ChantRant

Giving Meaning to a Meaningless Bowl Game

"We got him working at wide receiver and at running back, kickoffs, everything, really. He can line up as a tailback as we need him. He has got skills. I wouldn't be surprised if we hit the field for that game with them and he ain't the best athlete on the field. He is a quarterback and that is where he wants to play. That's where we will play him one day, so right now he is kind of a backup at a lot of positions."

--Bobby Bowden on D'Vontrey Richardson

 

Now that's what we've been waiting for. A sign that Bobby and Jimbo will pull out all the stops to win this otherwise meaningless bowl game, or at least make it very interesting.

Actually, it's a refreshing dose of deja vu all over again. A return to Bowden's Riverboat Gambler days, when he evened the odds against bigger more talented teams with daring, creative play calling. Nobody knew how to keep opponents off balance like the King of the Road. And his Richardson comments hint that he still has some tricks and twists up those Nike jacket sleeves.

Maybe the silver lining in this tutorgate mess starts shining through today. Maybe the winningest coach in the universe and his disciple will attack Kentucky with a go-for-broke vengeance, right from the first offensive snap. Maybe they realize it's the only way to survive the bowl and who knows how many suspension games in '08. Maybe they get it that an exciting, unpredictable offense can win games as well as the hearts and minds of recruits itching to sign an LOI.

And just maybe it took having their backs against the wall to rekindle the old Bobby, and fire up the coach of the future. 

Undermanned Noles Sting Jackets in Atlanta

by Bill from Tampa

After learning less than two days ago that Florida State would not have the services of Solomon Alabi or Julian Vaughn for an indefinite period of time, Leonard Hamilton and his staff had little time in which to make adjustments to the game plan against Georgia Tech. But in that short space of time Hamilton’s staff obviously made the right changes and with the help of his depleted squad executing that new plan delivered a thrilling win over the Yellow Jackets in the opener of ACC play.

On a play where the ball was supposed to eventually go to Toney Douglas, Jason Rich received the inbound pass, saw his opening, and drove the ball three quarters the length of the floor. Pulling up from just to the right of the lane Rich nailed a jumper with 4.3 seconds left giving FSU a 66-64 victory.

Following the game Rich, who scored 11 points, said “I ain’t going to lie to you, I’m tired. But  this was my last chance (at beating Tech). And now I don’t have to come up here anymore.”

And Rich had good reason to be tired with the senior guard playing 39 minutes.

In fact most of his teammates had good reason to be exhausted. Four of the remaining six players who saw the floor logged 30 or more minutes in the game.

But Hamilton did a masterful job of controlling his team’s pace when fatigue was setting in the second half and protecting his players defensively with a timely 2-1-2 zone defense that befuddled Tech for several minutes.

At least Hamilton’s decisions on the substitution patterns was easier.

FSU Bowl History Firsts and Worsts

   
OFFENSE
Most Points Scored:
46 against Va. Tech, 1999 Sugar Bowl
Least Points Scored:
2 against Oklahoma, 2000 Orange Bowl
Most Rushing Yards:
301 against Va. Tech, 2004 Gator Bowl
Least Rushing Yards:
-21 against Wyoming, 1966 Sun Bowl
Most Passing Yards:
455 against Texas Tech, 1977 Tangerine Bowl
Least Passing Yards:
51 against Oklahoma, 1980 Orange Bowl
Most Yards Penalized:
174 against W. Virginia, 2004 Gator Bowl
Least Yards Penalized:
5 against Penn State, 1967 Gator Bowl

DEFENSE
Least Points Allowed:
2 against Texas A&M, '91 Cotton Bowl
Most Points Allowed:
52 against UF, '96 Sugar Bowl
Least Rushing Yds. Allowed:
5 against UF, '94 Sugar Bowl
Most Rushing Yds. Allowed:
411 against Oklahoma, '79 Orange Bowl
Least Passing Yds. Allowed:
33 against Wofford, 1949 Cigar Bowl
Most Passing Yds. Allowed:
449 against UF, '94 Sugar Bowl

From the Hot Rumor File: FSU Coaches Clash in Family Spat

We don't deal much in rumors. To report one it must be a juicy piece of scuttlebutt and come from reliable sources. This one qualifies on both counts.

