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KONICA MINOLTA GATOR BOWL: FLORIDA STATE v WEST VIRGINIA

January 1, 2010

Bobby Bowden

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

Florida State 33
West Virginia 21

COACH BOWDEN: Where were you all when I needed you, back during the bad days? This is a good day.
I was very concerned all week about getting too much attention. I like the attention, but I mean, everything is Bobby this, Bobby that, Bobby this, Bobby that. I have never been treated so royally. I think Ann felt the same way, never felt so royally where we stayed and where we went and what we did.
Really, I said now somehow this has got to work against us. Our players are not going to be focused, their attention is going to be divided or something like that. The way that game started off, I said, Yep, that's exactly what happened. These kids got all wrapped up in this Bobby Bowden-leaving thing and they ain't ready to play football, but they got better and better as the game went on.
I thought it was an excellent football game. I thought that No. 7 was one of the best backs. He is a Florida boy. But our kids just kept fighting. E.J. did a tremendous job as a redshirt-freshman quarterback. Reminds me of old Chip Ferguson who started down here in 1985 and we played Oklahoma State in the Gator Bowl. He might have been a pure freshmen or a redshirt-freshman and he was most valuable that year after the game. I really pleased with E.J.
Of course, 38 ran real good. We needed somebody to counter that No. 7. If No. 7 is going to get 200 yards, somebody on our team needs to get 150. Jermaine did that. Offensive line played good all year. I can't remember them having a bad game. They played good all year.
Our kicking game was one part of our game we never lost all year. You got offense. You got defense kicking. There are times when our defense got killed. There were times when our offense got killed. But our kicking team never lost. Not that they won, but nobody beat us with a kicking game. They held up again today.
Y'all want to ask some questions?

Q. You have never been overly sentimental. I'm wondering at the end of a long parade what it means to get out of here with a win and be carried off the field by the players?
COACH BOWDEN: It is amazing, but coming out with a win is kind of a bonus. Here I was looking at the end of my career. I'm either going to win 388 games or 389. Neither one of them throw me over the hump or nothing, unless something happened to Joe -- anything happen to Joe today? (Laughter) I might sign up for another year if Joe leaves.
So anyway, the winning was really a bonus, knowing it is your last game. To be honest, it is kind of interesting. I'm interested in this retirement business. You know what? I ain't got to set my alarm. I get up when I get darn good and ready, and then, like I say, go out and look for a job.

Q. Could you talk about that brief ride on the shoulders? It looked like you asked to get down rather than putting you down.
COACH BOWDEN: Yeah.

Q. Two, how much did the years pour through your head today as you are walking down and you are down to your last half, your last quarter, and your last drive?
COACH BOWDEN: When I first came here -- you folks that followed us back in those days -- all big wins were finished with carrying you off on your shoulders. That's what people did back in those days.
We were on our 200th win. I got carried off. We won our 100th win, we got carried off. The wins over Nebraska, Ohio State, there were usually carry-offs.
And then we stopped doing it. I don't know why. We just stopped doing it. I think they like throwing water at you, trying to create pneumonia. I said, Man, don't do it anymore. I'm 70 years old. I will die of pneumonia if you hit me with that water anymore. So they stopped doing that.
But today, we came off the field, someone asked me, Can we carry you off? And I said, Well, yes, if you all want to. I don't want anybody thinking it up. But if y'all want to do it, I will let you carry me off the field.
I must have sent the littlest -- they must have sent the littlest guys they could. They couldn't even lift me up. And so, anyway, I ended up walking off the field. They were determined to get me on their shoulders. So they did that when I came off that stage. I don't know how far they would have carried me, but I finally got them to put me down.

Q. Why?
COACH BOWDEN: Why? We were about out of space. We were going to run into the wall. If I fell, it would be the end of the stadium. I thought it was about time to get down.

Q. You ran down and threw your hat into the stands with a minute left?
COACH BOWDEN: That was to the band. I used to do that all the time. When our bands sat on the other end of the field, when I came off the field, I always threw the band my hat. Then we changed them and put them way down there. I never could throw them my hat. We would play away from home sometimes. That would be where I could throw them my hat.
I just -- I looked down there to see how high up they are. Sometimes they are so high I can't get my hat that high. I say, Dadgummit, that's my last game, they can't give me more than 15 yards. So I'm going to throw that hat up there for the last time to the band because they mean so much to me.
I'm a band man. I love the band.

