Old Florida State coach has youngest team

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State&#39;s Bobby Bowden is hoping he&#39;s found the fountain of youth in football terms at least.<br> <br> After a half century in the business, including 41 years as a head coach, the man with the most wins in major college football is trying to hang in the race for an Atlantic Coast Conference title and possible national honors with his youngest team.<br> <br> ``I don&#39;t think we&#39;ve ever been younger,&#39;&#39; Bowden said as he looked toward the 19th-ranked Seminoles game Thursday at North Carolina State. ``These kids are pretty good.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Seminoles (3-1, 1-1) have 35 freshmen on their roster, including 16 true freshmen who have already played.<br> <br> ``We just have new faces out there,&#39;&#39; said Bowden, who has 362 coaching wins. ``Sometimes they look good, sometimes they get you beat.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> And it&#39;s been rare when true freshmen have made an impact at Florida State. Linebacker Marvin Jones, receiver Tamarick Vanover and tailback Warrick Dunn are the most prominent in recent years.<br> <br> But this season the rookies are being relied on.<br> <br> Three freshmen safety Myron Rolle, defensive end Everette Brown and cornerback Jamie Robinson are slated to start Thursday while first-year players Kevin McNeil, Patrick Robinson and Dekoda Watson are challenging for more playing time.<br> <br> ``You don&#39;t get better by watching,&#39;&#39; said defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who has always liked to use lots of players and get his youngsters experience. ``You&#39;ve got to turn them loose.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> With a bye Saturday, the freshmen get a few more days to prepare.<br> <br> The Seminoles lost perhaps their top freshmen defender in last week&#39;s win over Rice when linebacker Marcus Ball went down with a knee injury.<br> <br> ``We thought he was something special,&#39;&#39; Bowden said. ``The kid can play football.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Bowden and Andrews loved the speed and athleticism of Ball, who ranked fourth on the team in tackles and had an interception return for 54 yards before the injury.<br> <br> The key playmakers on offense, Drew Weatherford, Antone Smith and Greg Carr, are among the two dozen sophomores on the roster while Brandon Warren and Caz Piurowski, both only four months out of high school, share the tight end duties.<br> <br> Warren, who is second on the team in receiving with 10 catches for 121 yards, has already become a favorite target of Weatherford&#39;s.<br> <br> ``He is a man,&#39;&#39; Bowden said about the 6-2, 225-pound Warren, who runs as well as the team&#39;s wideouts. ``This guy&#39;s got exceptional athletic talent.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Bowden, 76, knows the high number of young players creates a lot of unpredictability.<br> <br> ``The thing bad about it, they&#39;re prone to mistakes without experience,&#39;&#39; said Bowden, who has only a handful of seniors to keep an eye on the new players on the field.<br> <br> Middle linebacker Buster Davis and defensive end Darrell Burston are the lone senior starters on defense while receiver Chris Davis, tailback Lorenzo Booker and tackle Mario Henderson are the senior starters on offense.<br> <br> But just because they&#39;re young doesn&#39;t mean Bowden and his players don&#39;t think they can win this year.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s probably too early to judge,&#39;&#39; Bowden said. ``You might look back and say, &#39;boy you all did a lot better than we all thought.&#39;&#39;&#39;