News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 24

NEWS-PRESS, SATURDAY. JANUARY 2, 1993 it 2 NOTEBOOK Bowden: FSU has arrived By BILLVILONA Pensacola News Journal MIAMI Florida State's first trip to the Orange Bowl in 10 years gave Coach Bobby Bowden a perspective on how the program has developed. The Seminoles lost both previous Orange Bowl games to Oklahoma. "Both times we came here I never really felt like our program had arrived," Bowden said. "I felt like Oklahoma was with the elite and we were a notch below.

And the expectations among our fans were BOWDEN Ih v- 1 V--s: -J" I- i -1 completely different. "Now we're the elite. Back then I had no idea that we'd get to this level." Florida State QB Charlie Ward had a special fan meet him Wednesday night. Florida State QB Charlie Ward had a special fan meet him Wednesday night. Chicago Bulls' star Michael Jordan visited with Ward in the locker room after the Bulls' game against the Miami Heat.

Jordan is familiar with Ward's two-sport success. The Associated Press PHENOMENAL FRESHMAN: Florida State's Tamarick Vanover stretches for a first-quarter touchdown behind Nebraska's John Reece on Friday night. Seminole receivers latch on to past glory WARD ByBILLVILONA Pensacola News Journal "Last year we were a liability to the team. This year we're definitely contributing. The attitude is so much better." IAMI The past was often a curse for Florida State's receivers.

They couldn't erase the memories left by MATT FRIER FSU receiver "He was very nice and wished me luck in the Orange Bowl and in basketball," Ward said. "Obviously I need a lot more luck to be successful than he does with his ability." Ward also attended the Heat-Los Angeles Lakers game on Monday night. Ward planned to waste little time celebrating the football victory. A returning starter at point guard for Florida State's basketball team, Ward Is scheduled to be on the bench today for the Seminoles' home basketball game against Florida. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne makes no apologies for the Cornhuskers' commitment to a running game.

"I don't know if you've ever been to Nebraska in late November or December. It gets a little chilly," he said. "And your fingers get a little cold. We do well with what we have to do to get to bowl games." Although the Cornhuskers were last in the Big Eight Conference In passing yards, they were second in touchdowns per-attempt and second in touchdowns scored. a Continuing a tradition, Bowden's son, Terry, now the new head coach at Auburn, was on the sidelines watching the game.

The two became the first father-son duo In Division 1-A history when Auburn appointed Terry, 35. Seven Florida State seniors started their final game. Only two linemen Robbie Baker of Fort Myers and Robert Stevenson play on offense. offense, as many as five receivers have been used on one play. "It gives us a chance to showcase what we have," said Knox.

"They (coaches) saw how good we are and they kind of implemented a plan to get us the ball." More receivers are coming. Freshman Wayne Messam was impressive during early season practices and tempted the Seminoles to eschew a redshirt year. But he wound up sitting out and will be joined next year by Philip Riley, considered the nation's top prospect two years ago before academic troubles sent him to junior college. The Seminoles lose only senior Shannon Baker among the six who played this season. The unit will be the deepest, and perhaps the most talented, in school history.

"Next year will increase the competition, and when you increase the competition you increase the level of play," Eason said. Vanover did some of that this season. His emergence in the third game against North Carolina State (5 catches for 105 yards and a TD) carried over to his older peers. "The confidence spread," said Vanover, the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year. "We came together like a family.

There's no one receiver who thinks they're better than another." "Vanover had a positive influence," said Eason. "He motivated them." only 1 16 of the school-record 234 receptions, less than 50 percent. This year they've accounted for more than75percentofthe catches. "It's made for a lot better year," said Eason, a broad smile stretching on his face. "What they've done this year is they've caught the ball consistently." The 18 touchdowns equal the number snared by the Fab Four In 1989.

Last year thesame group caught nine. It's also made for an enjoyable relationship with quarterback Charlie Ward. That is quite a contrast to the way last season ended, with Casey Weldon publicly denouncing his receivers and troubled Eric Turral getting booted of the team. Ward has been able to distribute the passes in theshotgun offense. Four different receivers Vanover, Frier, Knox and McCorvey have taken turns as game-leading receivers.

"They took a lot of criticism last year for not catching the ball or making the big play," said Ward. "They're a year older now, a year wiser and they've shown they can do it. "It was hard following the Fab Four because they caught everything. But this group has matured. And they've benefited from this offense more than anyone else." Since the Seminoles went almost exclusively to a no-huddle, fast-break predecessors like Lawrence Dawsey or Ronald Lewis, both now in the National Football League, and, most of all, they couldn't equal the production.

