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FSU Players Looking For Normalcy

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By SCOTT CARTER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 20, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Some walked off the field briskly or broke into a slow jog, zigzagging around the larger-than-normal media horde. Many looked away, trying to avoid eye contact and questions about a team in disarray.

As Florida State players concluded practice Wednesday, most had little or nothing to say about Tuesday's news that as many as 25 Seminoles would be suspended for the Music City Bowl for their involvement in an academic misconduct case.

Starting quarterback Drew Weatherford of Land O' Lakes is not one of those players. However, when the Noles take the field Dec. 31 against Kentucky in Nashville, Tenn., they are expected to do so without at least seven players who started the regular-season finale at Florida, creating a lot of doubt about how well they will compete against the Wildcats.

"We are just trying to carry on like we always have and come out to work every day and get better," Weatherford said Wednesday. "We'll be just fine. Adversity like this can always bring a team together, and I expect that."

Weatherford's optimistic outlook was shared by other players, but FSU coach Bobby Bowden canceled Wednesday's late practice so the coaching staff could meet and discuss what adjustments they must make to overcome the suspensions. Bowden said he can't recall another time in his coaching career that one of his teams faced a game without so many players.

"We knew some guys were involved," Bowden said. "It just kept building up. Really, I did not know until Tuesday exactly who would not be able to play in this ballgame."

Music City Bowl CEO Scott Ramsey was in Tallahassee on Monday and presented Bowden with an acoustic guitar as part of the bowl's official invitation. On Wednesday, Ramsey danced around questions about how FSU's depleted roster would impact the game.

"We did not have knowledge of this at the time of the invitation," Ramsey said. "We are moving forward. We want the fans, the players, the coaches, the media and everybody that comes to hopefully have a great bowl experience. That's what we're focused on right now."

Citing federal privacy laws, FSU has not released the names of the players. And several players declined to say whether they are eligible to play in the Music City Bowl, including Jefferson High product Daron Rose, a sophomore who started at left tackle during the season but is now working with the second team.

"I was told not to comment on that situation, so I can't comment," Rose said.

Weatherford said the team had not held an official meeting to discuss the suspensions and didn't know of any plans to do so.

"I think the coaches are just trying to carry on like normal," he said.

As he does after every practice, Bowden drove over in his golf cart Wednesday after practice to talk to the media.

"Naturally, we're having to make a lot of adjustments," he said. "We've got so many guys playing positions they haven't played before. I think we'll be competitive. Where it hurts you is depth. You've got to stay healthy."

The academic scandal is the latest controversy surrounding a program that has had its share of well-publicized black eyes under Bowden. As for this one, it will carry into next season when the players suspended for the bowl will sit out the first three games of next season.

Still, despite some of his teammates' lack of judgment, senior defensive captain Andre Fluellen is confident Bowden will survive this latest storm like he has the others.

"Coach Bowden has just done so much for this team," Fluellen said. "All of this stuff is out of his control, so it has nothing to do with his legacy. I know he is concerned about it, but at the same time he has to move forward."

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.

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