billmac91
Head Coach
Interesting read from former FSU QB Chris Rix...when I was a freshman at FSU, Chris Rix began his campaign as QB....he was probably the most hated person I can ever remember....After watching what Jeff Bowden has done with Wyatt Sexton and Drew Weatherford I now feel pretty bad for Rix...It clearly wasn't all his fault in hindsight
Chris Rix has the answers to all your questions, 'Nole Nation.
Maybe not all, but as you will see it didn't hurt to ask Florida State's former quarterback what's wrong with his alma mater. Who better than the lightning rod who played there from 2001-2004?
Makes sense because now Rix is a college football analyst for CSTV and Fox Sports Radio. And we're not the only ones asking questions. The program is tied for its worst five-game start (3-2) since 1986. The only other 3-2 start in that span? Rix' freshman year in 2001, when he was the ACC Freshman of the Year.
Q: You mentioned a lack of accountability right now by the coaches. Elaborate on that.
A: It's very simple. You see it from a lot of other coaches around the nation. Like at Notre Dame, you saw it at Washington. Tommy Tuberville after their loss to Arkansas on Saturday, saying, "It's on us. It's on me as a head coach. It's on our staff." Things along those lines.
I haven't seen a lot of that at Florida State. That surprised me there hasn't been a lot of accountability (by) the coaching staff. It's not just Bobby Bowden or not just one coach in particular.
Q: Was it that way when you were there?
A:At times. I can't say it's the same. I'm not there now. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I'm just going by what I saw.
Chris Rix was QB the last time the Seminoles started 3-2.
(Getty Images)
If I didn't play well, I said I could have played better. I should have played better. ... At times I was a big reason why we had lost a game. As you know it's not all players, it's not all coaches. It's 50-50.
I see some players taking accountability, like (quarterback) Drew Weatherford and some other players -- (linebacker) Buster Davis on defense -- saying, "We could have played better."
You see the players taking some of that accountability. I just don't see that from a lot of the coaches or really any of the coaches.
Q: You're an analyst now. What's the best-case scenario for Florida State this year?
A: To be honest, being an ex-player and alumni, I haven't really gone that in-depth. ... I'm just hoping they win every game. I haven't looked all the possible scenarios.
I just have the mentality that you want to win every game from here on out. They're not really thinking about what bowl. They're just focused on: We've got to beat Duke, we've got to beat Boston College, we've got to beat Maryland.
Q: Does it hurt to see this?
A: As an analyst you see some of it coming. You see when you barely get by Troy and you've got Clemson coming in the next week. You know how Tommy Bowden coaches his team. I knew that was going to be a hard-fought game, and if they didn't use Troy (a 24-17 victory) as a wakeup call, that that was going to happen.
The Clemson game (a 27-20 loss) didn't really surprise me. Dropping one game in the ACC and then coming back and playing N.C. State (a 24-20 loss), which I think this year is down, funny stuff always happens in those Thursday night games.
I was surprised to see that performance Thursday night. I was surprised, No. 1, to see the offense had some continuity.
I was surprised to see them squander that lead late in the game, really sit on that lead which is what we've been known to do at times instead of sticking with what got us that lead.
I think they relied on (defensive coordinator) Mickey Andrews and the defense, which had been playing well, but a defense cannot carry an offense for four quarters.
When you're playing in Raleigh that stadium is a tough place to play. It's not Duke. It's a tough environment.
It is tough to watch. As soon as that game ended I was like, "You've got to be kidding me. How did you just lose that football game?"
Every week when I see the points that Florida, Notre Dame and even Nebraska (put up). ... They may have a lot of the same players. But I cannot honestly say they have the same type of talent, the same speed that Florida State has. Yet, they're able to have a high-powered offense. I'm talking about Notre Dame.
Then you have to look at it like, if it's not the players what does it have to be for us to put up consistent points? Then the game isn't put on our defense.
You can't put it on the players. I look at other teams with less talent, less speed putting up more points against the same opponents that we're playing.
How can Washington beat UCLA and almost beat USC? No one can say they have the same talent and same speed. But in those coaching meetings during the week they must be coming up with something.
Q: Offensive production has gone down every year since 2001. How do you account for that?
A: Even though Drew and I both started as redshirt freshmen, I think Drew is a smarter quarterback than I was. I think he's more mature. I think he prepares more than I probably did. I'm secure enough to admit that now.
Drew Weatherford is not the problem with this offense ... You've got to look behind the scenes why the numbers are down. That's not calling anyone out. That's looking at the facts, that's looking at the numbers. Numbers don't lie. ...