According to some in the know, Jimbo is actively trying to tweak the defensive coaching staff -- as in possible hirings and firings. But he's meeting resistance from our favorite paisan, Chuck Amato.

ChantRant reader "Bill Nole" describes it as "probably something that Bobby could clear up if he would come out with a transition plan AND a Job Description for 'Coach in Waiting' that lets Jimbo begin to transition the program. Whether Bobby wants to take the time to do that is another issue."

Bill also believes that the "Coach in Waiting" idea was not Bobby's. Says Bill, "the Press Conference confirmed that when he said, 'The more I thought about it, the more I thought it was a good idea.'"

If this buzz is true, it gives credence to an even bigger rumor. The one in which Mickey retires sooner rather than later.

ChantRant Point - Counterpoint: The Temptation of Jimbo

POINT by Renegade Rick

Jimbo's fling with the Mountaineers was emotional, not about getting richer. It was a West Virginia boy's dream job.

Neither Jimbo or his agent sought out the WVU gig. A program desperate to replace a star coach saw a chance to land a homeboy that its fans could rally around. Jimbo saw a chance to go home and be King of the state where he was born and bred.

Have you ever had the chance to return to where you started, able to live among family and friends, and be The Man, able to call all the shots? You'd be crazy not to give it considerable thought.

Bowden did when he felt the emotional tug from Alabama. Luckily, that didn't work out, and Bobby's been a true blue Seminole ever since. 

Whether you think Jimbo stayed loyal to FSU or the West Virginia deal fell apart in the 11th hour, it's all waste water down the sewer.

If Jimbo is the head coach that T.K. and others -- WVU, UAB, Southern Miss -- think he can be, he should be at FSU for years to come.

This was the acid test. Jimbo resisted irresistible temptation. Now he and FSU are joined together in contractual matrimony for the foreseeable future.

COUNTERPOINT by Bill from Tampa

So the Jimbo Fisher to Morgantown drama has ended and the coveted offensive coordinator remains Florida State's head coach in waiting. All is forgiven right?

As Lee Corso is fond of saying, not so fast my friend.

What about the next time some high profile position opens up? Will Jimbo come to the same decision and stay at FSU? Who knows. He now has a track record of not being exactly credible. Florida State is where he wanted to be he proclaimed when he signed that agreement with FSU just a little more than a week ago. The ink was barely dry when he went out .... oh wait .... his REPRESENTATIVE (what was FSU thinking by forgetting to include his agent in the language of the contract?) went out seeking the WVU job.

Yeah, there's a guy who reeeeeeeeally wants to be at FSU.

The one and only snag that prevented West Virginia from holding a press conference on Christmas Eve to introduce him as the new head coach was Jimbo could not have his cake and eat it too. Reportedly the Mountaineers were not willing to pay him a high salary and pick up the $2.5 million buyout. The next school may be quite willing to do both. Does anyone have complete uneqivocal 100% confidence Jimbo will say after yet another coaching carousel drama Florida State is where I want to be? I know I sure don't!

Whew! Pittsburgh newspaper reveals just how close Jimbo came

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"Fisher apparently was poised Saturday night to accept the job and succeed gone-to-Michigan Rich Rodriguez as coach, after detailed discussions with West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong.

Sources said the Mountaineers' Saturday offer consisted of both a certain salary plus the $2.5 million buyout Fisher would have to pay Florida State under the coach-in-waiting contract he signed barely one week earlier.

Yesterday, when other West Virginia officials became involved in the talks, the offer changed, sources said: Take either a lower salary plus the full buyout amount, or a higher salary without it.

Meantime, Florida State put an all-out blitz on Fisher, 42. The Tallahassee Democrat reported that Fisher, believed to be ready to leave the Seminoles as of yesterday afternoon, and Florida State president T.K. Wetherell, on holiday in Montana, spoke by telephone at least three times. The paper said they discussed the program's direction and the decision-making process until the retirement of Florida State legend and onetime Mountaineers coach Bobby Bowden, whom Fisher is contractually bound to replace.

