As Last Word On Sports continues its Mount Rushmore series, the focus shifts to Tallahassee and the Florida State Seminoles. This list could very easily be a shrine of all the late 80s and 90s rosters, as the ‘Noles had an unprecedented streak of 14 straight finishes in the top five of the AP and Coaches’ polls. However, there is a much larger story to be told than those 14 years of dominance.
Florida State Seminoles Mount Rushmore
Fred Biletnikoff, Wide Receiver (1962-1964)
I start my Mount Rushmore with the only player who has an award named after him. Frederick S. Biletnikoff was Florida State football, before there was a Florida State football. In an era where receivers were blockers first and still lined up in a three point stance, Biletnikoff was able to put together one of the most impressive seasons in college football history. During his senior year, he caught 70 passes for 1,179 yards and 15 touchdowns. To put this in perspective, from 1965-1980 only two other players would catch as many touchdowns as “Freddie B” did. Biletnikoff was far ahead of his time and was able to parlay his College Football Hall of Fame career into a very successful NFL career. He was named to six Pro Bowls, won Super XI MVP, and was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
Deion Sanders, Cornerback, Kickoff and Punt Returner (1985-1988)
While the school down in South Florida was ruling the college football in the 80s and early 90s, “Neon Deion” was able to bring some of that same swagger and bravado to Tallahassee. Sanders wasn’t all talk, gold chains, and jheri curl juice however. The “Primetime” persona was only half of the reason Deion was so significant. He was able to back up the showboating and flamboyant style of play with his on-field production. Sanders is one of the greatest cornerbacks in college football history. Like Biletnikoff before him, Sanders revolutionized his position. As a true “shut down” corner, Sanders was able to close off whatever side of the field he was playing. He made the cornerback position “cool” and lead the way for future corners to receive more substantial contracts. He was also gifted as a return specialist, running three interceptions and three punt returns for touchdowns. Sanders was also on the first team that started the trend of 14 consecutive seasons with a top five finish in the AP and Coaches Poll. As a pro, Primetime is also the only player to have played in a World Series and a Super Bowl.
Charlie Ward, Quarterback (1989-1993)
This was, by far, the most difficult decision to make. There are three quarterbacks who are definitely worthy of occupying a spot on FSU’s Mount Rushmore. These three players, combined for three Heisman Trophies, three National Championships, over 23,000 passing yards, 193 touchdowns, and a combined winning percentage of 92.3. However, Charlie Ward has two things going for him that Chris Weinke and Jameis Winston don’t. First, Ward won the first championship in school history, and a lot more respect is given to the trail blazers and pioneers of a sport. Second, is the margin by which Ward dominated the Heisman voting, where 1,622 points separated him from the second place finisher. Only O.J. Simpson has won by a larger margin. Like Weinke and Winston after him, Ward was a two-sport athlete while at Florida State. Ward was so gifted as a basketball player, that his professional career was spent in the NBA instead of the NFL. As result, the fact that he didn’t lead the ‘Noles to an undefeated season like his predecessors, is outweighed by Ward being the career steals leader at Florida State, as well as a first round NBA Draft pick.
Bobby Bowden, Head Coach (1976-2009)
This was the easiest selection for the FSU Mount Rushmore. No other player or coach is in the same conversation when it comes to the impact that Robert Cleckler Bowden has had on Florida State Football. Any discussion of Seminole greatness begins and ends with the man responsible for leading the ‘Noles to 33 consecutive winning seasons, 12 conference titles, and 2 national titles. Bowden not only put Florida State on the map, but he kept the Seminoles relevant. Bowden was one of the few constants in a sport with unforgivably high turnover rate for its head coaches. Bowden has had a profound impact on the game nationally as well. His 377 FBS wins has only been bested by Joe Paterno. He is the namesake for one of the National Coach of the Year awards and his coaching tree includes, Mark Richt, Mark Stoops, and current ‘Noles coach, Jimbo Fisher. Without Bowden, there is no Mount Rushmore for Florida State Football.
There you have it. Arguments can be made for other players to be on this list. Derrick Brooks, Lee Corso, Burt Reynolds and his glorious mustache, and even Sebastian Janikowski could all make legitimate claims for why they should be at the top of the Florida State Mount Rushmore, along with countless others. But if you look at the impact of each of my selections on the field, in addition to how each one changed the way that the game was played, either collegiately or professionally, it’s hard to dispute them.
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