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Weinke's bask is at hand

FSU quarterback worked hard to improve for another run at glory. UF presents the last, and biggest, hurdle.

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 17, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- When Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke surprisingly decided to pass on the NFL draft and return for his senior year, he insisted he had only one target -- to lead the Seminoles to a second straight national title.

[Times photo: Jim Damaske] Chris Weinke said he returned so he could dedicate himself to being the nation's best.

But he knew something else went hand-in-hand with that goal.

He had to improve.

And then some.

"I said it in front of a lot of people and I told a lot of other people, "I'm coming and if I'm coming back, I'm going to try to be the best in the country,' " Weinke said. "I dedicated myself from that day on to work as hard as I could to become the best."

With all due respect to Oklahoma's Josh Heupel, Purdue's Drew Brees, Virginia Tech's Michael Vick and anyone else you want to name, he might just be.

Weinke has completed 243 of 387 passes (62.8 percent) and leads the nation in passing yardage with 3,814 and passing efficiency with a 166.5 rating. Even with an injured left foot that has hindered him since the end of September and forced him to miss significant practice time, the Seminoles are averaging a school-record 558.6 yards.

Sorry, Charlie (Ward).

Weinke's 30 touchdowns are tied for the nation's lead and he has rewritten the FSU and Atlantic Coast Conference record books. With 9,486 career yards, he needs 129 to become the league's all-time passing leader, passing Duke -- and former Steve Spurrier protege -- Ben Bennett.

Fittingly, that could come against Spurrier's Florida Gators on Saturday night in a showdown that could shape the national championship matchup in the Jan. 3 Orange Bowl.

"I think when you put the time in, it makes it that much more special because now I'm reaping those rewards and the benefits of all the extra time I put in over the summer," Weinke said. "We've got the biggest game of the year coming up and I think that's what people look to or how they measure a quarterback. I'm going to be measured on how I perform in this football game."

FSU coach Bobby Bowden diplomatically ducks the question whether Weinke should win the Johnny Unitas Award or the Davey O'Brien Award that honor the nation's top quarterback or the Heisman Trophy, but ...

"I wouldn't swap him for anybody that I know," he said.

Still, many folks (i.e. Heisman voters across the land) have expected Weinke to excel given his advanced NFL-like age of 28, the plethora of skilled receivers and tailbacks that surround him and a wide-open scheme. Who wouldn't put up gaudy numbers, huh?

"He's older than everybody else out there," Florida defensive coordinator Jon Hoke said. "That makes a difference. The maturity, the poise back there. He's been in the system for a while and he has tremendous weapons to throw the football to."

But his improvement is unmistakable, FSU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mark Richt said.

"Technically, he throws with much better balance than he had," Richt said. "His footwork is better, although his injury has hindered him some there. He's hit his outlet receivers much better and I think his deep ball accuracy is better."

He also is reading defenses more clearly; he has thrown just nine interceptions, five fewer than last year despite already throwing the ball 10 more times.

He also has shown, especially before the foot sprain, that he is a bit quicker with 10 fewer pounds on his 6-foot-5 frame. His mobility was a weakness NFL scouts cited in January when they told him he would be drafted no higher than the third or fourth round.

But Weinke is not satisfied.

"I try to do everything the best that I can do it and not once have I been able to say I've done everything perfectly," he said. "Until I do that, I've always got a better game in me. I have room to get better. Hopefully, I'm saving my best for last."

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