Q. How did you feel about planting the spear? Was that fun?
COACH BOWDEN: Yeah, I used to try to throw a javelin in college, and it would just kill me when it wouldn't stick up. Throw that thing down there, and it is supposed to stick. I was wondering if that thing was going to stick. But I got it on my first shot, so I could be a pretty good spear thrower, I believe.

Q. What went through your mind as you came off and saw the gauntlet of football fans that go back 30 years?
COACH BOWDEN: That was the most emotional thing I have had. I was determined I ain't crying. I ain't going to cry. I can't care what anybody said. I was determined I ain't going to cry.
But I tell you what, the closest I came is when I walked through them players and the fans. That was pretty tough.

Q. Could you tell us what your most cherished victory and disappointing loss was at West Virginia?
COACH BOWDEN: At West Virginia? I really can, I can pin that down. The best win we had was in '75 when we beat Pitt with a McKenzie field goal in the last four seconds. When he kicked it through there, I looked up the scoreboard, game was over. I think we won 17-14.
Johnny Majors was the head coach at Pitt. Tony Dorsett was a great back. We held him to 106 that day. That was the biggest win I can remember of all of them.
Now, the worst loss, not even close. Do you remember?
36-35. Yeah, yeah. Pitt 36-35. And just like Ann says, it is the only time she ever cried. We had them 35-8 at the half. We're killing them. We're killing them. Second half we couldn't even make a first down.
I tell you what, I learned something. You never had me sitting on the ball again, have you? I get accused of running up the score, you are darn right. I sat on it when we were ahead 35 to 8 today, and I said, We are going to win.
When we lost, I said, I ain't never going to sit on it again. Don't have to worry about it no more though.

Q. Coach Bowden, you had said all year you thought this team was close. They're very young. I know you are disappointed you are not going to get to coach them next year. What do you foresee for this team going forward in 2010 and beyond?
COACH BOWDEN: Got to get the defense cranked up. I really felt like our offense played as good as we use to play back in the '90s. I thought our offense was simply that productive. But we simply couldn't stop people.
You score 44 points against Tech and lose. You score 34 against Miami and lose. I mean, we used to score 20 points, you are going to win that game. So we've got to build up that defensive football team. Maybe they will.
But that has probably been one of the big problems we've had. I don't know. I don't think it is our coaching as much as it is we just don't have the talent, I think, that we had when Marvin Jones and Derrick Brooks and a lot of those guys were playing for us.
They can get that. They'll get that. I think this crew that he's going to bring in here are going to be good recruiters.

Q. How big was that -- you know, you not only scored in the third quarter but you took almost 7 minutes off the clock. Was that big and vital?
COACH BOWDEN: Yes, that was very big. When you play somebody like this team here, the Mountaineers, that have a back like No. 7, your time of possession is going to be very important.
When we used to play Dorsett up at Pitt, you better keep the ball because he's going to get one. Dorsett would get one every game. And Divine is the same way. The score was important but the 7 minutes were very important, too.

Q. You didn't explain to the other people in the media here, in that game at Pitt in 1970 in the second half, you didn't have your best defender in there. That's the reason you lost that game.
COACH BOWDEN: Well, we did have some injuries that affected us. But the thing I -- it is funny. I know y'all ain't interested in what happened in 1970. But I'm going to tell you anyway because you're sitting there, right? (Laughter).
So we're playing Pitt up at Pitt and that's the big rivalry is West Virginia and Pitt. It is like Florida, Florida State. We got ahead of them 35-8, just killing them. What their coach did now, because he told me about it later, he was so embarrassed he took all of his wide receivers out and played the second half with three big old tight ends. All he wanted to do was kind of keep the score from getting run up.
What he did, he came up about five times with fourth and one and went for it and made it. And we couldn't stop him. We simply couldn't stop them. I was sitting on the darn ball. I wouldn't go and open up our offense until it was too late.
Like I said, that's the last time I've played conservative football.

Q. Today were you aware of, one, the last game -- the ultimate game, the last fourth quarter, the last third quarter? And did you think about at all old years, old players, old moments?
COACH BOWDEN: Did I think of old players and old moments during that time today?

Q. During the game.
COACH BOWDEN: Not too much. I can't remember thinking too much about that. I probably reflected back to games here in the Gator Bowl because they were fresh on my mind. We played -- that's the third time we played West Virginia in the Gator Bowl. I think I reflected a few times on what happened in those games.