Talking a good game wasn't the problem. Playing one was another matter. "They felt like because they caught passes they were good," said Florida State receivers coach John Eason. "What we had to get them focused on is that they needed to catch them all." Eason no longer has to prod and push to get that message across. He no longer has to chart the number of dropped passes.

Spurred In part by freshman Tamarick Vanover, who has led the team In receptions and yardage, the veteran cadre of Florida State receivers has responded with a transformation in style and substance. "We've come of age," said juniorsplit end Kevin Knox, who set team season highs for receptions 1 1 and yardage 1 23) in the final regular-season game against Florida. They've also come up with a nickname, the "Six Shooters," because, as Knox puts it, "We shoot DBs (defensive backs) down." It's the first self-titled nickname since the "Fab Four" was broken up in 1 989 Dawsey, Lewis, Bruce LaSane and Terry Anthony, who combined to set school reception records. The group continued its stellar play Friday night as Vanover and Kez McCorvey caught touchdown passes in the third-ranked Seminoles' 27-14 victory over No. 1 1 Nebraska in the 59th Orange Bowl Classic.

"Last year we were a liability to the team," said junior Matt Frier. "This year we're definitely contributing. The attitude is so much better." Heading into the Orange Bowl, Florida State's receivers had caught 166 passes for 18 touchdowns. A year ago, the receivers caught QB Ward survives Nebraska's big hits 4 A ByBILLVILONA Pensacola News Journal 11 1 'V 1 ft 1 Vl sy r)v ORANGE: FSU may jump to 2nd From Page 1C FSU quarterback Charlie Ward threw two touchdown passes, Mowrey kicked two field goals and Sean Jackson scored on an 11-yard run to give FSU a 27-7 third-quarter lead. With hard rain falling and Nebraska possessing little firepower with the nation's lOOth-ranked passing offense, thousands of fans went home early as the Seminoles substituted freely.

Those who remained cheered "wildly as the stadium public-address announcer provided frequent updates of Alabama's victory over Miami in New Orleans, a result which left the Seminoles wondering if they would finish ahead of the Hurricanes in the polls for the first time since 1 984. "We're three points away from the national championship," Ward said. "In the second part of the season, we were stronger than anyone else. I'd say now we're one of the best. If we take Miami off our schedule, we'd be undefeated.

But we're not going to do that, like Florida did." Said Bowden: "It's our fault we didn't beat Miami or tie Miami, but I'm glad we got to the end of the year and people are saying we're playing the best. Do I think we are the best? We must not be, but we must be pretty darn close. "We're probably playing as good as anyone in the country. I didn't say we deserved it. The ones who deserved it are winning it tonight." Ward wasn't the spectacular quarterback he was late in the regular season, but he was steady enough to be named the game's MVP.

The junior completed 15 of 30 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns and was intercepted once. Jackson rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries and caught four passes for 61 yards. Nebraska's rushing game, which ranked No. 1 in the nation with an average of 328 yards per game, managed only 146 yards Friday. The Cornhuskers' "We-Backs," Calvin Jones and Derek Brown, rushed for 76 and .1 3 yards, respectively.

Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, HOW THEY SCORED First quarter FLORIDA STATE: Tamarick Vanover 25 pass from Charlie Ward, 7:41. Dan Mowrey kick. Drive 10 plays, 75 yards, 3:22. Key play: Nebraska 15-yard personal foul from Nebraska 40. FLORIDA STATE 7, NEBRASKA 0.

Second quarter FLORIDA STATE: Mowrey 40 FG, 10:54. Drive 7 plays, 58 yards, 1:38. Key play: Vanover 29 run on reverse from FSU 20. FLORIDA STATE 10, NEBRASKA 0. FLORIDA STATE: Kez McCorvey 4 pass from Ward, 9:22.

Mowrey kick. Drive 3 plays, 4 yards, 1:15. Key play: Dan Footman recovery of a fumbled pitch at Nebraska 2. FLORIDA STATE 17, NEBRASKA 0. FLORIDA STATE: Mowrey 24 FG, 2:34.

Drive 10 plays, 70 yards, 3:21. Key play: 'OMar Ellison 25 pass from Ward from Nebraska 32. FLORIDA STATE 20, NEBRASKA 0. NEBRASKA: Corey Dixon 41 pass from Tommie Frazier, 1:03. Bryon Bennett kick.

Drive 5 plays, 63 yards, 1:31. Key play: Dixon 18 pass from Frazier from Nebraska 36. FLORIDA STATE 20, NEBRASKA 7. Third quarter FLORIDA STATE: Sean Jackson 1 1 run, 4:52. Mowrey kick.

