FSU History 101: Ronnie Cottrell-Architect of the FSU Dynasty
Here is the excellent story of how FSU's dynasty was built, and of the unheralded, unappreciated, and often forgotten FSU staffer who played a huge role in the making of our dynasty.
The name may not mean much to the newest generation of Seminoles, but FSU fans who witnessed the glory years know exactly who he is and what he meant to their program.
He didn't just keep in constant contact with players, he became part of their lives. Upon learning how much prospects disliked the usual coachspeak, Cottrell took to filling out detailed reports on each, with personal information that allowed him to have conversations way outside football.
"If his girlfriend was Monica, I knew that. If Monica became Jane or Beth, I knew that too," Cottrell said. "My deal was I wanted to be so close to that kid that it would be nearly impossible for him to tell me no."
In 1989, Cottrell's first year on the FSU staff, the Seminoles signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. Of the 24 signed, 20 were from in-state and half were members of The Sentinel's Super Seniors selected to play in the annual Florida-Georgia All-Star Game.
The Seminoles got Abraham in 1990. They also got William Floyd, Marvin Jones, Lonnie Johnson, Tiger McMillon, Kez McCorvey, James Roberson and Chris Weinke, a haul that again rated near the top of the nation's classes.
In 1991, Cottrell saw how the bevy of state recruits gravitated toward Pensacola Washington linebacker Derrick Brooks, the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year.
"I always felt there was a bell cow for every class," Cottrell said. "Identify him, build around him."
Among the '91 prospects were Lake Howell running back Marquette Smith, the USA Today National Offensive Player of the Year, along with Derrick Alexander, Devin Bush and Greg Frey. Cottrell challenged them all to make a statement and sign together, urging Brooks to be the ringleader to make it happen.
"Ronnie had a unique way of going after guys as a unit," Brooks recalled. "It was like he was recruiting a team rather than individuals."
The Brooks-headlined class, another No. 1, formed the core of Bowden's first national title squad in '93.
By then, FSU was a runaway train on the recruiting tracks.
Please click on this link to read the full story by the Sentinel's Chris Harry,
Coach-in-exile Ronnie Cottrell was an architect of Florida State's dynasty
9 months ago
FrankDNole
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He was and is the forgotten genius
I don’t care how he did it. All I know is he did it. He deserves as much credit for the 90’s as anybody.
by Gatorcanehater on Nov 24, 2009 11:35 AM EST reply actions
Funny I just brought his name up to a friend yesterday
I always felt bad how he took the fall for all the crap at Bama when he went there. I remember being so pissed when we lost him to Bama. The Albert Means scandal, if my memory serves me correct was blamed mostly on him. There was rumors about him even at FSU that he didn’t always play it striaght but all the stuff was going on at BAMA long before Cotrel got there
So if he were given another chance..
Do you think the scandal would really hold him back, as in other coaches using it against him? Or he is that good of a recruiter, that he could overcome that?
likely
the NCAA would be watching with an eagle eye. Especially with the lawsuit he filed against the NCAA, there would be some amount of wanting to be able to say “see, he’s a cheat like we said”.
by Wild@Heart Nole on Nov 24, 2009 11:45 AM EST up reply actions
Have to feel for him
There are always rumors that a team that gets a lot of talent doesn’t play it by the rules. People always say it bout the Gates and some are starting to say it about Kiffen and crew. I hate that the guy has been stuck holding the bag and now can’t get any job at any college level. The staff we had during the golden days was truly amazing when you take a step back and look at it. Until Richt left it is possible we had a top 3 coach at every spot. I’m not one to try and downplay Bowden’s past success but I bet I could have won a lot of games with that staff as well lol.
Hmmm...
Have to wonder if this is just a back-handed way of crediting our dynasty to a reputed cheater to further disparage our program. Don’t think for a second that the Sentinel isn’t relishing the self destruction of our program, and will pile on anything criticizing Bobby’s legacy…. for reasons ENTIRELY separate from the motivation behind the mostly justifiable criticism on you see on this site.
For the record, I don’t have any thoughts on whether he was or was not a straight shooter; other than to say that I was a walk-on when his son was our punter, and he seemed to be a really high character guy. That makes me think he got a raw deal; for the sake of our reputation, I hope that is the case, but makes you sympathize further with his situation.
wheteher ronnie was completely clean or not
what he did then was and is still getting done right now. Bama just needed a scape goat to keep them from getting an SMU like death penalty and he was the fall guy. You think guys like Ed Oregon and Ron Zook aren’t pushing the boudaries? “Slick Rick” was pretty notorious when he was at Col and Washington, hell every job Doc Holliday takes he leaves with a cloud of suspicion over him but the NCAA has never even investigated him as far as I know.
