FSU Scheduled To Play Three Night Games Nationally

The Florida State football team will play at least three games on national television in primetime this season.

FSU plays at Miami on Sept. 4 (a Monday) at 8 p.m. on ABC and at N.C. State on Oct. 5 (Thursday) on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. FSU hosts Clemson on Sept. 16 (a Saturday) at 7:45 p.m. on ESPN.

No other game times for FSU have been set.

Bowden Reflects On Thirty Years At FSU

Because he is wrapping up his 30th year as Florida State University football coach, he could be considered the epitome of loyalty. But he also recognizes the loyalty of fans that have supported him and the Seminoles through the years.

That's what brought him to the Treasure Coast Seminole Club golf event Thursday as part of the "Bobby Bowden Legacy Tour."

"They've been very good," Bowden said. "We couldn't do it if the fans weren't loyal...Read More>>>.

Another Award for Bowden

One week after their paths were cleared to enter the Hall of Fame together, Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno will share another of college football's highest honors.

The venerable coaches were named today as the 49th and 50th recipients of the National Football Foundation's Gold Medal.

The list of previous winners includes seven U.S. presidents, four generals, three admirals and one Supreme Court justice.

''That's probably the highest honor I'll ever get,'' Florida State's Bowden...Read More>>>.

FSU Among Leaders In Graduation Rate

Nine Atlantic Coast Conference schools were recognized for graduating at least 70 percent of their football student-athletes according to the American Football Coaches Association annual Academic Achievement Awards data, released today.

SMU won top honors with a 100 percent graduation rate while Boston College and Duke were among six Division I-A institutions with a graduation rate of 90 percent or better. The ACC led all conferences with nine schools on the honors list, followed by the Big East and Big 12 with four. The Big 10 and Conference USA were each represented by three schools while Mid-American, Mountain West, Pacific-10, Southeastern, Sun Belt conferences each had one school.

In addition to Boston College and Duke, three other institutions achieved a rate of 90 percent or better: Northwestern, Notre Dame and Southern Mississippi. Those institutions graduating 70 percent or more of their football student-athletes are Auburn, Baylor, California, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado State, Florida State, Iowa, Iowa State, Maryland, Miami (Ohio), Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, Rice, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Troy, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

The overall graduation rate of the 104 schools that responded to the survey was 58 percent, equaling last year's mark. Fifty of the members responding were above the average and 54 were below the average. The median graduation rate was 57 percent, compared to 57 percent last year and 60 percent two years ago.

The study involves the freshmen class from the academic year of 2000-2001, including those who entered at that time but who did not receive financial aid until after their initial year, or who transferred from another institution and subsequently received a grant-in-aid.

Andrews Prefers Wins Over Being Head Coach

For 22 years, Mickey Andrews has lived happily in the shadows.

As Bobby Bowden's defensive maestro Andrews routinely produces defenses that rank among college football's elite. He's content stopping opposing offenses while working alongside an old friend.

He's also spoiled rotten...Read More>>>.

Weldon Coming Home

Casey Weldon was peering out the window of his new second-floor office trying to figure out if the gray sky wanted to clear up or let loose another downpour.

"Fourth-down calls are easy compared to this, right?" he asked.

Will Holley laughed. This is exactly the kind of decision they were talking about -- the ones that have nothing to do with game-day glamour but rather the behind-the-scenes...Read More>>>.

Ward and Bowden to Be Inducted Into Hall of Fame

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden and former FSU quarterback Charlie Ward will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made Tuesday morning.

Bowden, college football's all-time winningest coach with 359 victories, has won two national titles (1993 and 1999) and had 14 straight season....Read More>>>.

What Me Worry?

"Shot an 85,'' the Florida State head coaching legend said after a Thursday round at Palm-Aire Country Club, followed by a talk to Seminole football fans.

"That's good for me. Usually I shoot in the 90s.''

Bowden's 'Noles finished 8-5 last season. That's not so good, for Bowden or an FSU constituency accustomed to so much more.

"If we don't win them all,'' said college football's all-time winningest coach....Read More>>>.

Former Nole Set To Sign Huge Deal

Former Seminole Javon Walker is set to sign a five-year extension worth more than $40 million with the Denver Broncos, who acquired the wide receiver in a draft-day deal.

''We do have a deal in place,''...Read More>>>.

FSU #4 In APR Poll for 2005

USA Today ran a graphic that presented a combination of academic and athletic success of the football programs at ACC member institutions. The newspaper took the final USA Today/Coaches Top 25 poll and re-ordered it using the recently released NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR).

The re-organized poll has five ACC teams among the Top 15, including the "academic" No. 1 Boston College with a 982 APR score and Florida State at No. 4 with a 959 score. Miami ranked sixth at 956, Clemson 12th with a 940 and Virginia Tech 14th at 935.

The Academic Progress Rate (APR) metric was developed by the NCAA in 2004 to examine academic success on a more real-time basis. One point is awarded each term to each scholarship student-athlete who meets academic-eligibility standards and an additional point is awarded if they remain with the institution. A team's APR is the total points earned by the team at a given time divided by the total points possible. A cutoff score of 925 corresponds to an anticipated graduation-rate of about 50%.

