleges

Weatherford: Pull the trigger

FSU's quarterback wants more consistency and more shotgun snaps.

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published October 26, 2006

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Willie J. Allen Jr.] Drew Weatherford says the Seminoles are best in a shotgun formation. But given coach Bobby Bowden's history, he may have a different opinion.

TALLAHASSEE - Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford may not be a big-game hunter, but he would sure like to spend each game in the shotgun taking careful aim at receivers spread across the field.

"Personally, I feel that's what we're best at," he said.

The Seminoles 4-3, 2-3, in last place in the ACC's Atlantic Division and desperate for a win Saturday night at Maryland (5-2, 2-1), have gone more to a wide-open offense the last couple of games against Duke and Boston College.

"Deep down, I wish we had been doing what we did Saturday (against B.C.) and did against Duke more from the beginning," oft-criticized offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden said. "I feel like Drew might be a step further. We were a lot of pound (the ball) and wait until you get into that urgent scenario and then go to the shotgun. I wish we had thrown it a little more early on, but we didn't."

Why? For one thing, and it's a biggie, coach Bobby Bowden is a long-time proponent of the I-formation, controlling the clock, playing field position and relying on the defense. He believes that a team doesn't win games, it loses them.

Last week is his proof. A fumble by tight end Caz Piurowski returned to the 1 and a Weatherford interception returned for a touchdown were the difference in the 24-19 loss to B.C. A poor snap from the 'gun crippled a drive in the waning minutes when FSU was trying to score the tying touchdown.

So why exactly is the 'gun better?

- The Seminoles don't have the veteran line that is built to bulldoze opponents and really haven't for a while now. They had tailbacks run for 100 yards three times in the past two seasons and two of those came in the same game, Rice last month.

- Top receivers Greg Carr, Chris Davis and De'Cody Fagg don't have sprinter's speed. They're at their best in space where they can use their talents, quickness for Davis, height for Carr and size and strength for Fagg, to get open. Spreading the field with multiple targets, including tailbacks Lorenzo Booker and Antone Smith as well as tight ends Brandon Warren and Piurowski, gives them that chance.

- Weatherford has been better at avoiding the big mistakes that plagued him last season when he had 18 interceptions. (He has five this year.) Sitting back in the 'gun does mean more time.

"We've had several different philosophies going into games so far," Weatherford said. "We haven't really found our identity."

While football is a never-ending chess match - the offense adjusting to the defense, which changes to force the offense to adapt and so on - FSU's search for answers likely has been part of the problem.

FSU has scored more than 20 points in just one ACC game; it pounded Duke for 51.

With injuries ravaging the defense, forcing it to rely on more freshmen and walk-ons than ever before, and the new clock rules shortening the game by about a dozen plays, FSU's margin for error is minute and every error is magnified.

"I have not been consistent enough in drives," Weatherford said. "I've been consistent for four, five or six plays, but then I'll have three downs where I don't play very well and we have to punt the ball. You don't put points up that way."

The Land O'Lakes sophomore is second in the ACC in passing (217.3 yards a game) and third in pass efficiency and has engineered comeback wins against Miami and Troy, but he hasn't had the breakout year fans had hoped for or pundits expected.

His interception that Boston College returned surprised Bobby Bowden, who said he thought Weatherford, 21, had progressed to the point where "whatever he does, he ain't going to blow it. He might not complete it, but he ain't going to put it in somebody's arms."

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen praised Weatherford's arm and mechanics and said he's "very dangerous right now." Still, he said "it just doesn't seem like he's jelled as well as he has in the past."

Weatherford was nearly yanked from the B.C. game late in the third quarter and likely would have been had he not convinced his coaches he should have one more series. He got it, led FSU to a touchdown and remained in the game, nearly pulling out an improbable comeback.

Again, predominately from the shotgun.

"I feel like we've finally come into it and realize what we want to do and what we're best at," he said. "I feel like we're just going to continue to get more and more comfortable and be able to build a bigger package, which will make us much more efficient."

Good hunting.

Brian Landman can be reached at (813) 226-3347 or landman@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 26, 2006, 02:48:48]