Former prep stars Green, Gosha give thoughts on FSU, Auburn
FORT WALTON BEACH — When the Florida State University football team kicks off its season on Sept. 4 against Samford in Tallahassee, it will do so without the legendary Bobby Bowden patrolling the sidelines for the first time in over three decades.
Watching the Seminoles take the field without the coach with the second-most wins in FBS history will surely be something to get used to for college football fans, but at least one former FSU player is excited about the dawning of a new era at the school. Former Fort Walton Beach, FSU and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver E.G. Green, who was in town on Saturday coaching at the Junior Players Skills Camp at Steve Riggs Stadium, thinks new coach Jimbo Fisher is just what the recently struggling program needs.
Former Choctawhatchee and Auburn University star Willie Gosha was also at the camp, and saw a similar infusion of new blood at his alma mater under second-year coach Gene Chizik.
“I’m excited, man,” Green said. “It’s going to be a big transition, no matter what side of the fence you’re on. But coach Fisher is a great coach, he has a great staff working there and they have been recruiting really well. I think they’re on their way to being back.”
Green played at FSU from 1994-97, some of Bowden’s best years. The Seminoles finished in the top five of the Associated Press poll every year he was there and won three bowl games. However, times have been a bit leaner in Tallahassee in recent years, as the Seminoles haven’t won an ACC championship since 2005 and haven’t posted a 10-win season since 2003. For Green, the downswing can be attributed to the naturally cyclical nature of college football, as well as the changing dynamics of recruiting.
“Now you have texts and the internet and all that,” Green said. “Schools are coming from out of state and doing a lot of recruiting. It used to be that if you’re from (South Florida), you went to Miami, people from Central Florida went to Florida and people from the Panhandle were Seminoles. Now, people go all over the place.”
As has been the case with Seminoles, Gosha’s Tigers are also looking to return to national prominence after a couple of down years. Auburn went 5-7 in Tommy Tuberville’s final year as head coach in 2008, but Chizik led the team to an 8-5 season last year and the team won the Outback Bowl.
“(Chizik) brought life back to the players,” Gosha said. “You see a little more energy out of the players and you see him on the sideline jumping up and down. Tuberville was a laid-back coach. When the players see that, it gives them a little more reason to put in extra work.”
Of course, Auburn’s recent slump also coincides with the arrival of Nick Saban as coach at Alabama. Saban’s arrival has shifted the balance of power in the state toward the Crimson Tide for now, but Gosha thinks it’s good for the rivalry.
“Those years (when Auburn dominated the rivalry) were great, don’t get me wrong,” Gosha said. “But coach Chizik has done a great job and wants the best from each player. It brings the rivalry back up.”
Although both Green and Gosha are watching their alma maters forge ahead with new coaches replacing successful predecessors, they don’t seem to have any kind of diminished expectations for the upcoming season.
“I think (Auburn) can go undefeated,” Gosha said. “We’re young, but we have enough talent at each position that we can contend with anyone.”
Green seemed equally confident in the Seminoles, meaning if the two local products are right, we’ll be seeing FSU and Auburn battling for a BCS championship this season.
“As a former Seminole, I think we can run the table,” Green said. “Beating Florida will be tough as usual, but I think we have the right players to have a great season and get back to where we were.”