Q. Any regrets, Bobby?
COACH BOWDEN: I wanted 400 so bad. I wanted 400 so bad because I felt like, well, Joe is going to beat me -- when they took away those games, Joe is going to beat me. And if I could just get to 400, it would be me and him. I could hang around with him and follow him around a little bit. But I wanted 400 but didn't get a shot at it.

Q. Everybody always says it is hard to follow a legend. Do you have any advice for Jimbo or any advice for the Florida State fans?
COACH BOWDEN: They've got to be very patient with anybody. Anybody that has coached as long as I have, the next guy coming in has got to be very careful. I really have a lot of confidence in him. He is one of the sharpest coaches -- young coaches I have seen.
He will hire well and he will recruit well. I think he will do good. Now, I want to leave town. I definitely want to leave town. I have always said when I finish a job like this, I do not want to hang around and get compared -- people say, Bobby, what would you have done? What should he have done? How come you didn't do like what Bobby did?
I don't want to go through that. So I'm high-tailing it out of here as soon as I can. When I say soon, the season is not until next September. We will probably go to Panama City when we get things squared away. That's our second home, between there and Birmingham. We will keep our house in Tallahassee.

Q. If you had to write the story for tomorrow, what would you say about who Bobby Bowden is? What would you say you were all about, thinking about everything you've done at Florida State?
COACH BOWDEN: Well, my headline would probably be "Bobby Bowden pulled out another great win with his excellent strategy." (Laughter) he jerked the mic away from Jimbo Fisher and started calling plays himself. That's why they won. (Laughter).
Another lie. It would be another lie.

Q. In the last minute or so, it looked like you had a special moment or two with Jim Gladden, Chris Weinke, Derrick Brooks, just what did that mean?
COACH BOWDEN: Oh, that means -- it is just about as meaningful as anything you can get. Anybody who has worked a job, doesn't have to be a football coach -- it could be a writer, could be anyone who has worked at a job as long as I have and you know you are fixin' to leave and people come up and hug your neck that you coached 10 years ago or 20 years ago or 15 years ago and helped you be successful, it is a great closeness there. It is like a family. It is like a family.
And I really appreciate all those boys coming back to the game.

Q. You said some time ago, I remember this quote, that whenever something bad happens in your life, it is soon followed by something good. Was the, if you will, forced resignation the bad and how good was today? How nice will this taste for years to come?
COACH BOWDEN: Well, this will be good. Always remember that last game and so you always remember it as a win. It's a good feeling.
But, you know, wins last 24 hours. You know, you win, you're happy, you go home and eat good and you drive back and then back to work, back to work. Of course, when you are coaching, it is, well, the next game. You lose, you forget about the last win. But it is nice to end your career with a win, and that's what the boys did for us. I'm excited about it.

Q. What was it like in the locker room? I guess you were signing autographs for players and signing jerseys and helmets. That's kind of unusual. What was it like?
COACH BOWDEN: In the locker room there? Well, one of the kids brought his jersey and he wanted me to sign it and I did. Another one sees him, so "Sign mine."
Three other guys, "Sign mine." You are sitting there signing everyone's jersey. It never stops, it never stops.
So I had to go do a show with Deckerhoff and it stopped them. Then I had to come over here and it stopped again. I will probably do some more when I get back in there.
One thing, let me mention to you -- this is me now; this is me. You know, people talk about games we've won, we've won, just Bobby Bowden. How many games has Bobby Bowden -- I don't like to say Bobby Bowden won. I like to say "we, our teams, have won." We won 388 games in our lifetime.
How about them 22 wins I got at South Georgia College? Now, how come that don't count? I know it don't count in NCAA. I know it don't count NCAA. But will somebody mention please that I do have 400 wins (laughter) during a lifetime, although they don't count with them sweet old NCAA people who took away 14 of our games.
But anyway, I have been wanting to get that off my chest a long time. I keep waiting for somebody to say "Coach, you won 400 games with South Georgia College. Why don't they count that?" But y'all would never ask.

Q. How do you think coaches are different now, coaches who are getting their first head coaching job than maybe you were when you first got your first coaching job?
COACH BOWDEN: It is tougher now. It has changed now. It is so different now than when I first got into coaching. When I first got in, they gave you at least five years. That was kind of the deal. We'll hire you. First few years you will miss out on recruiting because we didn't sign you up until January. Four years later, if you don't win by then, it is time to get somebody else. Now they are cutting it down. It might be three or two.
Now, I think the thing is that coaches are making so much money, coaches are making so much money that people are impatient. Look, we're paying you this much money, you got to win, you got to win now.
So I think that's causing a lot of guys probably to lose their jobs. You know, the thing y'all don't ever mention, and am I correct on this, like I was paid, what, $2.5 million and the University paid me, what, 240 or 300, University paid me 300? I generated the rest of it. I generated the rest of it. I did it with a television show. I did it with a radio show. I went out and talked to 25 boosters all over the state. I advertised for Nike. You know, and so now I'm not saying it just for me because I'm through. But these other coaches are making these big prices. Don't forget they generate a lot of that themselves. It is not like we are taking away from the state -- or from the university.

