FSU may bench CB Edwards

Penalties, big plays leave coaches considering a demotion for All-America candidate.

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 22, 1999

TALLAHASSEE -- After Florida State cornerback Mario Edwards climbed over the back of North Carolina State receiver Ryan Hamrick, drawing a pass interference call Saturday, he was summoned to the sideline.

That's where he would remain.

And that's where he could be at the beginning of Saturday's game at North Carolina.

"I don't know what his problem is," said defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, a hard-driving perfectionist who pushes everyone, especially his secondary. (Andrews was a former All-America receiver and defensive back and played on two national championship teams at Alabama in the early 1960s.)

"Mario's not playing up to where he expects to play or where we expect him to play. ... He's not the only one. But the thing is he should be a dominating player and right now, he's not."

That's not what the top-ranked Seminoles need, not if they hope to win the national title that has eluded them the past few years thanks, in no small part, to conceding back-breaking pass plays in the waning minutes.

And that's not what everyone predicted for Edwards.

The 6-2, 195-pound senior, who blends size, strength and speed, established himself as a force last year after missing the previous season when he was kicked out of school for an off-the-field incident.

He wasn't even mentioned in the 1998 media guide, but quickly earned a starting job and led the Atlantic Coast Conference with six interceptions, including a FSU-record four against Wake Forest and a key one against Florida. He also broke up a team-high 11 passes.

But then came the Fiesta Bowl.

Tennessee star receiver Peerless Price beat Edwards twice for touchdowns that sealed the Seminoles' 23-16 loss in the national championship showdown.

Despite that performance, seemingly a hiccup given his play all year, Edwards was tabbed as a consensus preseason All-American and a probable first-round NFL draft pick.

"I learned that you can't win it (a championship) being an individual," he said earlier this year. (Edwards, usually loquacious, refused comment for this story.) "If you've got 10 people fighting and one man not doing his job, that one man not doing his job for just one play could be the one that hurts you."

During the summer, he zealously worked out and tried to hone his skills. He picked up a few pointers from former FSU star Deion Sanders, who redefined the cornerback position at the collegiate and professional level.

"He gave me some tips on positioning ... but we talked mostly about a lot personal things," Edwards said. "He told me I had a chance to be one of the great ones to come through here. He said, "Just don't get caught up in the individualism and stay focused on team goals.' "

Yet Edwards unabashedly spoke of a personal goal: He wanted to give FSU fans a more engaging image to help blot out the memory of him chasing Price.

"I want to put something positive out there; something other than the Fiesta Bowl," he said with a sly smile before the opener.

So far, he hasn't.

He has no interceptions, has committed penalties and has been beaten several times. Georgia Tech sophomore flanker Kelly Campbell got behind him and one-handed a 22-yard pass that cut FSU's lead to 41-35.

The reason Campbell, a player not nearly the caliber of Price, used just his right hand was that Edwards was tugging on his left. (No flag was thrown, but the replay showed that interference probably should have been called.)

"He's probably pressing a little bit," Andrews said. "I'm sure he wants to have a bunch of big plays, big numbers. But you can't create plays that aren't there. To be a great player, you have to make great plays. But you have to do it within the rules. You can't be getting penalties that keep your team from being successful."

So far, that hasn't happened.

But the Seminoles, who returned seven starters from a unit that led the nation in pass defense and total defense, are 75th against the pass and 51st in total defense. Those numbers won't get them to New Orleans for the Jan. 4 Sugar Bowl.

"Everyone makes mistakes, but to be a great player, you learn from your mistakes," receiver Peter Warrick said. "Mario goes out and works hard every day. He'll be all right."

"We'll get it worked out because he's a guy with outstanding ability," Andrews echoed. "He'll be an outstanding player for us."

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