'I know media reports are circulating regarding the possibility of West Virginia's head coaching position,' Fisher was quoted as saying in a statement released shortly after 8 p.m. yesterday, at least an hour beyond the extension his camp requested, and received, from Mountaineers officials who made their earlier offer with a dinnertime deadline for a decision, one source said.

'I am a native of West Virginia and love the state, but I want to make clear that I am staying at Florida State. I am committed to this university, this program and these players. I am excited about where I am and where Seminole football is headed.'"

Is Jimbo in secret "talks" with West Virginia?

In the latest installment of the daily soap opera called FSU football, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has Jimbo -- or at least his agent -- sneaking around behind the backs of Bobby and T.K. Wetherell. Incredible. Unthinkable. But in a profession with multiple offenders like Bobby Petrino, not impossible.

Read the story for yourself and see if you think there's any fire behind this smoke coming out of Morgantown.

Are big money Mountaineer fans really ready to cough up the $2.5 million it would take to pay off FSU and release Jimbo from a contract on which the ink is hardly dry?

Is the lure of his home state strong enough to make Fisher break his promise to be Bowden's understudy and successor?

Tune in tomorrow for the next exciting adventure of "As the Coaching World Turns."

What FSU Could Expect: Three schools that faced similar situations and the punishments handed down

Georgia Tech, 2005

Violation: using 17 academically ineligible athletes in four sports, including 11 in football. NCAA said Tech's registrars and academic advisers were inadequately trained in NCAA regulations and the "institutional failure" to train the employees on NCAA rules "constitutes a non-debatable lack of institutional control." Investigators found six student-athletes were allowed to count grades of D for satisfactory progress even though their majors required grades of C or better. Four were allowed to continue in athletics despite lacking the necessary percentage of degree requirements.

Penalty: Two years probation. Reduction of scholarships to 79 total grants-in-aid for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years in football, down from the normal limit of 85. Tech voluntarily reduced its 2005 and '06 football signing class by six. No TV or bowl restrictions placed on the football program.

Note:  The school had proposed self-imposed sanctions, including one year on probation. Georgia Tech argued the violations were not intentional and might appeal.

Corrective Measure: Tech hired a new official in the registrar's office whose main duty is to ensure athletes meet the proper academic requirements.

University of Kansas, 2006

Violation: Academic fraud by a former graduate assistant football coach and a woeful compliance record under its former athletic director resulting in "lack of institutional control." Included was the charge of the former graduate assistant providing test answers to two prospective junior college transfers taking a correspondence course exam in his dorm room. The school admitted, among other things, to permitting football players to share answers when completing online courses.

Penalty: Three years probation (KU had placed itself on two years probation following the investigation, but the NCAA added a year). Loss of three football scholarships and one in men's basketball for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. 

Note: Investigation determined the academic fraud happened without head coach Mark Mangino's knowledge.

Nichols State University, 2005

Violation: "Gross academic fraud" and
other NCAA violations in football, men's basketball and volleyball involving 28 student-athletes and one prospect. Three former employees – head basketball coach, assistant football coach and athletics academic advisor – provided answers to lesson assignments and exams, falsified academic documents and attempted to cover up the fraud.

Penalty: Four years probation. Loss of one basketball scholarship and three football scholarships in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Other football penalties for 2007-08 academic year (imposed by the school): reduce by five the number of official visits; delay the start of preseason practice by three days; reduce off-campus recruiting by football coaches by seven days. In addition, exclusion from the Southland Conference telecasts of football and men's basketball. 

Note: At the time of the infractions, the university's compliance coordinator was out of work with a serious illness. According to the NCAA committee, the university tried to cover the coordinator's duties without hiring a replacement.

Knowing FSU's Nemesis: The difference between Minor and Major NCAA violations

You're hearing a lot about NCAA rules, guidelines and sanctions. And in the coming days we'll all be hearing a lot more. Here's a little help in interpreting some of the arcane NCAA-speak that's flying around:

Institutions typically self-report to the NCAA in the event they have reason to believe a violation of an NCAA rule has occurred.

