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It is the second season-ending injury to a leading receiver and leaves the 'Noles thin and inexperienced at two positions.
By BRIAN LANDMAN and ALEX ABRAMS
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 21, 2001
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State can't seem to catch a break these days, but that will happen when you don't have many folks left to catch one.
The Seminoles learned Monday afternoon that junior receiver Anquan Boldin, 20, sustained a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
His injury, coming less than a week after senior Robert Morgan also tore his left ACL and lateral collateral ligament, reduces an already thin receiving corps to six, three of whom have no collegiate experience.
"After losing Robert I thought, "Maybe that's our bad luck for the year at receiver,' " coach Bobby Bowden said. "But now, all of a sudden, here comes another one."
A big one.
Boldin, who had 41 catches last season, tops among returning receivers, not only figured to be one of the Seminoles' most dynamic playmakers, but he would have served as backup quarterback to redshirt freshman Chris Rix. Now, freshman Adrian McPherson, the state's Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball out of Bradenton Southeast High, is the No. 2 quarterback.
"I just came in to work hard and compete and hopefully get a chance to play, but there's no more added pressure on me," McPherson said. "I'm just going to continue doing what I'm doing in trying to make Chris better."
But an inexperienced, shallow receiving corps certainly won't help Rix or McPherson.
"Those are two big parts of our offense that are now gone," Rix said. "We now just have to rally around the guys we've got and move on."
Without Boldin and Morgan, who is scheduled for surgery today, the Seminoles have three returning scholarship receivers: seniors Atrews Bell and Javon Walker, and junior Talman Gardner. Bell and Gardner, out for the last week with mild hamstring strains, practiced Monday.
"It's two veterans (we lost) and the worst thing is this team doesn't have a lot of veterans who have played," Bowden said. As he stated last week, Bowden is not planning to shift junior Nick Maddox, currently the No. 1 tailback, back to receiver. Maddox, hoping to contribute last season, moved to receiver but this year returned to the backfield where he has the speed and elusiveness to be a game-breaker. He also is a reliable target, a safety net for a young quarterback. Bowden likely will rely on freshmen receivers Craphonso Thorpe and P.K. Sam, who returned to practice Monday after missing a few days with a hamstring strain, and sophomore walk-on Joey Kaleikini to contribute significantly.
"As bad as it is with them out, hopefully we can make it less severe working together," said Kaleikini, who led all receivers with three catches for 82 yards in the spring game.
That's a must if the No. 6 Seminoles hope to make another national title run.
Remember, the receivers, with the exception of Bell, didn't have their best showing in last season's Orange Bowl, which has been their motivation ever since.
"We played real well all year long and we came to the big game and we faltered," said Bell, adding that while no injury is fortuitous, he welcomes the pressure to carry more of the load.Bowden, in fact, had predicted that Bell and Morgan had the best chance to blossom, a la Marvin Minnis last season. Morgan, despite missing the Clemson, Wake Forest and Florida games, had 19 catches for 366 yards and three touchdowns. But while leaping for a pass in a non-contact drill Tuesday morning, Morgan's season ended.
Once back at receiver, Boldin looked like he could be that big-play receiver that has long been an FSU trademark. After Boldin's first practice, an effusive Bowden gushed that he looked like "a million bucks."
But while carrying the ball on an end around during Saturday's full-contact intrasquad scrimmage, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Boldin injured his knee. He struggled to stand up and sat out the next two plays. He returned only to have his season end when his knee buckled, sending him to the ground.
"We had a bad feeling about it Saturday after the scrimmage," trainer Randy Oravetz said, adding that he speculated Boldin had torn the ACL, the main stabilizer of the knee.
An MRI exam on Monday confirmed the worst.
"I was able to walk on it and I was able to bend my knee and everything like that when it happened," Boldin said. "It was the last thing I wanted to hear."
Once the swelling subsides, Boldin will have surgery, perhaps in two or three weeks, Oravetz said. Boldin should be able to return for next season and would still have two years of eligibility remaining. Morgan has one year available.
"I've talked to him (Morgan) the last couple of days trying to keep his spirits up," Boldin said. "I guess I have to do the same thing for myself right now."