Bobby Bowden 'excited' about return to Florida State

Jim Henry | USA TODAY Sports

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Bobby Bowden last stepped inside Doak Campbell Stadium on a football Saturday nearly four years ago.

In fact, when Saturday arrives, it will be exactly three years, 11 months and five days.

Bowden is getting excited, too.

"The closer I get, the more excited I get," Bowden told The Tallahassee Democrat. "I am going to be excited to be walking out on the field again."

And Bowden's best guess on the reaction from the crowd of 82,000-plus?

"Rousing," Bowden quipped.

In April, FSU officials made the long-anticipated announcement that the Hall of Fame coach would return for a pair of home games this season: The first time will be this Saturday for the North Carolina State game.

Bowden will be honored during a pregame ceremony that will start about 15 minutes before kickoff, culminating with him taking Osceola's spear and planting it at midfield.

He also will be back for FSU's homecoming game against Syracuse, when the Seminoles will hold a celebration for the 20th anniversary of the school's first national championship team.

Bowden, 83, who has continued to live in Tallahassee after his forced retirement following the 2009 season, believes the timing is finally right to return.

Coach Jimbo Fisher — Bowden's replacement and former offensive coordinator — and the undefeated Seminoles have helped make that happen.

FSU debuted at No. 2 in the first BCS rankings released on Sunday and moved up to No. 3 in the national polls following Saturday's 51-14 win at then-No.3 Clemson.

During his weekly press conference on Monday, Fisher called Bowden his hero.

"At first I really wasn't excited about it (return)," said Bowden, who coached at FSU for 34 years.

"I really wanted to give Jimbo plenty of time to establish himself before I came back. After Saturday night, I think Jimbo's established.

"I think he's established."

Bowden's weekend will feature a golf tournament on Friday, "An Evening with Bobby" at the Civic Center on Friday night, and the 3:30 p.m. game against the Wolfpack on Saturday. Fans are encouraged to enter the stadium by 3 p.m. to catch the entire ceremony.

Bowden said he will be joined at the game by his wife, Ann, daughters Robyn and Ginger, eldest son Steve and many of his grandchildren.

Sons Terry and Jeff are coaching at Akron, and Tommy is a college football analyst for ESPN.

Around 400 of Bowden's former players are also expected to attend the game.

Bowden's last game inside Doak Campbell Stadium was a 29-26 victory over Maryland on Nov. 21, 2009 before 66,042 fans, the smallest home crowd of that season.

Although Bowden hasn't been around FSU during his retirement, he has kept an eye on the Seminoles.

Bowden, like the rest of the nation, is impressed by redshirt freshman quarterback Jamies Winston, too.

Winston has staked his claim in the Heisman Trophy race along with favorite Marcus Mariota of Oregon and returning Heisman winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M.

FSU has had two Heisman winners in quarterbacks Charlie Ward (1993) and Chris Weinke (2000).

"He inspires people, he really does," Bowden said of Winston, crediting the quarterback's ability to handle the raucous atmosphere at Clemson.

"Every game I see him play, and I've seen them all on film, I just get more and more impressed. I used to think last year wouldn't you be lucky to luck into a Manziel or a Mariota, and here you have one who is as good or better, more physical."

Jim Henry also writes for the Tallahassee Democrat.