The NCAA Secondary Violation Penalty Schedule provides guidance for penalties for inadvertent secondary (or minor) violations. For example, if coaching staff members attended an opponent's contest, violating the regulation generally prohibiting in-person scouting of an opponent, the employing institution should issue a letter of reprimand to the involved coaching staff members. Many recruiting violations would necessitate the institution to issue a letter of admonishment to involved staff members, with notice that repeat violations will be forwarded to the NCAA for evaluation and imposition of appropriate recruiting restrictions on the institution. Most of these involve recruiting violations.

Major infractions involve an in-depth investigation process in cooperation with the institution. Major infractions may warrant penalties such as forfeiture of games involving ineligible players, probation, limiting television coverage, termination of responsible staff, dissociation of representatives of athletic interests, reduction of allowable grants-in-aid, financial penalties, and, in the worst case, effectively suspending an athletic program for a given period of time.

Examples of major infractions include providing extra benefits to student athletes or recruits, falsification of recruiting records, unethical conduct (including academic fraud), impermissible recruiting inducements, lack of institutional control and failure to monitor its athletic programs, provision of false and misleading information, hiring irregularities, fraudulent entrance examinations, impermissible observation of preseason activities, and impermissible tryouts.

Improper academic assistance is a violation of NCAA rules and will jeopardize the eligibility of the athletes involved.

The wild cards involved for FSU: Does the "academic misconduct," as the NCAA has called the situation, constitute a major violation under the term "academic fraud"?

Even more critical, can the "academic scandal" (the tabloid term ESPN is using) with misconduct by a tutor hired by the athletic department and players involved, be construed as a big no-no called "lack of institutional control and failure to monitor its athletic programs"?

Noles Ho-Hum their way to win over College of Charleston

By Bill from Tampa

To sum up tonight’s game between Florida State and the College of Charleston, nobody on either staff was happy.

The Cougars obviously weren’t happy after losing a 12 point lead and thus a golden opportunity for the upset after baffling FSU’s offense for most of the game.

Despite winning the game 66-61 the Seminoles weren’t happy with an effort that saw them behind for more than half of the game.

It can’t really be said the 6,297 fans in attendance came happy either. More like a collective exhale of relief and a feeling that the ‘Noles got away with one tonight would describe the attitude of fans as the final buzzer sounded.

A flurry of lead changes in the last few minutes of the  game saw Seminole fan’s emotions go from depression when the Cougars took a 61-58 lead with 1:57 remaining, to exhilaration when Isaiah Swann forced a high inbound pass by Antoine Wiggins that was picked off by Toney Douglas. Douglas took it in for the layup and a 62-61 lead with: 47 left.

Just one second later Swann stole the inbounds pass from Jermaine Johnson underneath FSU’s basket. Uche Echefu ended up with the ball and was fouled on the layup attempt and stretched the lead to 64-61.

Playing poised all game long the Cougars were now rattled. Tony White, who was a thorn in the Seminole’s side all game long scoring 17 points with some timely three pointers during the numerous lead changes, inexplicably had the ball fly out of his hands directly in front of Charleston’s bench. Ralph Mims corralled the ball and was promptly fouled with 19 seconds left.

Mims made one of two and was again fouled on a rebound of Johnson’s desperation three ball with just 3 seconds on the clock. Mims finished the scoring with one of two from the charity stripe and the fans cheered high fiving FSU players as they made their way to the tunnel knowing that the outcome very easily could have gone a different way.

Many will be of the opinion that Florida State played down to the now 4-5 Cougars. That was not the case at all.

Credit the Bobby Cremins’ coaching staff, in particular former FSU player Andrew Wilson. Wilson was assigned to prepare the game plan, for obvious reasons. And Wilson did a tremendous job, almost pulling off the upset.

Following the game, to a man, every FSU player and coach said Wilson was the difference. They could hear him calling the FSU plays out as the ‘Noles ran them. The common statement among the players was that Wilson seemed to know the plays better than they did.