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Noles Seek Offense Remedy

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By SCOTT CARTER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2007

BOULDER, Colo. - You got the impression that if the team's charter plane hadn't been waiting on Florida State for the long flight home, offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher would have called a spur-of-the-moment practice for his unit. Meanwhile, as he tormented the offense, Fisher would have invited the defensive players to watch as they feasted on a postgame meal of filet mignon and lobster.

Despite the Seminoles winning back-to-back games for the first time since their first two games of last season, Fisher was not a happy coach following FSU's 16-6 victory at Colorado late Saturday night.

'That was the most inept and ridiculous demonstration of football I've been around in my life,' Fisher said. 'I'll tell you what, if I'm an offensive player, I'm embarrassed to say I was a part of this game with the way our defense played.

'Our defense won that football game.'

In case you missed it - the game didn't end until almost 2 in the morning EDT - the Noles managed only 221 yards of total offense a week after rolling up 520 yards in a victory against UAB. Other lowlights Saturday for the offense:

• FSU had just 10 first downs, 11 fewer than Colorado.

• The Noles were one of 13 on third-down conversions.

• In three trips to the red zone, FSU could muster only three Gary Cismesia field goals.

FSU coach Bobby Bowden wasn't as critical of the offense's performance as Fisher, but on his Sunday afternoon conference call, Bowden admitted the offense remains a work in progress.

'That was a very frustrating night,' Bowden said. 'Because we kept doing things that we worked on in practice not to do. The players have to start stepping up and making plays.'

A quarter into the season, FSU's revamped offense isn't doing much differently than it did last season under much-maligned Jeff Bowden. With Fisher in charge, FSU is averaging 332.3 yards a game and 22.6 points. In Jeff Bowden's final season a year ago, the Noles averaged 330.3 yards - their lowest total since 1974 - and 26.5 points.

Still, Bowden sees progress amid all the regular mental and physical errors. A repeat performance against Alabama on Sept. 29 in Jacksonville could lead to an embarrassing loss, something Fisher and Bowden plan to address regularly until then.

'I still think there are some things the offensive players don't understand,' Bowden said. 'We've got two weeks to get better. If we don't, we'll get killed.'

Junior quarterback Drew Weatherford was noticeably disgusted following Saturday's game. Weatherford completed eight of 18 passes for 126 yards and no interceptions. Those are numbers he didn't envision with Fisher in charge.

'We need to play a lot better if we're going to beat teams like Alabama or any team in the Atlantic Coast Conference,' Weatherford said. 'I personally didn't play very well. If we don't make those minor mistakes, we will move the ball.'

Fisher said he plans to re-evaluate the entire offense before the Noles face Alabama. That could mean personnel changes. He didn't rule out considering a quarterback change - back-up Xavier Lee has not played in FSU's first three games - but he also didn't blame the problem entirely on Weatherford.

'We take one step forward and two back, and that's going to stop or I'm going to have ulcers,' Fisher said. 'It starts with the coaches and the staff. If I have to make changes, I will, and I mean everybody.

'It's ridiculous the mistakes we keep making, and it's my fault. It starts with me. If you ain't coaching it, you're letting it happen. And I ain't letting it happen any more.'

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

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