Sluggish Start for Florida State’s Weinke

On offense, 26-year-old quarterback Chris Weinke needs work. On defense, No. 2 Florida State needs nothing.

“I did some good things and I did some bad things, but that’s to be expected in your first start,” Weinke said after passing for 207 yards and a touchdown in the Seminoles’ 23-14 victory over No. 14 Texas A&M; in the Kickoff Classic on Monday night. “The main thing was to go out there and get a win. And we did that.”

Weinke, making his first start since a high school playoff game in 1989, fumbled twice but got plenty of help from his young friends.

Wide receiver Peter Warrick caught a career-best nine passes for 106 yards and a touchdown and Travis Minor set a school record with 34 carries for 146 yards and a TD.

But it was the Seminole defense that helped turn a 14-10 halftime deficit into a victory. Florida State held the Aggies to 20 total yards--minus-two yards rushing in the second half--and 133 for the game. Linebacker Tommy Polley led the attack with a team-best five tackles, a fumble recovery and one of two sacks.

“Our defense played tremendously,” Seminole Coach Bobby Bowden said. “The rush was tremendous. I’m glad it’s over. We had more unproven parts for an opener than in any in the last four years.”

Texas A&M;, which last beat a Top 5 team in 1975, tried to stay in the game by running Sirr Parker, Dante Hall and fullback D’Andre Hardeman, but had little success.

“They kind of overpowered us defensively,” Texas A&M; Coach R.C. Slocum said. “I didn’t want to pass against them in predictable situations because they’re so effective with the pass rush.”

Weinke, who returned to Florida State after six years of pro baseball, passed nine yards to Warrick for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter.

Weinke completed his first pass, a 30-yarder to Warrick, and finished 21 for 36 for 207 yards and no interceptions. One of his two fumbles was picked up by cornerback Jay Brooks, who returned it 21 yards for a touchdown to give the Aggies their halftime lead.

Last season, the Seminoles trailed at halftime only once, 18-17 against Florida, which handed Florida State its only loss of 1997.

Warrick gave Weinke an open target all game, catching a career-high nine passes for 106 yards. In the third quarter, Seminoles closed to 14-13 on Sebastian Janikowski’s 28-yard field goal with 6:43 left--his second of three field goals.