Colleges

Bowden, Fisher see better days in future

By BRIAN LANDMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published January 2, 2008

NASHVILLE - For all the hoopla surrounding an unprecedented staff shakeup and the new approaches put in place to return the program to its old form, Florida State's 2007 record is identical to last season's.

But not all 7-6 marks are the same.

"You have to remember, there are so many variables on that," coach Bobby Bowden said on Tuesday after his team lost to Kentucky 35-28 in the Music City Bowl. "Compare our schedule this year with our schedule (last) year where you had eight home games.

This season the Seminoles had six road games - Clemson, Colorado, Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia Tech and Florida (four of which entered the bowl season in the Top 15) - and a game in Jacksonville against Alabama. The Seminoles won three, which isn't extraordinary, but more impressive than what they did in 2006.

"I definitely feel the direction we're going is the correct direction," Bowden said.

The next step is to improve the middling bottom line and Bowden said the solution is recruiting. Based on their 21 oral commitments, the Seminoles appear headed for one of the nation's top classes.

Unlike past years, Bowden and his staff can dangle the possibility of playing a significant role immediately to prospects. After all, any player who admitted wrongdoing in the academic misconduct scandal and missed the bowl game will also sit out the first three games in 2008.

That means, when you eliminate the seniors who started against the Wildcats (defensive tackle Andre Fluellen, safety Roger Williams, receiver De'Cody Fagg, offensive linemen Shannon Boatman and David Overmyer, tight end Josh Dobbie and kicker Gary Cismesia), the team that opens next season will look a lot like the one that started on New Year's Eve. That's not counting possible NFL defections and not knowing exactly who among the 25 scholarship players not on the travel roster were involved in the scandal.

"I'm excited about what we've got coming back and I'm excited about what we're recruiting," offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said.

CAREER NIGHT: Junior tailback Antone Smith, challenged by coaches to be tougher and more determined, had a career-high 156 yards on 17 carries.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING: Had FSU scored on the Hail Mary at the end, Fisher said he was set on going for a two-point conversion and the win. Of course, he said, that would have been Bowden's call.

ON THE MOVE: Oft-injured backup tailback Russell Ball has been given his release, Bowden said. The redshirt sophomore had three carries for 2 yards this season. Bowden said nobody else has come to talk to him about transferring.

[Last modified January 1, 2008, 20:59:48]