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Running woes make FSU turn to air game

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 27, 2000

Unless they play at Florida State.

To be in the FSU backfield is akin to the Maytag repairman's job: no action.

That was certainly the case in the opener Saturday night at Alltel Stadium, where FSU defeated Brigham Young 29-3 in the Pigskin Classic.

Circumstances will likely dictate how much that changes for the second-ranked Seminoles over the course of the season, but with a 28-year-old quarterback and a slew of speedy receivers, FSU runs the ball and goes backward.

The way Chris Weinke manages to find pass catchers, simple running plays don't make much sense. At least that appears to be the motto of FSU coach Bobby Bowden and his offensive brain trust. Tailback Travis Minor could be the least-used superstar in the country.

A question mark entering the season after the departure of All-American Peter Warrick and dependable Ron Dugans -- the top two receivers on FSU's national championship team -- the Seminoles trotted out another group of receivers and looked no less imposing.

Although the offense as a whole has plenty of improving to do, the receivers did their part.

"They did a good job," said Weinke, who completed 32 of 50 passes for 318 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. "They made some things happen after they caught the ball. In terms of throwing the ball, we did some good things. But our defense gave us a chance to score a lot more points, and we didn't do it."

Those problems can be attributed more to trouble up front, where the offensive line was unable to create holes for Minor and Jeff Chaney. FSU had 57 net yards rushing, 37 from Minor on 16 carries. Hence, FSU's strategy: throw, throw, throw.

Javon Walker, a junior college transfer, caught the first touchdown pass of the season, a 19-yard back-of-the-end zone grab, and finished with eight receptions for 70 yards. Atrews Bell, a redshirt junior and former walk-on, caught the next one, a 3-yarder. He also scored a touchdown on a reverse.

For the game, Weinke threw passes to eight different players, led by senior Marvin Minnis, who had nine receptions for 137 yards.

But the Seminoles scored one touchdown in the second half, despite many trips to the red zone.

"It seems like we couldn't get things going in the second half," said Bell, who caught four passes for 37 yards. "We have to play better because we can't win the national championship playing like that."

"We expected to play better than we did," Minnis said. "We just didn't execute like we have been in practice."

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