Bowden Leaves FSU Practice Field for Final Time

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Bobby Bowden motored off Florida State's practice football field Tuesday for the final time as the Seminoles' head coach.

Forced from the sidelines by FSU's administration, Bowden will take his first steps into retirement following the New Year's Day Gator Bowl against West Virginia. While it's no secret Bowden wanted to coach another season, he also scoffed at the notion he should have walked away years earlier when the program was on top.

"In 56 years, what difference does that make?" said Bowden, who turned 80 in November and will soon complete his 34th season with the Seminoles.

"I had some great, enjoyable years after that, even though we didn't win as many games. I didn't think we were a lucky team this year. There were too many games where we came out with a loss -- because of this or because of that we didn't make it. I hope they can get all that straightened out next year, winning enough games."

After finishing 10-3 in 2003, Bowden's Seminoles have gone 46-30 the past six years. They have lost six games three of the past four seasons and appeared in just one BCS game, a loss in the 2006 Orange Bowl.

In his 44 seasons as a head coach, Bowden has enjoyed 41 winning seasons. From 1987-2000, Bowden set an NCAA standard that may never be repeated when he coached FSU to 14 straight seasons with 10 or more victories, and his team had a final ranking of fifth or higher in both of the major polls.

Of course, times haven't been so great lately.

A loss to West Virginia on Jan. 1 would be FSU's (6-6) first losing season since 1976, Bowden's first in Tallahassee, Fla. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher signed a 5-year, $9-million contract last week to replace Bowden.

Fisher has mentioned that he wants to continue to call plays as well as work with the quarterbacks next season. Sitting in golf cart following practice, a relaxed and personable Bowden believes Fisher can handle the responsibilities.

"I hope he'll stay with calling plays. He has a great knack for calling plays. He has got it," Bowden said.

"A lot of people don't have the knack. He's got a knack for calling plays and he's got a great mind for offensive football. I hope he's still able to coach that quarterback and call plays. If he's like me and Steve Spurrier and a lot of the older guys, he'll probably do it as long as he can and eventually have to turn it over to somebody."

Bowden, meanwhile, is ready to turn over a new leaf, so to speak.

Bowden says he will certainly miss FSU, but he was always able to put football in its place behind his faith. That's how he described the secret behind the longevity of his career, a wonderful span that saw him grow from humble beginnings to become a legend and the folksy face of FSU.

"All of a sudden, that's not your life anymore," Bowden said of his impending move beyond football.
"I didn't make football my God, so it's not like, 'I'm through, I'm going to cut my wrists.' No, there's too many big things in life for that. That's not your No. 1 priority in life."
-- Bobby Bowden
"I don't know what that means as far as emotions are concerned. I hope it doesn't mean a darn thing. Like I say, I didn't make football my God, so it's not like, 'I'm through, I'm going to cut my wrists.' No, there's too many big things in life for that. That's not your No. 1 priority in life.

"I have never tried to make football my God. I think the coaches that make it their God have a struggle and have a hard time taking lickings and things like that. To me, I'm just fixing to start a new life. That's the way I look at it."

Bowden admits, however, there will be a time when he reflects on the great teams and players in college football history who have walked the same path he has from FSU's practice fields to the locker rooms.

"Occasionally I think of that, but not a lot. There's always another day," said Bowden, whose team will break for Christmas and reconvene in Jacksonville on Sunday.

"I don't look back a lot. Now, probably when I get done, I probably start looking back some. It occurred to me [it was last Bowden's practice at FSU], but there's nothing big about it. It's just another practice to me."