FSU loses top assistant but may gain another

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The future of Florida State football is undergoing a drastic change as Bobby Bowden revamps his coaching staff.

Executive head coach Kevin Steele, once believed the top candidate to succeed Bowden, resigned Thursday to join Nick Saban's Alabama staff as the defensive coordinator. Steele's departure opens the door for LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher to possibly become Bowden's heir apparent.

Fisher, who according to sources has an agreement to become Florida State's next offensive coordinator, has been offered the same position by Saban. Fisher, though, appears to be leaning toward Florida State. Fisher, 41, aspires to be a head coach, which strengthens Florida State's chances of landing him.

Additionally, Rick Trickett, 58, was introduced Thursday as Florida State's new assistant head coach and offensive line coach. Trickett, who was offensive line coach at West Virginia, replaces offensive line coach Mark McHale, whose contract was not renewed after two years.

And Lawrence Dawsey, a former FSU receiver, will join the Seminoles staff as receivers' coach, although no announcement has been made. Dawsey most recently coached receivers at South Florida.

Steele was named the rivals.com national recruiter of the year in 2005. In his four seasons at FSU he will have coached six linebackers drafted into the NFL after this year.

Among the candidates to replace Steele is former Florida State assistant Chuck Amato, who was fired in November after seven seasons as the head coach at North Carolina State. Amato was Bowden's assistant head coach at FSU for 18 seasons and spent the final four as linebackers' coach.

Bowden was "surprised" when Steele, whose parents live in the Tuscaloosa area, informed him Thursday morning that he would be leaving. But, he added, "I can understand him wanting to be close to family and having a chance like that."

Trickett will sign a three-year contract with a base salary of $200,000 per year and additional income that pushes his annual take closer to $250,000.

Trickett, who has strong ties to the Bowden family and coached under Saban at LSU in 2000, was also a candidate to join Saban's staff.

"I haven't been approached by Nick (but) I've been approached by a lot of other factions," Trickett said. "This thing boils down to I really have a lot of respect for coach Bowden and the fact I think Florida State had a chance to get back up to win a national championship and do that in the near future."

Trickett said he saw "a fire" in Bowden's eye, one of the reasons he accepted the offer.

"I left the house feeling this guy's still got it, this guy, he's ready to go," Trickett said. "I felt that energy. I felt the enthusiasm. That was a big part of it."

Trickett was an assistant on Terry Bowden's staff at Auburn for six seasons and was on the West Virginia staff in the '70s when Terry and Tommy Bowden were on the team. He was Saban's assistant head coach and offensive line coach at LSU and he has worked with Fisher at both Auburn and LSU.

The long-term contract is the first in his 33 years in coaching.

Trickett has coached 21 players who went on to the NFL. West Virginia's Dan Mozes won the 2006 Rimington Trophy, presented to the nation's top center.

"I'm not a miracle worker, I'm a hard worker, so will be the offensive line," said Trickett, who is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. "If they're scared of hard work they will have a problem. If they're not they'll probably be all-conference. If they're lazy they'll probably have a problem. If they're not, they'll probably be All-America.

"We're going to get hard nosed and people will regret seeing us roll into town."

Although an announcement has not been made, quarterbacks coach Daryl Dickey will not return.

Tom D'Angelo writes for The Palm Beach Post.