Sunday, August 26, 2007
Changes galore for Hurricanes, Seminoles
Miami and Florida State have made changes to their coaching staffs in hopes of returning to their glory days.
2007 College Football Preview
Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times
In wake of the tragic April 16 shootings, the Virginia Tech football team hopes to assist in their nation's recovery.| See a closeup
The Beamer File, 1987-2007
Virginia Tech
- Seniors eye longtime goal
- Helping heal thy brother
- Bud fosters defense's thump
- Virginia Tech's schedule
Special section: Hokies at home
Two of college football’s heavyweight programs have turned into middleweights. Florida State and Miami are hoping coaching changes can reverse their slide.
The Seminoles and Hurricanes have won a combined seven national championships, but they were both a mere 7-6 last year. Miami dropped out of the Associated Press poll in September and Florida State did so in October.
“People don’t fear us like they used to,” said Miami defensive end Calais Campbell, a fourth-year junior. “When I was a freshman, you could tell they were kind of scared. … Now people think they can really beat us.”
The Seminoles can relate.
“We used to have the slogan, 'Fear the spear,’ ” FSU nose guard Andre Fluellen said. “People don’t really have that fear of Florida State anymore.”
Miami fired Larry Coker and promoted Randy Shannon from defensive coordinator to head coach. Bobby Bowden is still at FSU after enduring a season of criticism, but his staff has been overhauled.
Bowden is optimistic, though.
“I don’t care how good you get, you still can be had,” Bowden said. “We were good and we’ve been had, but so has everybody else in the country.
“I can remember when Southern Cal wasn’t very good. I can remember when Texas wasn’t very good. I can remember when Alabama wasn’t very good. I can remember when Notre Dame wasn’t very good.
“So it’s not like we’re the only guys. … We’ll be back.”
New boss for Hurricanes
As a rookie coach in 2001, Coker steered Miami to an unbeaten season that culminated with the school’s fifth national title.
But the school’s first three seasons in the ACC have yet to produce a Coastal Division crown. In 2005, Miami went 9-3 for the second straight season. Last season, Miami had its most losses since going 5-6 in 1997.
“We’re kind of fed up with ourselves, allowing ourselves to lose,” Campbell said.
There have also been off-the-field woes. The 2005 season ended with a fight between Miami and LSU players after the Hurricanes were trounced 40-3 in the Peach Bowl. Last season, 13 Hurricanes were suspended for brawling with Florida International players. A month later, defensive end Bryan Pata was shot to death.
Shannon, 41, is emphasizing discipline at his alma mater.
“We’re going to be held accountable for everything we do,” Shannon said. “We’re going to be known as a team that’s going to do the right things on and off the field.”
Shannon brought in five new assistants, including Patrick Nix, who left Georgia Tech for a more lucrative gig as UM’s offensive chief. He will be UM’s third offensive coordinator in as many years.
Offensive guard Derrick Morse said Nix will make the Hurricanes less predictable.
“Coach Nix coming in brings a new spark, new plays,” Morse said. “Last year we had a lot of basic plays that we had in the last three years. … You knew what we were going to run.… My mom doesn’t know anything about football and she could call it.”
New plays won’t help if Miami’s quarterback play doesn’t improve, though. Kyle Wright started the first nine games last year before suffering a broken thumb. Kirby Freeman started the rest of the season. Neither impressed.
'My last shot’
There are also new faces on the FSU coaching staff.
The Seminoles had finished among the top five in the final AP poll for 14 straight years, ending with the 2000 season. FSU has lost at least four games in four of the past six seasons.
“I don’t think I’ve won enough the last few years, so I hope to build it back up,” Bowden, 77, said.
Bowden’s son Jeff was the offensive coordinator the past six years. He left fans longing for his predecessor, Mark Richt, now the coach at Georgia. Father and son were criticized by the media and boosters.
After FSU was shut out by Wake Forest in November — the first time the team had been blanked in 233 games — boosters paid Jeff Bowden a reported $537,500 to resign.
Bobby Bowden hired Jimbo Fisher as his new offensive coordinator, luring him from LSU with a total annual package of $415,000. There are three other new assistants on the offensive side, including line coach Rick Trickett, who was lured from West Virginia for $300,000 annually.
“He got the best people money could buy with Jimbo and Coach Trickett,” Fluellen said. “Sometimes change is good.”
Bowden also brought back former right-hand man Chuck Amato, who will make $200,000 a year as executive head coach and linebackers coach after spending seven seasons as head coach at North Carolina State. Bowden even brought in a new strength and conditioning coach.
Bowden came to realize he needed to shake up the staff.
“You won’t do things a lot of times till somebody makes you,” he said. “If I hadn’t lost my son as offensive coordinator, I’d never have done all this.
“But when Jeffrey resigned, I felt like, 'Gee whiz, if it’s going to get this drastic, this is my last shot and I’m going to make it the best I can make it. I’m going to get the best coaching staff I can get in here, I don’t care what it costs.’ ”
The offensive line certainly needed Trickett’s help; the Seminoles averaged just 96.5 yards rushing last year.
“Coach Trickett has those offensive linemen in shape,” Fluellen said. “I’m not going to lie, I’m glad he’s not my coach. He’s instilling that discipline they need.”
Bowden hired Fisher not only for his play-calling talents but also for his reputation as a quarterbacks coach.
Neither Drew Weatherford, the starting QB for 10 games last year, nor Xavier Lee, who started the other three, dazzled.
Whether the staff overhaul makes a difference, though, remains to be seen.
“It’s going to make a difference until we lose,” tailback Antone Smith said.
“When you lose, everybody’s going to talk bad about you.”
