ISU’s Burnam no stranger to bowls

TEMPE, Ariz. - Bowl memories? Wally Burnham has had a few.

Thursday's Insight Bowl will be the coach's 15th bowl game, joining the likes of Sugar, Fiesta, Orange, Meineke, Gator, Cotton, Sun, St. Petersburg and Blockbuster during his years as an assistant at Florida State, South Carolina and South Florida.

“You never get tired of going,” said Burnham, Iowa State's first-year defensive coordinator.

And Burnham doesn't just get to the postseason, he wins. His teams are 12-2 in bowls, including a 1993 Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska that crowned Florida State national champions.

For years the kicking game haunted the Seminoles in clutch situations. That day, Scott Bentley came through with the winning field goal in FSU's 18-16 win.

“We did a national search for a kicker because of all the wide rights and lefts,” Burnham said. “We found this kid from Colorado. He did it. I didn't have anything to do with it, but I'm glad we got him.”

Before that came some monster passing games from Heisman Trophy runner-up Casey Weldon and a game-saving end zone interception by Deion Sanders in a Sugar Bowl victory over Auburn.

The win was payback for consecutive regular-season losses to Auburn and its Heisman-winning running back Bo Jackson. Bo knew how to beat the Seminoles.

“He was gone, thank goodness,” said Burnham, whose team two years earlier overcame a huge day by another future NFL star runner - Thurman Thomas - in beating Oklahoma State in the Gator Bowl.

Burnham's only bowl while at South Carolina (1994-98) was a Carquest Bowl victory over West Virginia.

He went 2-2 at South Florida, including the school's first bowl victory in the 2006 Papajohns.com Bowl.

“Very fortunate,” Burnham said. “I've been around some good players and good coaches.”

He's learned the proper mindset to take to the game.

None of ISU's players have played in a bowl, and only a handful were around as first-year freshmen for the team's 2005 trip to the Houston Bowl.

“It's a reward for the kids, but at the same time you've got to get enough work done that you can win a football game,” Burnham said. “That's the purpose of going. It's business and pleasure. You have to do a good job juggling that.”

Iowa State ranked 11th in the Big 12 in total defense, allowing opponents 414.3 yards a game. But the Cyclones (6-6) offset that with the second-best red zone defense in the conference and a whopping 30 take-aways.

“When you keep people out of your end zone you have a chance to play and win any football game,” said Coach Paul Rhoads.

Burnham's impact has been great. The 68-year-old coach has shown exuberance and patience to a group that admittedly is short on speed, size and athleticism.

“I admire his passion for the game,” said defensive end Patrick Neal. “You can see it every day we go out to practice. He brings expertise and knowledge of the game.”

By Eric Petersen, Gazette Correspondent