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During Wednesday's ACC media conference call, Bobby Bowden was asked if Saturday's 10 p.m. (EDT) kickoff was a little late for him. Said the early-retiring FSU Coach: "I'll be waking up to go to the game. I go to bed about 7:30. So that'd be 5:30 out there."
Word has it that the assistant who wrangles Bobby's earphones on the sidelines has been instructed to have a large thermos of coffee at the ready.
Highlights from Tuesday's Colorado football press conference.
Coach Dan Hawkins
(On FSU's speed)
"Yeah, they can all run. Particularly as you look at them on defense, they can all motor. On film they look considerably faster than we do."
(How do they compare to Arizona State?)
"Faster."
(Do you see them still adjusting to the staff changes?)
"They're a little bit different than they were last year. And I think they're still adjusting and growing to that. I thought Drew played better against UAB than against Clemson. They're a team that's getting better and has played really well in the second half and is looking to play better in the first half."
(On defending FSU's tall receivers)
"Our corners are not little guys. Arizona State had big receivers, and we've seen big receivers in the past."
(On meeting Bobby Bowden)
"I got to know him on the NIKE trip, he and his wife. Just a very down-to-earth guy. I think our salt-of-the-earth backgrounds are very similar. He’s a common-sense guy and a very family oriented guy, a very faithful guy. The first time I was with him we were on a boat and I was just kind of looking around. He said, ‘What you lookin’ at, boy?’
I said, ‘I’m lookin’ at all these guys, and I’m kinda amazed that I’m here.’
He said, ‘You’re one of the guys now.’
He slapped me on the back. And I said, ‘How about that! There’s Joe Paterno, Bobby Bowden. And I’m one of the guys.'"
QB Cody Hawkins
"Depending on who they're playing, their defensive coaches do a pretty good job of defensively giving every offense a different look because they're athletic enough to do pretty much anything they want.
"I was just watching a tape and they played five, six different coverages to that (same) formation in the last two weeks. And they did stuff last year they haven't shown in the first two games that we're getting ready for too."
(On FSU challenging receivers up close)
"They'll get and up press, which is gonna be important for us because they're great up front. Their front four is very fast and strong. But I think our receivers are doing an awesome job getting off the press. We've been working on it a lot in the off-season. They're definitely gonna challenge our receivers, but they'll be up to the challenge."
(On FSU's defense going after him because he's a redshirt freshman)
"If I was a defense I'd definitely wanna come out and see what the freshman QB can do. They're gonna wanna hit you in the mouth and throw a lot of different coverages at you and I've just gotta be ready for that."
(On his Dad outing him as a former FSU fan)
"I was always kind of a big Florida State fan when I was growing up. I loved watching Florida State because they won a lot of ball games and they had a lot of athletes. But then when I got into high school I started at looking at teams for things other than how many championships they won and what color their uniforms were. It's definitely gonna be an awesome opportunity to play against the winningest coach in college football history and play against a team that's that athletic and has done those kind of things in the past."
Sputtering. Slow starting. Undependable. Not the kind of offense we expected this season. Under the fine-tuning of master mechanic Jimbo Fisher, the Nole attack was supposed to hum right from the start. Maybe not at absolute peak performance. But surely things would be in high gear by mid-October.
What happened? Do the Noles lack the horsepower to get the job done? These are just two of the puzzling questions keeping coaches and fans awake these September nights.
While grateful for the first victory and optimistic about the future, we just have to ask:
What's up with the Defense? At times, the D has looked as sickly as Mickey must have felt Saturday night. Where's the fire? Where's the tackling? How does a team that was 3 - 9 last year run away from, outjump and outwrestle Seminole DBs?
Where's the stable of running backs? It seemed doubtful Antone Smith could survive as the only tailback getting carries. And by the third quarter of game two, Smith was lying in a crumpled heap. While Jamaal Edwards proved a decent backup, the cupboard appears nearly bare. Where are the fresh legs and firepower of blue chip underclassmen ball toters just waiting to make their mark?
Will this team set a new record for penalties? Okay, FSU has always been penalty-prone. But have you ever seen so many drive-killing, dunderheaded, maddening violations? Not to mention the ones that give opponents new life, turning fourth and long into first and ten?
And the biggest mystery of all. Sure, we can understand an offense that's still a work in progress. But after all the talk about re-dedication to winning, tougher off-season conditioning, and demanding coaches setting the bar higher in every area, who could have imagined that focus, intensity and disciplined play would go south?
Let's hope the rarified air of Boulder will breathe new life into the team and season that FSU fans have such high hopes for.
Not likely with just two days of practice after the Clemson game. But with Trickett, Fisher, Andrews and Amato in their ears this week, we fully expect a better showing, more intensity, fewer dropped passes, improved OL play and happier coaches.
Two to watch for the Blazers. UAB is not without talent. Young, green talent for the most part. But tough, football-wise kids from Alabama and Georgia, with a few Floridians mixed in. Guys who love to play spoiler. And remember, UAB beat Troy handily last year after FSU struggled with the Trojans.
Here are arguably the two best to keep an eye on -- one on offense, the other the heart of the D. Just be sure to remember their numbers, though, because there won't be any names on UAB jerseys. First-year Coach Neil Callaway believes no-names helps to "promote a team-first attitude."
#5 WR/QB Joseph Webb - Listed as a QB, Webb lined up at WR last week against Michigan State. His six receptions for 98 yards and a TD were one of the few bright spots for the Blazers. At 6'4" and 220, Webb is a big target who could give FSU's shorter cornerbacks fits. He also has the speed to produce nice YACs if given room to zoon.
