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 Thursday, October 11, 2001
Different QB, different situation
By Marc Connolly
ABC Sports Online
Chris Weinke never had it this tough.
Neither did Charlie Ward, Thad Busby nor Danny Kanell.
Each of those Florida State quarterbacks stepped into an offense that was already an efficient scoring factory that made defensive coordinators all over the country stock up on Alka-Seltzer and white flags. As first-year starters, the aforementioned signal-callers came into the Miami game each October with a well-stocked cupboard of wideouts ready for a track meet -- players like Kez McCorvey, Andre Cooper, E.G. Green, Peter Warrick. And Busby and Weinke, the last two FSU starters, had already established running backs at their disposal in Warrick Dunn and Travis Minor.
|  | | Chris Rix has thrown a touchdown pass for Florida State in each of the four games this year. |
Chris Rix does not have this luxury.
The redshirt freshman doesn't have the experience of any of his predecessors -- most of whom got their chance to lead the Seminole arsenal as juniors -- or the talent on his side. Nothing against Atrews Bell and Javon Walker, both players who should be playing on Sundays next year, but Rix doesn't have what has always seemed like a never-ending wealth of burners to throw to out of the shotgun in four- or five-wide sets.
"We began our preparations for our season this year with a full allotment of receivers, and we felt like we had some people who were going to be some really good playmakers," said Florida State quarterbacks coach Daryl Dickey, who joined Bobby Bowden's staff for the second time this fall after coaching elsewhere for the past 11 years. "We sustained some injuries and that kind of depleted it."
Rather than come into the 2001 campaign with the burning speed of Anquan Boldin and the sure-handed experience of senior Robert Morgan -- two players who would start for any team in the nation -- the Seminole offense took a crushing blow when both players sustained season-ending injuries.
Additionally, hurt due to a slew of other players injured and the graduation of 25 seniors from last season's national runner-up team, it's easy to understand why Florida State hasn't been the juggernaut of old this year. The 'Noles still feature a dozen NFL prospects in their starting lineup and enough talent that no one in the country will shed any tears for them, but the Darth Vader-like shadow of intimidation they cast over the opposition in the last decade has been dimmed. That's what a 41-9 loss to a North Carolina program that is usually pummeled into the ground each year will do to the Garnet and Gold sheen.
So, in a way, Rix enters this week's matchup against both the school's biggest rival and the nation's top-ranked team with something to gain. He's not expected to lead the way in a victory, something only four first-year starting quarterbacks have done in this series since 1989 (nine have lost). But if he does resemble the player who threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns in a bounce-back blowout win over Wake Forest, greatness could be bestowed upon him earlier than any of Bowden's QBs have in their careers.
The Santa Margarita, Calif., native is relishing his team's, as well as his individual, underdog status coming into the game.
"I think being an underdog is motivation for us because it's very rare, especially in this game," said Rix, a very athletic 6-foot-4, 205-pounder. "I know the past few years we've been the favorite. Now the pressure is on them so we've got everything to gain and nothing to lose."
Miami players have spoken about their respect for Rix, even though he has started a mere four college games, but it's obvious they are resting easier knowing that last year's Heisman Trophy winner isn't back there barking out signals.
"Chris (Weinke) was an experienced guy and had been there a couple of years," said All-American safety Ed Reed. "He was the leader. Everyone looked to him. He had the ability to take over a game at anytime, like he demonstrated against us last year in the second half. It's a big relief knowing Chris is not there."
Miami's star QB, Ken Dorsey, himself a Heisman Trophy candidate, beat the Seminoles in his first start against them in a 27-24 thriller at the Orange Bowl. He knows that Rix is walking into a situation he's never dealt with before.
|  | | Ken Dorsey might just be leading the race for the Heisman Trophy so far this fall. |
"I think it's going to be tough for him," said Dorsey. "It's just a different type of game anybody has really played before. For a younger quarterback, it just takes a little time to get settled down. When you're in a big program like Florida State or Miami, that process is only going to take about one play. If you take a half to get used to the tempo, then your team might be in trouble. I know he's going to come out ready to play, and he's going to come out with the mentality I came out with last year -- that he's not intimidated by us."
Rix has praised the Hurricane defense all week, marveling at their team speed and how they swarm to the ball. He also noted that they are a gang of hard-hitters, something he expects to find out on Saturday, yet isn't feeling intimidated by it.
"You want to be as prepared as you can for a team like Miami -- watch film, go over your plays and the stuff you're installing each night," he said. "The pressure is the same as it is for every other game, just more extreme. I just want to stay within myself and do what I'm coached to do."
From what his QB coach said, that will be to get back to playing traditional Seminole football, which has long been predicated on the deep ball.
"We're going to have to go ahead and run our normal offense and not taper it down because of somebody who is inexperienced," said Dickey, the 1986 Sugar Bowl MVP as the quarterback of the Tennessee Volunteers. "For us to have a chance to win, we're going to have to cut loose and let it fly."
While Rix is expected to be back in the shotgun more frequently than he has in the four previous games, he also has an element to his game that FSU fans haven't seen out of their quarterback since the days of Charlie Ward.
"I saw him scramble when I was watching some film. He's pretty fast," said Miami defensive tackle Matt Walters. "I saw a running back break a play and he ran all the way down past the running back and threw a lead block all the way down the field, like 50 yards further down the field. So I know he's fast, and as a defensive lineman that means you're just going to have to be conscious of our rush lanes and make sure we don't jump back and forth between gaps."
Reed, who'll certainly be unleashed on the young QB on safety blitzes, has been impressed with his running game as well.
"Chris Rix poses some problems," he said. "He can throw the ball and he can also run. He's a good scrambler, so he'll keep you honest."
|  | | Javon Walker will be one of Rix's main targets against Miami. |
Against a defense that is absolutely loaded in the secondary, Rix may find himself escaping the pocket after making all of his reads more often than not. Having rushed 30 times for 134 yards and one touchdown, he has the go-ahead to do so from the sideline.
"When Chris leaves the pocket, he's one heck of an athlete," said Dickey. "The guy runs a 4.5 (40 time) and he's 205 pounds. Plus he's got a good eye and makes good decisions. He's got a lot of talent and a lot of potential, but he's also a redshirt freshman. He's learning what he can and can't do on the field. There's been some very valuable lessons learned in the first four games."
Dickey has admitted that his 20-year-old signal-caller has made some ill-timed decisions and has missed some throws he should have made this fall, but overall he's been impressed with the fact that he has only thrown one interception. That has helped Rix earn a quarterback rating of 165.7, the best among the nation's freshmen and seventh among all QBs. Oddly enough, Dorsey is one spot behind him in eighth at 165.2. Rix's seven touchdown passes is also tied for the NCAA lead among freshmen.
But stats don't mean much when it comes to Miami-Florida State. It's a whole different beast altogether, and Rix understands that. What should help him is a legion of Seminoles turning Doak Campbell Stadium into the snakepit it usually is, rather than having to play this game on the road. And the fact that he turned down Major League Baseball and traveled all the way across the country to play in this game.
"He understands the magnitude of the game," said Dickey. "Miami-Florida State is one of the best rivalries in all of college football, and that's why you come to Florida State -- to play in this game. Now is his opportunity to do so, and he's ready."
"It's a big game for this town and this program," said Rix. "I know that there is a lot riding on my shoulders and I gladly accept that and take it as an honor that I'll be playing a major role in it."
Marc Connolly is a senior writer for ABC Sports Online. He can be reached at marc.connolly@abc.com.
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 Chris Rix fakes the handoff, then caps off a touchdown run by doing a spinning 360-degree flip into the end zone.
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