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Friday, December 13, 2002
Q&A with Bobby Bowden
BCSfootball.com
Bobby Bowden is at Troy State University this week, running the 15th Annual Bowden Academy with his sons Tommy, Terry, Jeff and Steve and son-in-law Jack Hines. BCSfootball.com spoke with Coach Bowden about the upcoming season, his 25th at Florida State.
Going into the summer, who is your No. 1 quarterback -- Anquan Boldin or Chris Rix?
|  | | Anquan Boldin is currently second on the depth chart at quarterback. |
If we were kicking off today, it would be Chris Rix with Anquan Boldin second. Neither one of them has taken a college snap. Chris is a redshirt freshman. Anquan is a pure junior. It's a very close competition. There's a chance that we will use both of them. Our staff will decide that in August.
Is there a chance you would move Boldin back to wide receiver?
No. You can't play one season with one quarterback. We learned that with Chris Weinke (in 1998) when he sprained his ankle. I would be scared to death to go with one quarterback.
It's really a race right now to see which one is best. What I'm saying is that I am not afraid to play both of them. We might go in that direction.
Georgia Tech is going into the preseason as the favorite in the ACC. Are you enjoying the underdog role?
That doesn't bother me. We've been at both ends of it. If you are picked No. 1, you have to defend it. If you are picked No. 5, you have to prove them wrong. I like it both ways. Sometimes I get tired of being picked No. 1. There have been other teams ahead of us before.
Can you really be considered an underdog since you have won all nine ACC titles since Florida State joined the league?
Realistically, if you look at Florida State and see their losses, and you look at Georgia Tech and their losses, you can see why they are the preseason favorite. We compete against them in recruiting. We know their recruits. It doesn't surprise me. They deserve it.
Clemson has two experienced quarterbacks. Do you think Tommy and his Tigers are ready to upset you this year?
There's no doubt playing Clemson at Clemson is going to be as dangerous as playing Georgia Tech at Florida State. We know what it was like last time (a 17-14 Seminole victory in 1999). We were national champions that year and we stayed behind for three and a half quarters.
With Florida State, Georgia Tech, Clemson and an improved N.C. State and North Carolina, it appears the ACC is improving. Would agree with that?
We are seeing improvement. There's four new coaches this year and the facilities are all being improved. Everyone is trying to catch up, catch up. It can only lead to positive things in the conference.
Have you spoken with Joe Mauer recently? Do you expect to see him this summer in camp, or have you had to move on?
I have been on the road every day since he signed. I haven't had time to talk with him. We solved all this before he signed. I have not had a chance to talk to him. But I will use him just as we did Chris Weinke. If we don't see him in 2001, we'll see him in 2009!
Do you expect to see him in August?
I think if it was up to him, I think we would. But when you go the first guy in the (baseball) draft, I don't think the team will let you go. But I'm not worried. He wasn't going to play this year anyway.
We signed three freshmen quarterbacks. It gives us time to redshirt him, and gives him time to play Florida State baseball if he wants. Just like we would give Adrian McPherson time to play basketball because he's a good basketball player. They can be buying time while we give these kids time to get ready.
|  | | The competition between Bobby (left) and Tommy Bowden extends beyond the playing field. |
You mentioned that you enjoy working side-by-side with your sons at the camp. But do you have to be careful talking to Tommy about certain players?
You have to be conscious what you talk about. You don't want to tip him about certain players.
You mentioned a player you had dinner with. Are you watching who Tommy is with?
We are evaluating the same kids. Sometimes I do not want to tell him about a kid. He has his eyes on other players. I'm afraid a little that a little of that is going on. Terry can stay neutral on it. Jeff and I are eyeballing talent. So I'm sure that if I saw something real good that I thought he was missing, I would maybe hide it.
When Terry was a head coach, there were three of you looking for talent. What was that like?
One thing I have always stressed is that I have always passed information on to them, especially positive information I would want them to know. But when you start playing each other, then you start hiding it from them.
How do you think Jeff is going to do as offensive coordinator? Will you have a bigger role in the offense this season?
I will probably have a bigger role. Mark Richt was my coordinator since '94. Before that, I had Brad Scott. Anytime I would break in a new coordinator, I would get more involved.
We hired Darryl Dickey to take Richt's place. He's very intelligent and very mature. I have confidence in him as a quarterbacks' coach. I will get involved when I have to.
Who will be calling the plays?
That will be up to Jeffrey. There will be times when I will insert (my authority). Primarily it will be Jeff's job.
Is he your heir apparent at Florida State?
No. Right now, I wouldn't consider any of my sons the heir apparent.
How much longer do you plan to be in Tallahassee?
I don't know the answer to that. Right now, I don't have a desire to retire. I don't know. So right now, there isn't any number, three more, five more, one more. There's nothing in my mind right now. I do know one of these days, it will have to happen. Most guys my age are retiring. I have never planned mine. I have no desire to right now.
Can Florida State compete for No. 1 this year?
We're too inexperienced to be considered right now. What I told our booster club was that our talent level stays the same every year, but our maturity level is an extreme. Last year we had a senior led team with a lot of substitutes who were seniors. This year, we are an underclass team and seeking help from a lot of freshmen.
The thing that could throw us up there is for a few stars to emerge. If we don't have a lot of stars, we may have a few struggles. We need a few players to be like Chris Weinke or Peter Warrick.
What teams do you think have a good shot around the nation?
I believe Florida and Miami are going to be on the list. I would give Florida the nod right now because of so many first-round players Miami lost. But Miami looked real good in the spring. Texas will be good competition and Nebraska will be back. Oklahoma probably also.
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