Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

FSU defenders see 'dad' on other side

Linebackers go against a familiar face at North Carolina State, which is coached by former Seminoles assistant Chuck Amato.

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 25, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State linebackers Brian Allen, Tommy Polley and Bradley Jennings will tell you it's just "another game," one they have to win to keep their national championship hopes alive.

But prod them and they'll confess there's more to Saturday night's nationally televised showdown at North Carolina State. Much more.

"For myself, it's going to be like looking at the other side and seeing your father on the other side and knowing you're going to have to play against him and compete against him and try to come out with a victory," Allen said. "It's going to be a bittersweet confrontation."

Chuck Amato, who spent the last four of his 18 seasons as an FSU assistant coaching linebackers, returned to his alma mater, N.C. State, as its coach in January. Ever since, he has tried to downplay the obvious subplot of this game.

"It is going to be different," he said, joking that he was going to have his assistants coach the game and he would watch it from Tallahassee. "I was kidding Coach (Bobby) Bowden the other day. He said something about playing the other son. I said, "What do you mean?' He said, "You're doing so well I'm calling you my son now.' "

Last year, the FSU-Clemson game was one of the most anticipated in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It featured the first coaching matchup of father and son (Tommy) in major-college football history.

"Now, it's father vs. stepson," said Amato, who occasionally slips and uses "we" when referring to the Seminoles.

The Seminoles, especially the starting linebackers, know exactly how he feels. Jennings, a junior middle linebacker who Amato recruited out of Miami Carol City, credits Amato with helping him through a difficult family situation two years ago.

"We sat down and worked out the problem," Jennings said. "He inspired me and talked to me about making the right decisions. He's been kind of like a father to me; a father keeps you on track with things."

Polley and Allen, FSU's standout seniors, readily admit they wouldn't be semifinalists for the Butkus Award were it not for Amato, every bit as fiery and competitive a teacher as he was a player.

"I care for the man a whole lot," Polley said. "He showed me the ropes and kept me in line when I was a young guy trying to play the game. ... Without him, I don't know where I'd be as a player."

"He's had a tremendous impact on my life as a player and when you take it off the field, it's elevated to another level," said Allen, the defensive captain. "He's helped me become the man that I am."

Nothing would make the linebackers happier than to go out and have a stellar performance, a loving tribute to Amato. But it might not have been that way.

Two days after FSU's Sugar Bowl win against Virginia Tech, capping a perfect season and the program's second national title, Amato bolted for Raleigh. He had no time to meet with the players he left behind, a fact that months later brought him to tears.

"That was something that hurt me," said Amato, never one to hide his emotions.

It similarly affected his players.

They understand that college football is a business and that Amato made a move he thought was in the best interests of his family. Still, not hearing from him made them wonder if their relationship was merely coach-player and not something deeper.

"We didn't talk after the game; we didn't know Chuck was leaving or anything," Jennings said. "I wanted to hear why. I wanted to hear something, something from him."

After recruiting and assembling a veteran staff to revive N.C. State's program and then hitting the booster-club circuit, Amato finally had a chance to get back to Tallahassee in mid-July. He met privately with the three, explaining his decisionmaking process.

"It was so important he came and said something because there would have been a lot of love lost," Allen said. "I know he's an emotional guy and it's hard for him to express himself without getting very emotional. But that was something I had to have him do, come and talk to me, Tommy, Bradley, guys who had worked for him, how important we were to him, how he felt about us, just anything. If he didn't, I don't know. If we went there this week, I wouldn't have been able to talk to him at all." Amato also came back to town in September. He went straight to the practice field.

"I was afraid somebody might think I'm here and I'm the enemy now," he said. "But it was like I never left."

He has and no amount of rhetoric can blur the implications.

"I'm sure during the game, I'll make a play and I'll be looking for him on the sideline. But with smiles. It'll all be fun and games. And after the game, it'll be hugs and embraces. But it's a moment you never expected to have to play through in your career, but it's here now."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

World Series