#18 Free Safety Will Dunbar - Suspended for the first game, the senior safety will see his first action of the year against the Noles. Dunbar was named to the pre-season All-Conference USA team after leading UAB in tackles last year with 65. The 6'1", 195 Dunbar also had three INTs.
"The biggest thing we could do for this game (UAB) is try to correct last week's mistakes.Two days (practice) doesn't give us enough time to do that, but I just hope we can get enough of 'em corrected."
"We came out of it in pretty decent shape. Pretty physical ballgame, but we didn't get any major injuries. Mister Alexander was probably the biggest injury -- a twisted knee. It's not terrible, but it'll probably keep him out this week." (Note: It was later reported that Alexander suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.)
(On what he can do to prevent a let-down against UAB)
"I don't know if it was a letdown last year (the Troy game), as much as not having time to prepare. You've only got two days of practice. That's the big thing that concerns me about this game. "
(It is unfair for people to be critical of the offense this early?)
"It doesn't surprise me. The only thing, they don't have any affect on me, those people."
(On Drew Weatherford not turning the ball over and keeping the team in the game)
"If he hadn't kept his poise, that thing could have really gotten away from us. And the big thing in a game like that -- and maybe the difference in him now -- is that a year ago he turned the dadgum ball over. And he took some good shots too (against Clemson). And was harried in his throws. But he never backed down. And as we grade something like that, objectively, he played pretty dadgum good."
(Is that a sign he's turning the corner?)
"I'll be shocked if he doesn't turn the corner. It's a shame we didn't protect him better. Of course we had some freshmen in there. And that was asking a lot -- to take a kid out of high school and start him against a team that had a veteran front like Clemson did, in front of that crowd they got up there. I guess we were asking too much on that. We were not able to protect him, but I think we'll do better as time goes by."
(Now that he's healthy, has DeCody Fagg shown he can be the leader of the receiving corps?)
"Yes, in practice. He had a tremendous spring. He had a tremendous pre-season practice. He didn't have a good game
the other night. I don't know why. And maybe it's a real big lesson to him. He's gonna have to play better now -- for his own benefit. He had a couple of drops. I'm expecting him to snap
out of it."
We had a strong feeling about the season leading up to Monday night. But we didn't post it. Why spoil that pre-season high when anything seems possible? It's just such a part of the fun of college football.
So here's that cold splash of reality:
Expect a team still looking for an identity. Still up one week
and down the next. Still learning a new system and un-learning old habits.
FSU lost key newcomers (Brian Coulter, Johnathan Hannah, Jamar Jackson) to grades and injury even before the first game. There's lack of depth at some key positions, notably running back where Antone is apparently expected to take every handoff and hard hit. The young OL is still on Trickett's steep learning curve. And the schedule? Too many major hurdles and not enough creampuffs.
It hasn't been easy being a Nole fan in recent years. And we're not out of the woods yet. So Blackledge's words stood out last night as a realistic take on 2007.
But fans who hang with the team should be rewarded with the foundation of a bona fide BCS contender in years to come. Especially with talented help on the way from some of the bluest of blue chippers.
So buckle up for a bumpy ride to bowl season. And either bring your "A" game to Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday or...
In the words of Van Halen, "Jump." Some fans are bailing on the season like third class passengers on the Titanic. No surprise. Expectations were sky high with Jimbo and the new coaches.
It hurts to have those dreams of a new dynasty dashed. But let's just hope the players have more resilience than some of our more casual fans.
It's a major exam that will go a long way in determining the final grade for the season. Many more tests lie ahead, but first the Noles must answer these difficult questions:
1. Is the offensive line a work in progress or has it progressed enough to work like a winning OL should?
2. Can FSU's defense put pressure on Harper while keeping Clemson backs from piling up big yards?
3. Under Jimbo's guidance, has Drew matured into a steady, consistent passer, ball handler and decision maker?
4. Is Antone Smith healthy enough to give the Noles a solid ground game (and can he stay injury-free throughout a grueling season)?
5. Does a banged-up secondary rise to the occasion like it did against UCLA?
Bonus Question: Will defensive coaches and players be ready (unlike last year) for the creative wrinkles and outright trickery that CU's offensive guru Rob Spence will throw at them ?
Good luck and we'll be posting grades on Tuesday.
You don't have to go any further than your favorite chair to check out the next two teams on the Noles schedule. Both are featured at noon Saturday, so at least you can get a little gameday exercise working out with the 'jump' button on your remote.
UAB at Michigan State (ESPN 2) - It's the battle of new coaches, as the Blazers Neil Callaway faces Sparty's new boss, Mark Dantonio (the guy who built Cincinnati into a mid-major powerhouse). Callaway, who left Mark Richt's staff at Georgia, brings a big ole dose of discipline to UAB. They'll need it. His team is greener than a St. Paddy's Day Parade, with freshmen or sophomores starting at seven offensive positions. Adding to the potential mismatch, UAB's best player on defense -- Safety Will Dunbar -- is suspended for the opener.
Colorado vs. Colorado State (Fox Sports South) The big story line here is Buffalo Coach Dan Hawkins starting his redshirt freshman son Cody at QB. (Didn't Hawkins learn from a certain well-known fellow coach that these father-son things don't always work out?) "He makes almost every routine play and that's a big deal as a quarterback," says the Buffs offensive coordinator about the younger Hawkins. Looks like only an injury can derail Hawkins from being in the crosshairs of FSU's defensive front come September 15th.
Comments? Questions? Kudos?