The numbers are down. Florida State expectations are just too high for people to put up with that. You're hearing people that are fed up with it. You're hearing boosters who expect better.
It's frustrating when you see other teams with less talent exceeding our production.
Chris Rix has the answers to all your questions, 'Nole Nation.
Maybe not all, but as you will see it didn't hurt to ask Florida State's former quarterback what's wrong with his alma mater. Who better than the lightning rod who played there from 2001-2004?
Makes sense because now Rix is a college football analyst for CSTV and Fox Sports Radio. And we're not the only ones asking questions. The program is tied for its worst five-game start (3-2) since 1986. The only other 3-2 start in that span? Rix' freshman year in 2001, when he was the ACC Freshman of the Year.
Q: You mentioned a lack of accountability right now by the coaches. Elaborate on that.
A: It's very simple. You see it from a lot of other coaches around the nation. Like at Notre Dame, you saw it at Washington. Tommy Tuberville after their loss to Arkansas on Saturday, saying, "It's on us. It's on me as a head coach. It's on our staff." Things along those lines.
I haven't seen a lot of that at Florida State. That surprised me there hasn't been a lot of accountability (by) the coaching staff. It's not just Bobby Bowden or not just one coach in particular.
Q: Was it that way when you were there?
A:At times. I can't say it's the same. I'm not there now. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I'm just going by what I saw.
Chris Rix was QB the last time the Seminoles started 3-2.
(Getty Images)
If I didn't play well, I said I could have played better. I should have played better. ... At times I was a big reason why we had lost a game. As you know it's not all players, it's not all coaches. It's 50-50.
I see some players taking accountability, like (quarterback) Drew Weatherford and some other players -- (linebacker) Buster Davis on defense -- saying, "We could have played better."
You see the players taking some of that accountability. I just don't see that from a lot of the coaches or really any of the coaches.
Q: You're an analyst now. What's the best-case scenario for Florida State this year?
A: To be honest, being an ex-player and alumni, I haven't really gone that in-depth. ... I'm just hoping they win every game. I haven't looked all the possible scenarios.
I just have the mentality that you want to win every game from here on out. They're not really thinking about what bowl. They're just focused on: We've got to beat Duke, we've got to beat Boston College, we've got to beat Maryland.
Q: Does it hurt to see this?
A: As an analyst you see some of it coming. You see when you barely get by Troy and you've got Clemson coming in the next week. You know how Tommy Bowden coaches his team. I knew that was going to be a hard-fought game, and if they didn't use Troy (a 24-17 victory) as a wakeup call, that that was going to happen.
The Clemson game (a 27-20 loss) didn't really surprise me. Dropping one game in the ACC and then coming back and playing N.C. State (a 24-20 loss), which I think this year is down, funny stuff always happens in those Thursday night games.
I was surprised to see that performance Thursday night. I was surprised, No. 1, to see the offense had some continuity.
I was surprised to see them squander that lead late in the game, really sit on that lead which is what we've been known to do at times instead of sticking with what got us that lead.
I think they relied on (defensive coordinator) Mickey Andrews and the defense, which had been playing well, but a defense cannot carry an offense for four quarters.
When you're playing in Raleigh that stadium is a tough place to play. It's not Duke. It's a tough environment.
It is tough to watch. As soon as that game ended I was like, "You've got to be kidding me. How did you just lose that football game?"
Every week when I see the points that Florida, Notre Dame and even Nebraska (put up). ... They may have a lot of the same players. But I cannot honestly say they have the same type of talent, the same speed that Florida State has. Yet, they're able to have a high-powered offense. I'm talking about Notre Dame.
Then you have to look at it like, if it's not the players what does it have to be for us to put up consistent points? Then the game isn't put on our defense.
You can't put it on the players. I look at other teams with less talent, less speed putting up more points against the same opponents that we're playing.
How can Washington beat UCLA and almost beat USC? No one can say they have the same talent and same speed. But in those coaching meetings during the week they must be coming up with something.
Q: Offensive production has gone down every year since 2001. How do you account for that?
A: Even though Drew and I both started as redshirt freshmen, I think Drew is a smarter quarterback than I was. I think he's more mature. I think he prepares more than I probably did. I'm secure enough to admit that now.
Drew Weatherford is not the problem with this offense ... You've got to look behind the scenes why the numbers are down. That's not calling anyone out. That's looking at the facts, that's looking at the numbers. Numbers don't lie. ...
The numbers are down. Florida State expectations are just too high for people to put up with that. You're hearing people that are fed up with it. You're hearing boosters who expect better.
It's frustrating when you see other teams with less talent exceeding our production.
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