Q. At this point, are you at peace?
COACH BOWDEN: Am I at peace? Oh, yeah, I really am. Yeah, mm-hmm. Yeah, I might -- I'm not ate up with coaching football all my life. I have got 80 years in. I wanted 81, but I got 80 years in. I wanted one more and couldn't have it. They wouldn't let me have it.
But Ann and I have already reached -- you know, we know, okay, no more, ain't no more, you know? But I can't complain about nothing, y'all.
We've got Heisman trophies. We've got National Championship trophies. We've got ACC trophies. I got a box at home, must have 50 rings, must have 50 rings like that. I can't wear but one of them. And all that stuff.
I have always felt like, you can't take it with you. You can't take it with you, you know? If I want more games than anybody else, which I'm not, Joe is, so what? When I die, I can't take it with me. There are things in life more important. There are just things more important than that to me. That's why I'm at peace with myself.

Q. What are you going to do tomorrow?
COACH BOWDEN: Well, Ann and I will pack. We'll get packed. Probably do a lot tonight. Get packed and then drive back to Tallahassee, Florida. And then the next day I will -- we will get lined up. Again, I've got to learn how to retire. I've got to learn. I have never retired. 57 years, I have always had a paycheck. And all of a sudden, I ain't got no paycheck. I got to go out and make some money.
I got a lot of speaking engagements and things like that. I will do that now. The next day I'm going to California to present the FCA trophy to the national winner of that thing. I will do that and turn around and fly back.
And I'm learning how to work a computer. I have even got to get a cell phone. I have learned to do more than just to turn it on and off. To be honest, it will be exciting to me.

Q. You told us earlier this week that there's trips. You would like to go to Iraq where Tommy was today. I guess you are planning to go to Brazil, you have FCA invitations all over the country, it seems like. Why not retire? Why not just sit around, play golf? Was that not even a consideration?
COACH BOWDEN: Should I tell them about all that land we bought? (Laughter) Oh, man. I'm land poor. I'm land poor, boy. I bought a lot of land. It ain't selling worth a crap. (Laughter).

Q. If someone calls you and they say, "Coach, we know you are retired but we got some kids that believe in you," would you unequivocally say you would not be willing to take that opportunity?
COACH BOWDEN: Coaching? No, not coaching. I would go talk to them, speak to them, do anything like that I could but not -- no, I think coaching is about gone.

Q. Was it particularly gratifying at all to win this game knowing there was so much talk that West Virginia were heavily favored, they were the team, that this was supposed to be more of a ceremonial game and there wasn't a big expectation that you would go out as a winner?
COACH BOWDEN: That's true. I don't know how much you kept up with us. Nearly every team that was favored over us we won. North Carolina was favored, we won. Somebody else was favored, we won. But then there were some that were favored that they did win. Those that were favored big, we beat them.

Q. Can you talk about Coach Andrews and the defense in the second half? It seems like they made some adjustments at halftime. How big was it to see him go out?
COACH BOWDEN: It was so scary at first because the big problem we've had all year was defense. We simply couldn't stop people.
Georgia Tech did not punt a time against us. Florida might have punted once.
ANN BOWDEN: Time to go home, Baby. (Laughter).
COACH BOWDEN: Did I answer your question? But that was amazing because when that game started off, oh, my goodness, here we go again. That's what I was thinking. Boy, they just tightened it up and tightened it up and that was very encouraging.
I'm mighty proud of Coach Andrews and what he did and Chuck Amato and Jody Allen, and Odell. I'm proud of them to sticking with it and fighting like they did today.
I want to thank you fellows and ladies. I see one lady. I do want to thank you all. I feel like I have had very fair treatment. Even from you. (Laughter).
I tell you about Bianca, some of the toughest wins he has written, I guarantee he wrote some of the best ones I have ever had. I feel like I have been treated very fair.
How about you, Babe?
ANN BOWDEN: It has been good.
(applause.)

End of FastScripts

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