Pointed Criticism Typical for Bowden

Bobby Bowden was proud to see four Florida State Seminoles drafted in the first round of April's NFL Draft. But Bowden also knew that FSU's performance in the draft -- eight players selected in the first five rounds -- will do nothing to stem the avalanche of expectations around his program. "People expect [us] to ....Read More.

Schedules Leave Little Leeway for Threatening Weather

Florida State athletic director Dave Hart can't sound the alarm any louder or any more often, but it's not for a lack of trying.

With the NCAA allowing a 12th game during this 13-week football season, schools possess little flexibility if severe weather forces any postponements. That's an increasing possibility with... Read More>>>.

FSU Committment Wants To Bring Friend

“I didn’t participate but I did check in at 6-foot-5 ½ and 302 pounds,” Antwane Greenlee of Columbus (GA) Hardaway said. “I wanted to check out the competition. I spent most of my time hanging out with Chris Little.”

Greenlee would love for Little, a top offensive lineman in Georgia, to join him in Tallahassee for college.

“We met last year at the Georgia football camp and ever since then we have been best friends,” he said. “I think Florida State is his top team but I know he likes Georgia as well. It would be great if we could start together at Florida State. I’m not worried about competition.”

The Georgia standout still keeps in contact with Seminole offensive line coach Mark McHale on a regular basis.

“I called him the day before yesterday to tell him we have a new head coach at our high school,” he said. “I really like Coach McHale. When we watched film together, he told me how to defeat the bull rush. I feel he can help me get into the NFL. The Seminoles have a pretty good track record about putting players in the NFL.”

Greenlee, who has a 3.0 grade point average, is also a student of the game.

“When I get home from work, I like to pop a tape into the VCR and breakdown the game,” he said. “I think I would like to major in communication in college.”

This summer Greenlee and Little will attend the FSU football camp together

Washington No Longer Overlooked

Running back Leon Washington, a New York Jets fourth round selection from Florida State, has often been overlooked throughout his life due to a lack of height. However, with 4.3 speed, humility, poise, soft hands, and return skills, he’s not one tool short of becoming a success in the NFL.

Washington stands 5’8”, but following years of ridicule, he’s built up the confidence of a giant. His response to critics is very similar to his reaction to opponents....Read More>>>.

Castillo Named Male Scholar Athlete of the Year

Eight Florida State student-athletes were named 2006 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars announced in the April edition of Black Issues in Higher Education. Senior football player David Castillo was selected Overall Male Scholar Athlete of the Year in addition to first team honors.

Dean, Henshaw Sign Deals

Florida State fullback B.J. Dean was signed by Baltimore and tight end Matt Henshaw reached an agreement with Seattle, according to the Seahawks' Web site.

Henshaw, son of New Orleans assistant coach George Henshaw, led all FSU tight ends with 21 receptions for 177 yards. In addition to playing tight end, Seattle plans to use Henshaw as a long snapper.

Dean, one of two Florida State fullbacks to enter the draft, netted just three yards and one touchdown rushing in his final season.

Q & A: Bernie Waxman

Bernie Waxman, the current Associate Athletics Director for Facility Planning, Operations and Event Management who is in his 31st year working at FSU and 14th in the athletics department, oversees event management for most of the 19 sports in which FSU competes at the NCAA division I level. He answered a question regarding Doak Campbell additions.

Q: Are there any additions planned for Doak Campbell such as banners, jerseys, or other markers of Florida State's football history?

Waxman: We are working through how we can tastefully display some of the great tradition of Florida State football in Campbell Stadium. The key for us is how can we do it tastefully. The tradition is rich with the ACC Championships, the National Championships, the All-Americans, and some of the phenomenal coaches we have had. We want our fans that come into our stadium and feel like they are walking into a sacred space. When they walk in there we want them to feel the ghosts of the past and the spirit of the unconquered Seminoles and those guys that played here 40, 30, 20, or 10 years ago. There is just a really fine line about how you do that or it just turns into glitz and glitter. We want to make it that sacred space, a special place for the people that walk in and for the people that don't know the sense of Florida State's past, when they walk in there we want them to have a sense of a the symbol of the Seminoles, the unconquered Seminoles, and we want them to have a sense of the excellence that we have had in the sport and the good people that have played on the field and filled the seats in the stadium. There are so many of those and there are so many student athletes that have done well that have come through the program that we want that feeling to filter through the stadium.

You want to do it right the first time, you don't want to make a mistake. Right now we are continuing to do the appropriate planning. When we are ready to move, we will move the right way.

Steelers Tempted By Reid's Speed

It wasn't as if the Steelers were looking for a punt returner to replace Antwaan Randle El, especially after they traded up in the first round of the NFL draft to take Ohio State wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

With Holmes, the Steelers found the perfect answer for Randle El's departure...Read More>>>.

Sam McGrew Signs Free Agent Contract With Fins

Former Florida State linebacker Sam McGrew has signed a free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins, his agent Monday afternoon. Jerrold Colton said McGrew decided on the Dolphins over about 10 other teams. McGrew signed a two-year deal.