THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 25, 1994 TAG: 9407250149
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TAMPA LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Bobby Bowden looks as if he has aged years since he and his Florida State Seminoles walked away from the Orange Bowl last January with their first national championship.
That isn't what winning a title will do for you, but what scandal will do for a coach who prides himself on running a clean shop.
Since May 10, the Florida State program has been assaulted with accusations of NCAA rules violations that include players accepting money and gifts from agents, and receiving money from summer jobs they did not perform.
Once again Sunday, at the ACC Football Kickoff '94, Bowden insisted he was not aware of any of the violations, including one in which several of his players were treated to a shopping expedition at a Tallahassee sporting-goods store.
``I had no idea, and what really makes me angry is that no one called and told me those things were going on,'' Bowden said.
Bowden expects soon to announce suspensions of up to five players involved in the shopping spree. The suspended players probably will miss Florida State's opening game against Virginia on Sept. 3 but will not sit out the season.
Bowden said he has avoided meeting with the accused players because he does not want to present the appearance of telling them what to say to investigators.
``I just want them to be honest and tell the truth,'' he said.
But Bowden knows what he will say when the team gathers next month for preseason practice.
``I'll say, `See what happens when you don't do what I say?' We have warned them so many much about this kind of stuff.''
Bowden, who gives his players considerable freedom, said the current problems won't cause him to tighten up.
``We will be more restrictive in some areas, but I like freedom,'' he said. ``We have had 14 good years (since a 1980 incident when players received goods from a department store), and I hope we have another 14 good years.
``My program is dependent on people abiding by the rules without us going around and taking fingerprints all the time.''
NO. 1 AGAIN: The ACC media unanimously picked the Seminoles to win a third straight ACC championship this season.
The Seminoles are 16-0 against ACC teams since joining the league in football two years ago.
``Florida State is still head and shoulders above everyone else in the league in talent,'' said North Carolina coach Mack Brown, whose Tar Heels were picked to finish second. The media selected Virginia to finish third, followed by Clemson, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Maryland, Wake Forest, and Duke.
Florida State also is picked by several preseason publications to repeat as national champions.
``It will be difficult, but we are the only team that is eligible to repeat,'' Bowden quipped.
NOT SHY: Virginia coach George Welsh isn't singing the blues about having to open the season against Florida State in Tallahassee.
``That's fine,'' Welsh shrugged. ``It will help our team to be focused in preseason practice.
``Besides, we'll get it over with early.''
Welsh admitted that Florida State's domination of the league the last two years has surprised him.
``I didn't think they were as good as they are,'' he said. ``They are not just a good college team, but an outstanding college team.''
SHORT YARDAGE: Clemson coach Tommy West has moved wide receiver Antwuan Wyatt to tailback to get more consistency at the position. None of the three returning tailbacks, including former Kempsville star Tony DeSue, impressed West in spring drills. . . . Georgia Tech quarterback Donnie Davis, who underwent surgery twice on his right shoulder during the offseason, appears to have made a solid recovery. ``Donnie says he is throwing the ball without any pain for the first time since his junior year in high school,'' according to the Yellow Jackets' coach, Bill Lewis. by CNB