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Teams use byes for changes

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 25, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- Coach Bobby Bowden should be used to it by now.

Rest assured, he isn't.

He's still fussing about it.

Saturday's football game against North Carolina State marks the third game in a row and fourth this season that his opponent has enjoyed a bye week before playing his Seminoles.

"Give somebody an open date and they'll change something and you have to go out there and guess what they're doing half the darn game," Bowden said. "That's what really upsets me."

Okay. Louisville and Duke didn't really do much to confound FSU. Virginia tweaked its defense just enough to bother senior quarterback Chris Weinke, who had an average performance by his standards. But none had the added edge the No. 21 Wolfpack has: New coach Chuck Amato spent the previous 18 years working for Bowden and his intimate knowledge of FSU's scheme and personnel could help him devise a winning plan, given the added time.

"They have a flare for using trick plays," Bowden said. "Now, with a week off, how much have they put in?"

LOOKING TO REBOUND: Women's soccer coach Patrick Baker has preached all year to his players that they can beat just about anyone if they play well. See wins against North Carolina last week and Florida in the season opener. But he tried to warn them, the reverse was equally true. They can now look at Friday's uninspired 2-0 loss to Maryland.

"Now how do you respond from that? If we respond favorably, that loss becomes a speed bump," said Baker, whose team closes its regular-season at Miami tonight and against visiting Virginia on Saturday.

BIDDING TO HOST: Given the soccer team's success, FSU officials submitted what they hope is a winning bid to host NCAA Tournament games, which would be a boon to recruiting and exposure for the young program.

The 2-year-old soccer complex seats just 2,000, but assistant athletic director Greg Phillips is optimistic about FSU's chances. The NCAA will chose 16 first-round sites (the top 16 teams receive byes) and then 16 second-round sites. Those games would be Nov. 8 and 11. He said he submitted a bid for the first four rounds.

The third round, if FSU were to advance, would be one of the biggest sporting weekend's in school history. Nov. 17 is the FSU-Florida men's basketball game at the Civic Center and Nov. 18 is the FSU-UF football game. The soccer game could be played at noon before the 8 p.m. football kickoff or on Nov. 19.

SPRINGBOARD MEET: The women's and men's cross-country teams likely won't challenge the top programs at the Atlantic Coast Conference championship Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. But first-year coach Bob Braman, the former longtime South Florida coach, still sees a chance for his young teams to take some far-reaching strides.

The more important NCAA region meet is Nov. 11, especially for the women. Braman said the women, led by freshman Amy Pleckaitis and junior Brooke Bastien from Brooksville Central, have a shot to reach nationals.

"It (the ACC) could give us some confidence and swagger when we compete against some of the other conference teams at regional," he said, referring to Florida and USF, in particular.

Still, Braman said the ACC represents a chance for FSU to do something new -- place runners in the top 10 and earn all-ACC honors. Pleckaitis and Bastien and top men's runner, sophomore Nick Stuart have legitimate chances to do that.

- Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. He can be reached at (813) 226-3347 or by e-mail at landman@sptimes.com.

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