FSU's Celebrating Its 50th Football Anniversary

[R. Bruce Magee]

FSU is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its football program.

Ed Williamson was appointed Florida State's first coach just a few weeks
before the inaugural football season in 1947. He had no stadium, no
scholarships, and no team name. With only 45 ex-high school players,
his team came close to winning three games that year, although it
finished 0-5 against Stetson, Cumberland, Tennessee Tech, Troy State,
and Jacksonville State. Williamson was not paid for coaching the team.

Don Veller, FSU's head coach from 1948-52, won 30 of his first 34 games
as head coach before the Seminoles began playing a major college
schedule. His overall record included an undefeated (8-0) season in
1950, the year the Tribe moved into Doak Campbell Stadium. Veller, who
still resides in Tallahassee, owns the second highest winning percentage
of FSU coaches (.716). He is credited with laying the early foundation
for the FSU football program.

Tom Nugent, head coach from 1953-58, had a successful stint at FSU
resulting in a 34-28-1 record in six years at the Seminole helm. The
Seminoles participated in two bowl games during Nugent's tenure and his
1958 squad was the first FSU team to play Florida.

Perry Moss was head coach for only one year, 1959.

Bill Peterson coached FSU for 11 years from 1960-70. During that
period, Bobby Bowden served as his assistant coach for receivers for
three years from 1963-65. "Pete" took over a football program in deep
trouble. When he left four bowl games later, he had become the most
significant coach in the first 25 years of Florida State football.
Under "Pete", the Seminoles went 62-42-11. His most memorable Peterson
year was 1964, when the "Seven Magnificents" led FSU to a 9-1-1 record
and its first ever win over Florida. The star player for Peterson that
year?: Wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, who came to FSU in 1961 and
three years later became the school's first consensus All-American. In
one game, the 1964 Gator Bowl against Oklahoma, he established single
game records of 13 receptions, 192 yards, and 24 points scored.

Larry Jones' 15-19 record in his three years as the Seminole head coach
from 1971-73. In his first two seasons, the popular coach led his teams
to a 15-8 record; but he is probably remembered most for his last year,
when the team did not win a game.

Darrell Mudra was FSU's head coach from 1974-75, but he wasn't able to
bring the program back to the glory years it enjoyed under Bill
Peterson. Mudra had the unusual habit of coaching from the press box
instead of the sidelines.

In 1976, Bobby Bowden returned to FSU as head coach, and you know the
rest.

[David R. Myers]

Buddy (later to become Burt) Reynolds was AWESOME!!!! Then again, I'm 24
years old, how would I know?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ DAVE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"Mary had a little lamb. My dog has fleas. Maisey dotes and dosey
dotes and I'll be home for Christmas.
Your Loving Son,

Queen Victoria."

-Col. Sam Flagg