Drive 16 plays, 85 yards, 7:48. Key play: Jackson 14 pass from Ward from Florida State 21. FLORIDA STATE 27, NEBRASKA 7. NEBRASKA: Gerald Armstrong 1 pass from Frazier, 10:24. Bennett kick.

Drive 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:05. Key play: Dixon 37 pass from Frazier from Florida State 38. FLORIDA STATE 27, NEBRASKA 14. MIAMI A few of his Florida State teammates tried to get close to quarterback Charlie Ward. He begged them off.

"Don't touch me, don't touch me," he said, entering the locker room after leading Florida State to a 27-14 Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska on Friday. Somewhere, there was a whirlpool waiting with his name on it. "I can't wait to get in," said Ward, clutching the bowl's most valuable player award. Ward said he's been hit harder. Miami hit harder, he said.

But he showed the effects of a constant pounding, limping off the field near the end of the game. "I may look fragile, but I'm not," he said. "I can take a hit out there." He took plenty. "I've never seen him get hit like that," fullback William Floyd said. "We weren't giving him the protection, and he was paying for it.

But he showed a lot of heart out there." Ward directed the Seminoles to their eighth straight bowl victory and further set himself up for an awards chase next year. "He will lead us to the national championship," center Robbie Baker said. The fifth-year senior from Fort Myers High only wishes he had more eligibility. "This ain't Florida State anymore, it's Charlie Ward's team," he said. "He's remarkable." After hitting only 9 of 21 passes in the first half, Ward finished the game with solid numbers: 15 for 30, 187 yards, two touchdowns and 48 yards rushing, before losing 25 yards on two sacks.

Despite operating in a driving rainstorm, he steered an 85-yard, 16-play touchdown drive on the Seminoles' first possession of the second half to seal the victory. After Nebraska scored its second touchdown, he took over at his own 9 and led the team to the Nebraska 36 The Associated Press PICKED OFF: Nebraska safety Tyrone Byrd intercepts a pass in front of Florida State's Sean Jackson on Friday night in the Orange Bowl. again. Ward hit Omar Ellison on a 24-yard pass to the Cornhusker 7, setting up a 24-yard kick by Mowrey for a FSU 23 48-221 215 10 16-31-1 6-36 3-0 6-71 36:53 Ntbr 13 34-144 146 30 10-22-2 4-45 5-1 6-50 23:07 First down Rushes-yards Passing Return yards Comp-att-int Punts Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Timeof possession who saw his Orange Bowl record drop to 1-6, was upset after the game that his coaching staff did not have use of its headsets during the final three quarters while FSU's did. Although he said he was not blaming the loss on the technical malfunction, he did say it was "inexcusable in a bowl of this nature not to be able to get your sideline phones fixed." The Seminoles flashed their wide-open show early Friday, with Ward hooking up with freshman Tamarick Vanover on a 25-yard touchdown pass to begin the scoring.

The play capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was aided by two Nebraska penalties, including a 15-yarder on linebacker Ed Stewart for delivering a late hit on Ward. As expected, FSU used some trickery to roll up yardage on the slower Cornhuskers, with Vanover running three reverses for 50 yards and Ward catching a 28-yard pass from Jackson after a pitchout. The latter play set up a 40-yard field goal by Mowrey. Nebraska coughed up the ball immediately after Mowrey's kick, with freshman quarterback Tommie Frazier panicking under pressure and heaving a pitchout for a loss of 18 to the 2 yard line, where FSU's Dan Footman recovered. After Vanover was thrown for a loss on another reverse replays showed he fumbled the ball away but there was no such call Ward hit Kez McCorvey on a 4-yard TD pass for a 1 7-0 lead.

Nebraska's Byron Bennett missed a field goal try for the second time in the half, and FSU's "Fast Break" offense was off and running i. Florida State Nebraska 7 13 7 0 27 0 7 0 7 14 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Florida State, Jackson 17-101, Vanover 3-50, McMillon 9-23, Ward 14-23, Wlm-berly 1-19, Floyd 4-5. Nebraska, C.Jones 19-76, Dixon 1-35, Lewis3-I9, Brown4-l3, Frazier 7-1. PASSING Florida State, Ward 15-30-1-187, Jackson 1-1-0-28. Nebraska, Frazier 10-21-2-146, Bell 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING Florida State, Jackson 4-61, Vanover 3-40, Baker 3-32, McCorvey 3-23, Ward 1-28, Ellison 1-24, McMillon 1-7. Nebraska, Dixon 5-123, Muhammed 1-4, C.Jones 1-0, Hawkins 2-11, Armstrong l-l. A 57,324. before getting sacked. But it took critical time of the fourth-quarter clock.

"With Charlie, you can miss your block and he can still make great plays," tailback Sean Jackson said. I.