But the youngest of Bowden's six children took care of an increasingly nasty situation instead when he resigned Tuesday, despite his father's public protest.
``Jeff thought he wanted to give his father, give the staff and give recruiting the best possible opportunity to unfold in a positive manner,'' athletic director David Hart Jr. said.
Jeff Bowden's resignation takes effect at season's end and then he will be assigned a position outside the athletic department until his existing contract expires next August, Hart said.
The resignation came just three days after the Seminoles were shut out for the first time in 233 games, dating back to the 1988 season opener at Miami. The Seminoles 30-0 loss Saturday to Wake Forest was the first time they'd been held scoreless at home in Bobby Bowden's 31 years at the school.
``I believe in my heart that for Bobby Bowden this is the decision that I need to make,'' Jeff Bowden said. ``I could not be happier that I had this opportunity. But it's just time for me to move on.''
The Seminoles won national championships in 1993 and 1999 but have struggled since the younger Bowden replaced now-Georgia head coach Mark Richt as the offensive coordinator in 2001.
Bobby Bowden has stood by his son's performance as offensive coordinator, despite an alarming decline in scoring and yardage gained over the past half-dozen seasons.
``I am disappointed in Jeff's decision,'' the elder Bowden said in a university release. ``This is a big loss to me personally. His decision is an emotional one for me.''
Florida State's players learned about the resignation as they hit the practice field Tuesday.
``It is a drastic change, but you know it is going to be something we have to deal with,'' said Drew Weatherford, who will start Saturday's game against Western Michigan at quarterback. ``It will be pretty strange.''
Florida State (5-5, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) must win one of its last two games against Western Michigan on Saturday or Florida on Nov. 25 to become bowl eligible.
``Obviously it's going to be a transition for everybody,'' senior running back Lorenzo Booker said. ``Maybe people will feel like things will get better because he is gone.''
For months, Florida State fans have clamored for Jeff Bowden's ouster, blaming him for the team's woes.
In Richt's final season, the Seminoles averaged 42.4 points and 549 yards a game on their way to a national title game against Oklahoma totals never approached during Bowden's six years as coordinator.
In the last three seasons, Florida State has averaged fewer than 30 points a game for the first time since the 1981 season. And while going 0-5 against divisional opponents this year, they averaged just 16.6 points a game.
Florida State has lost more games in the last three years than it did during the decade of the '90s and suffered its first losing season in the ACC this year.
Jeff Bowden, who also coached wide receivers, also was plagued with an inconsistent quarterback during much of his tenure starting six different players at the position in six seasons. The position is unsettled again this year with Weatherford and Xavier Lee struggling.
While a generally unhappy day around the football complex, Jeff Bowden was applauded for doing what his dad didn't despite years of grumbling from fans, boosters and media football analysts.
``The decision he made today was not one that he wanted to make,'' said Keith Jones, who played for the elder Bowden in the late 1970s and now serves as a color analyst on Seminoles telecasts. ``To his credit, it was one he made for the benefit of the program.''
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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