I think we might be too sensitive and have to stop thinking that there is a conspiracy against FSU at every turn.
Sure there are idiots and homers, and the Sentinel is more geared to a Gator audience, but that is due to demographics and location. Look at Bianshits last few post about Bobby and Ann. We incredibly think he is right on, where the Bowdenista’s think he is a hack, which he still most definitely is, but he is still correct in his recent analysis. If we were competing for the NC, they would be all over our ass and polishing Ponder’s knob instead of Teblows. I think they are writing to their target audience and trying to sell papers and get hits on their sites. FSU is a presently a complete trainwreck, and if I were a journalist, I would be writing about their downfall also.
Re: this story, I think it was a well written, and complimentary to Cottrell, which explained the dilemma he is in and how his career was ruined. I chose to be grateful for his service to FSU. There was never any shred of wrongdoing during his time and he was the best recruiter in the nation at that time. What happened at Bama, whether justified or not is unfortunate, but has no bearing with what he did for FSU.
Now about NCAA conspiracies, that is another story. I guess the courts agreed, and while his judgement was overturned, I think it is not over yet and may be still get some money.
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Don't disagree with any of that.
I just don’t think this is a human interest piece that was written out of sympathy for Cottrell. Why would the editors give this story the green light? They ARE playing to their gator readers, who will relish in the concept of Cottrell = Cheat = FSU Dynasty illegitimate.
I don’t know the author or their credentials, but I think it’s just another way of piling on to degrade “the SOW” and to tarnish Bowden’s legacy, which darn sure sells papers right now. Sadly, again, Bobby’s actions have placed himself and the broader program in an excruciatingly vulnerable position, so that such degradation is acceptable and profitable.
Cool, your entitled. BTW, I don't know what you mean by "the SOW."
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School Out West
Remember when Meyer first became UF’s coach, he tried to copy Woody Hayes’ habit of referring to Michigan as “the school up north” and would refer to FSU as The school out west
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Nov 25, 2009 10:09 PM EST up reply actions
I agree about the conspiracy Frank
FSU is a friend to ESPN. We make them money, and they pay us well. Any amount of negativity (or perceived negativity) comes from years of them giving us the benefit of the doubt and getting let down. I think secrety they’re thinking “damn, FSU turn this thing around, cha ching$$”
You're right and I've really never thought too much about ESPN conspiring against us. They have to hype the SEC because it is in their best interest.
I think arrdub’s problem, like so many of us, myself included, is the negative press the Sentinel gave us in the last couple of years. There was even a writer last year or in the offseason, named David Whitley, who has since been fired, who wrote a story about how lucky FSU was that we got any press at all in the Sentinel (Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale), and how lucky we were to still have AC covering the FSU beat because we were irrelevant. That was the last article the sh*thead wrote, but I don’t think that story had anything to do with his termination, but I would love it if it did.
Trying to be as objective as I possibly can be as a Nole, I think we pretty much got what we deserved as far a bad press goes, due to all the off field issues we brought on ourselves. But at the same time, there was very little written about the 25 Gaturd players arrested in the last 3-4 years under Urbie Liar in comparison to the coverage we got. They are winning and we are not also plays into the equation as far as coverage I believe.
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OK, I just know that he disappeared, so I figured it was due to economics. But you're right he is an idiot.
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A legend
from FSU’s past and a shell of what he once was. Chin up Ronnie, some of us still remember what you did for FSU during your time here. Thanks for the link FrankDNole, it was a good read.
nice misprint in the article
“Fans choMping …”
A Freudian slip, I suppose, seeing as it’s the Sentinel and all.
Even his friends are scared to touch him
Funny, guys like Bowden and Richt will say they are his friends and support him, but not to the extent of offering him a job. That definitely defines tainted goods, right or wrong. That is just sad.
It's for the best, at least for FSU. We don't need/want any unnecassary scrutiny.
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An extremely dirty recruiter, but there is nothing wrong with that.
Hell, FSU has to be dirty if they want to compete.
Marquette Smith may have been
one of the most talented HS Backs ever in the state of FL and one of the best ever in the nation.
"I have come that you may have life, and life to the max"
Speaking of recruiting
Is it too early to go after this kid?
"It boils down to one of two things: It's either the horses or the jockeys. And we think we have some pretty good horses."
That was funny Rays
I laughed when I heard one man go “YEEEAH” as the hit happened.
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