College Football
Thursday, December 30
Tech's Moore has plans for FSU
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS -- Florida State is about to experience pressure-cooker defense, Corey Moore style.

"I don't think I have ever seen a pass-rusher any more relentless than he is," Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said of Moore, Virginia Tech's 6-foot, 225-pound All-American end who set a Big East record with 17 sacks this season. "He doesn't ever stop coming."

Bowden knows all about terrific defensive ends. He coached a bunch of them, including All-Americans Andre Wadsworth and Peter Boulware.

"They were bigger," Bowden said Wednesday, "but he is as quick as any of them and evidently as strong."

In Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl, No. 1 Florida State's national title hopes might hinge on the Seminoles' ability to keep Moore away from quarterback Chris Weinke.

"It'll be a big challenge for us," 6-foot-6, 315-pound tackle Brett Williams said before practice at the Louisiana Superdome. "They're real aggressive, they play well together and they play hard the whole game."

They means more than just Moore, who is complemented at the other end by 6-4, 262-pound John Engelberger. In rolling to a perfect season, the second-ranked Hokies (11-0) recorded 58 sacks, and Engelberger chipped in with six.

"They're two different kinds of ends," Williams added. "The other guy looks more like a bull-rush type guy, lots bigger and stronger."

Weinke, the Seminoles' 27-year-old quarterback who threw for 3,103 yards and 25 touchdowns, rarely left a game with a dirty jersey. Florida State's front five, anchored by All-American guard Jason Whitaker, allowed just 22 sacks in 420 passing attempts.

"Of course, they're well coached and have been very good on offense," Tech coach Frank Beamer said of the Seminoles (11-0), who averaged 37.5 points and 425.7 yards. "I wish I could see some weaknesses. Anything we can get from that crowd, we're going to have to earn."

Moore, thought to be too short and too light to be an effective end, has earned nothing but praise from coaches and opponents. He won the Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player and the Lombardi Award as the nation's best down lineman.

"I think just tremendous drive and determination" have made Moore the player he is, defensive coordinator Bud Foster said. "Obviously, he's not the biggest guy, he's not your prototype defensive end, but he does have good abilities. He's relentless in everything that he does on and off the field."

Beamer says the senior is a self-made star who goes all out all the time -- at practice, in the weight room and on game day.

"He didn't always have an explosive jump off the ball, but he's worked at that," Beamer said. "It didn't just happen. He's really worked to become a great football player. He was always fast, but he always wasn't a great player."

Moore hasn't been shy, either. Before the season, he was asked if he was the best defensive player in the country. He said he was and why would he say anything different? "That's what I want to be ... the best," he said.

Before the second-ranked Hokies showed up in New Orleans, Moore said Virginia Tech's best season was "going to be even better after we win and burn down New Orleans."

He also said the Seminoles missed their chance at a national title a year ago "when they probably should have won it all, but didn't get the job done," and that by the time they respected the Hokies on Jan. 4, it would be too late.

He's toned down his act this week, saying he's honored to have the chance to share a field with the Seminoles.

And maybe he can get some autographs before kickoff.

Bowden only cares about what Moore does, not what he says.

"This team here tries to put so much pressure on your quarterback, you can't throw to Peter Warrick," Bowden said. "You all talk about anybody you want to, Weinke's the key. We win when he's in there. I don't care who's missing, we've still got a chance of winning. If he ain't in there, it gets shaky."

Williams, a freshman who has come on strong in starting the last six games, is looking forward to the challenge. In his last game, Williams kept Florida's Alex Brown away from Weinke in Florida State's 30-23 win on Nov. 20.

"It's going to be my biggest challenge all year," Williams said. "I'll probably be nervous right before the game, but after the first play is over, that all goes away and it's back to work playing football."

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