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With 25 seniors gone, newcomers may see considerable playing time.
By BRIAN LANDMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 5, 2001
Prep quarterback Joe Mauer didn't need anyone to tell him about the extraordinary exodus from Florida State.
Trust us. He knew only too well that Chris Weinke, the 2000 Heisman Trophy winner and a three-year starter, had graduated, as did backup Marcus Outzen.
Then with the dismissal of junior Jared Jones from the team, Mauer realized Chris Rix, who sat out his freshman season as a redshirt, had moved to the top of a precarious depth chart.
"The quarterback situation is real appealing," said Mauer, the Gatorade National High School Football Player of the Year and USA Today offensive player of the year who orally committed to FSU on Thursday. "You usually have one or two guys who could play anywhere else, start anywhere else in the country ahead of you."
No one had to point out that's not the case this coming year.
Not at quarterback.
Not at a number of positions.
The Seminoles bid farewell to 15 senior starters and 25 scholarship seniors in all, who formed the most successful class in the program's illustrious history by winning a national title (1999) and reaching the Bowl Championship Series finale in 1998 and 2000.
In addition to the quarterbacks, FSU lost its top two running backs (Travis Minor and Jeff Chaney), three defensive ends (All-American Jamal Reynolds, David Warren and Roland Seymour), three linebackers (Butkus Award semifinalists Brian Allen and Tommy Polley and special teams captain Jean Jeune) and three starting defensive backs (corners Tay Cody and Clevan Thomas and safety Derrick Gibson).
Any top-shelf prospect who plays those spots could come in and vie for playing time, or even a starting job, instead of taking a redshirt season as most recruits do. "This happens to be a year when a freshman will have a much better chance of playing than they've had here in years," coach Bobby Bowden said. "I won't say it makes recruiting easy, there's nothing easy about it, but it probably makes it a little more attractive to recruits. They look at your school and see immediate opportunities and it gets their attention."
Trust him. That's a good thing.
History tells us as much.
Following the 1996 season, one that ended in a championship game loss to Florida in the Sugar Bowl, FSU lost 15 starters, six on offense, seven on defense and the placekicker and punter.
But some of the nation's top prospects saw a unique chance.
Of FSU's 16 newcomers, 14 saw significant playing time immediately, including Reynolds, Gibson, Warren and Thomas. Minor, placekicker Sebastian Janikowski and punter Keith Cottrell started.
"We probably played a few who I'm sure weren't ready for what they were getting into, but that was the kind of opportunity that was available," recruiting coordinator John Lilly said.
"I'm sure those guys looked at the year before and saw, for example, that Warrick Dunn was leaving and he had gotten the majority of the carries and the ones he didn't get, Rock Preston got and he wasn't going to be here. So, there was a great opening."
Even with the infusion of youth in 1997, FSU finished 11-1 and No. 3 in the AP poll and was two minutes from a win at Florida that could have meant an undefeated season and a shot at a piece of the national championship.
"By simple numbers alone, this year is like '97," Lilly said. "You look at our defensive ends, for instance. You've got Alonzo Jackson who's played a lot for us, and then you've got Charles Howard and O.J. Jackson who've played some, but we're always going to go two deep on defense. We're going to play four and we only have three, so whoever comes in as a defensive end has a great chance to play."
That's enticing for youngsters such as Auburndale High star Chauncey Davis, Donnie Carter of Ware County (Ga.) and perhaps Justin Tomerlin from San Clemente (Calif.), who have orally committed to FSU.
"Now, are they going to be ready for it? Who knows," Lilly said of any ends who sign this week. "They may get knocked flat on their back by the first offensive tackle they rush against. But they're going to be out there."
Though Kyler Hall, a safety/punter from Live Oak Suwanee, said the graduation of so many players didn't affect his decision to commit to FSU, he took note that Bowden and defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews mentioned the chance afforded to him by the turnover.
"They told me to be prepared like I'm going to play," he said. "I'm not going to get my hopes up so high where if I go in and get redshirted, I'm going to be disappointed. But I'm going to prepare myself the best way possible, by lifting (more) weights, running and working on my quickness, where if I do play, I'll be ready."
Said Mauer: "The coaches told me the only thing he (Rix) will have on me will be spring practice. That'll be tough to make up and I know he's a great quarterback; Florida State would never have recruited him if he weren't. It'd be tough to win the job, but anywhere you go you're going to have to compete with somebody. But it does help if you know you don't have to beat four or five guys out."
On the internet
BorderWars: www.borderwars.com
Bobby Burton: www.rivals100.com
Max Emfinger: www.maxemfinger.rivals.com
Bill Hodge: www.fansonly.com
Tom Lemming: www.espn.go.com/recruiting
PrepStar: www.prepstar.com
Allen Wallace: www.cnnsi.com/football/college/recruiting
Florida: Gator Bait, (900) 860-4286
Florida St.: Osceola, (900) 860-4378
Miami: CaneSport, (900) 454-2263
SIGNING DAY: The first day athletes may sign binding national letters of intent. It is the first day of a signing period, which this year begins Wednesday for football. Coaches are not allowed to comment on recruits until recruits have signed.
ORAL COMMITMENT: A non-binding announcement by an athlete about what school he intends to sign with. Players may change their minds until they sign.
ALL-AMERICAN: A prospect named to a national all-star team by a publication (such as USA Today or Parade) or by a recruiting analyst.