April 16, 2009

Brent Beaird
Special to Warchant.com

Bobby Bowden's 2009 Booster Tour

Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden, who was the special guest of the Seminole Club of Clay County at the Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park, Fla., this past Monday night, quelled any immediate retirement talk by telling 125 fans at the banquet that he would "hope to see you next year." There has been speculation as to when the 79-year-old Bowden would retire and turn the reins over the offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, the designated "coach-in-waiting". This means Bowden will step aside by January 2011 or the school will owe Fisher $5 million.

Bowden was relaxed and optimistic about the upcoming season during his Clay County visit. As usual, he poked fun at himself and his wife, Ann, at the beginning of his remarks. Bowden mentioned that his six children, 21 grandchildren and five great grandchildren recently hosted a party to honor the couple on their 60th wedding anniversary.

As is his custom, Bowden, going into his 34th year as the FSU coach, took time to discuss the recent spring practice. He is happy to welcome back nine starters on offense including redshirt junior quarterback Christian Ponder. Bowden mentioned that Ponder has already earned his undergraduate degree and has started working on his masters. Bowden playfully asked the audience how many of them had accomplished that feat during their lifetime.

"I can't wait until he becomes a doctor, then he'll be a pretty good quarterback," Bowden said.

He added that the early injury to redshirt freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel was the only real negative part of spring practice.

"He (Manuel) needed spring training," Bowden said. "He's 6-5 and 220 pounds. He needed the work, but on the first day of practice, he throws a pass and his hand hits a helmet. He had a compound fracture on his finger. In a couple of weeks, he'll start throwing some. Ponder got more work which is a good thing. If Manuel can't play then we might go to either (left-handed freshman Will) Secord or walk-on Corey Eddinger who did pretty well. Who else really has two quarterbacks?"

Bowden said there is plenty of inexperienced talent at receiver. He described Bert Reed as a receiver with big-time potential who can fly. He said sophomore Jamar Fortson, who is a 6-3, 220 pounds, has big time talent and is very athletic. Bowden mentioned that fifth year senior Rod Owens was dealing with a suspension, but he made it clear that the coaching staff had no previous trouble with the Jacksonville, Fla., native.

Several Jacksonville area players such as sophomore walk-on receiver Louis Givens made an impact on the team during spring practice. Bowden lauded the 5-foot-8 Givens, a Wolfson High grad, who was named as the spring's "most improved receiver".

"He's a heck of a football player," Bowden said. "It scares me when I have to look down at him. I'm used to looking up at them. He's no taller than I am."

Bowden also mentioned Avis Commack, also from Jacksonville, named one of the top newcomers for the spring.

"He (Commack) dropped the ball a lot this spring which is normal for a freshman. If he could get that consistency and one day he will. We also hope to get Taiwan Easterling back after having surgery on his Achilles tendon. He's a winner. We need to get him back," Bowden said.

Someone in the crowd asked Bowden about receiver Corey Surrency, who has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA. Bowden described the process as "we appealed for another year and the NCAA turned it down, so we will appeal their appeal."

Easily the strength of the team is the offensive line that returns intact. Last year, the Noles had the youngest offensive line in the nation with three freshman and two sophomores. Bowden credited the unit for winning 11 battles last year.

"They got licked only two times last year," Bowden said. (Offensive line coach Rick) Trickett does a real good job coaching the offensive line."

Jermaine Thomas, another Jacksonville product from First Coast High, is the No. 1 tailback coming out of spring.

"He's not little and he's not big," Bowden said. "He's a reckless runner and can catch the ball good. He is ahead of Ty Jones. I was impressed with his seven yard per carry average last season."

As happy as he is with the offense, Bowden bemoaned the fact that there are fewer starters returning on defense.

"We've got six or seven guys who have started, but we've only got about four regular starters back," Bowden said. "I'm concerned about our secondary. I feel decent about the line and the linebackers. "

Three starters in the secondary will have to be replaced. Bowden said several younger cornerbacks and safeties will probably have to see some action. Bowden praised junior cornerback Patrick Robinson who he said "will be in the NFL in a couple of years. "

If the season started today, Bowden said the rest of the secondary would be Ochuko Jenije at the other cornerback position along with safeties Jamie Robinson and Korey Mangum.

In discussing the defensive line, Bowden said the two starters at defensive end would be Markus White and Kevin McNeil. He also talked about the depth at tackle.

"White has some good stuff," Bowden said. "His motor is always running. He'll make the tackle 30 yards downfield. (Defensive tackles) Moses McCray, who started as a freshman, and Kendrick Stewart, who started last year, are back. Budd Thacker missed all of spring with an injury, but he'll be back. A kid who made a lot of strides this spring was Everett Dawkins who is from Byrnes, South Carolina."

At linebacker, Bowden said Dekoda Watson, Kendall Smith and Nigel Bradham would likely start. Bowden said he was confident that assistant coach Chuck Amato has at least six linebackers that he can work with throughout the season.

Replacing kicker Graham Gano will also be a challenge. Bowden said Shawn Powell, a sophomore, will punt. He added that the Noles signed Dustin Hopkins, a kicker from Houston, Texas, who frequently kicks the ball into the end zone.

Bowden mentioned several incoming members of the February signing class who could eventually help such as athlete Willie Downs from Tallahassee, defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel from Greenville and offensive linemen John Prior from Portsmouth, Ohio and Aubrey Phillips from Olive Branch, Miss, who is 6-foot-5, 325 pounds.

"He (Phillips) looks good at 325," Bowden joked. "You can be 325 and not look good. Just look at Charlie Barnes (the executive director of Seminole Boosters)." Barnes, who was on the podium, and the crowd roared with laughter.

Bowden deflected any criticism of the freshman offensive linemen class by saying, "Trickett don't like those five star guys. He likes those three star guys that he can make into five star guys."

He said Greg Reid, a five-star defensive back from Valdosta, Ga., could play immediately as a kick or punt returner, defensive back or even a tailback.

Another freshman that attracted Bowden's attention was Chris Thompson, a four-star running back from Madison County.

"He reminds me of (former Nole great) Warrick Dunn, but I'm not sure that he can play like Warrick Dunn," Bowden said.

Once again, FSU begins the season against Miami, this time on Labor Day night in Tallahassee. Bowden said that he would rather start the season against a lesser opponent, but ACC and ESPN officials wanted the game as the headliner for a Labor Day night kickoff.

"It's a great national game," Bowden said. "Seven national titles have come out of that game in the past 30 years. I would rather open up against Sewanee (the University of the South)."

Bowden added that Florida was no doubt in his mind the best team in the nation.

"They (Florida) are going through what we went through in the 1990's,"Bowden said. "You have to hand it to Florida, but you can't maintain that forever. USC struggled a few years ago and they are now in a zone. We're going to get back into that zone."

Brent Beaird writes for Rivals.com and Samsportsline.com. He can be heard on 1010XL Sports Radio in Jacksonville, Fla. Brent can be contacted at brentbeaird@comcast.net

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