Colleges

Amato low-key about N.C. State

By BRIAN LANDMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 4, 2007

FSU linebackers coach Chuck Amato was fired as the Wolfpack head coach after seven seasons, a 49-37 record at his alma mater and, instead of pursuing a broadcasting job, returned to FSU, a place he had worked for 18 years.
	[Scott Keeler | Times]

TALLAHASSEE - Linebackers coach Chuck Amato walked behind the lectern, scanned the crowded room of media for several moments then posed a question.

"What's this all about?" he said.

"You," came the obvious reply.

"No. It's not about me. It's about the players," he corrected in his gravelly voice. "It's about the players on both sides of the field."

Well, yeah. That's always the case.

But Coach, an unmistakable subplot of the Seminoles' game against visiting North Carolina State on Saturday involves, well, you. You are the guy with ties to both teams' players.

Amato was fired as the Wolfpack coach after seven seasons a 49-37 record at his alma mater and, instead of pursuing a broadcasting job, returned to FSU, a place he had worked for 18 years.

"No. 1, you know doggone well it will be an emotional game for Chuck," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "Chuck is an emotional guy anyway."

After Amato's Wolfpack became the first team to win an ACC game in Tallahassee, upsetting the Seminoles 34-28 in 2001, he crossed the field to greet Bowden and wept. He often reflects on that game, as well as his team's wins against FSU in 2002, 2005 and Oct. 5 in Raleigh, which turned out to be his last victory.

"They're some of the greatest wins that university ever had," Amato said.

So what went wrong?

"Let's go on," he said.

Did he receive enough credit for luring top talent such as quarterback Philip Rivers and defensive end Mario Williams or for helping the school raise $100-million for a massive football facilities facelift?

"I know (what I did)," he said, "and 98 percent of the people up there know."

Although he wants to be a head coach again if the right situation is available, Amato said he's happy at FSU and Bowden was thrilled to get him back.

"I don't even know what happened up there," Bowden said, adding he hasn't heard Amato "bad mouth" anyone from the school. "I thought they let a pretty good guy go."

Amato, who still has the audacious red patent leather shoes that were lampooned by folks in North Carolina (at least the gold couch and chair are gone from his current office - the same one he had for 18 years, right next to Bowden's - so the shoes don't clash with the furniture), has just one wish: that his former players know how special they are to him. He's purposely avoided contact so as not to appear to be interfering with the new Wolfpack staff.

"If there's one wish I could have, it would be that I could meet them somewhere on a Friday and hug every one of their necks," he said.

New N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien, who left Boston College after last season then faced his former players Sept. 8, told his players that the "perfect time" to visit Amato is after the game.

Senior linebacker LeRue Rumph, a former star at Clearwater Central Catholic, can't wait.

"He's one of the reasons I came to N.C. State and he coached me for four years," he said. "It's different, but it'll be good to see him."

NFL PIPELINE: FSU has 41 players on NFL opening-day rosters, trailing only Miami with 46 and Ohio State with 44. FSU has more players at safety (six) and offensive tackle (five) than any other school.

GOOD NEWS: An MRI revealed that standout junior defender/midfielder Sarah Wagenfuhr, who injured her right knee on Sunday against North Carolina State, has a sprain and is day to day. The Seminoles (6-3-1,1-1-0 ACC), ranked No. 15 by Soccer Buzz, play today at No. 3 Virginia (7-1-2, 1-0-1). They're 0-13-2 against the Cavaliers.

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

[Last modified October 3, 2007, 21:41:34]