Wake Forest Athletics
Caldwell Says Seminoles Just As Tough Without Star Player
10/15/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 15, 1999
By BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - And the beat goes on at Florida State.
With or without one of their best players, the top-ranked Seminoles are still tough to handle. Just ask Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell.
Seminoles wide receiver Peter Warrick, a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy, will miss his second straight game Saturday as his lawyer deals with prosecutors on reducing a felony grand theft charge to a misdemeanor. In the meantime, he watches.
"Obviously Peter Warrick is a very, very special guy, but I'll tell you they don't miss a beat," Caldwell said. "It's business as usual for them no matter who they have to line up at that spot."
The Seminoles (6-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) will have guys named Stringer, Boldin, Morgan and Gardner, among others, taking over.
"I don't see much difference to be honest," Caldwell said.
"No matter who they line up out there at that position, it's a great player who can run, who can catch, do it all. They're just as deadly. They have a lot of weapons."
Senior Ron Dugans, who has 19 catches for 339 yards and a touchdown, is the only Seminoles receiver with more than 7 catches.
With Warrick out of last week's 31-21 victory over Miami, junior quarterback Chris Weinke spread the ball around - finding 11 receivers for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Weinke is enjoying a stellar season, completing nearly 63 percent of his passes for an average of 271 yards a game. Weinke's 13 touchdown passes have gone to eight different receivers.
Wake Forest (3-2, 1-2) will rely on its newly minted running attack.
Led by senior Morgan Kane's 134.2 yard average, the Demon Deacons are averaging better than 201 yards.
Caldwell thinks it's the best way to compete against Florida State.
"They pressure your quarterback, so the development of a running game is extremely important to us," Caldwell said. "We're just going to have to find ways to get it done."
Florida State's defense allows 86.7 yards a game against the run and ranks 14th nationally.
Wake Forest has not defeated Florida State since the Seminoles came into the ACC in 1992.
But coach Bobby Bowden has been trying to keep his team focused a with so many homecoming distractions.
"It's an ideal time for an upset," Bowden said. "We had a big win over Miami who is a traditional foe. All we'll hear is how good we are. All they (Wake Forest) will hear is that they've got no chance."
Florida State is looking to extend its unbeaten homefield string to 45 games and its home winning streak to 28 straight while giving Bowden his 299th career victory.
The Seminoles have not lost on their own field since a 17-16 defeat to Miami in November 1991.
