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Jimmy Heggins Position: Offensive Line Coach Experience: 19th Season at FSU

Jimmy Heggins begins his 11th season as offensive line coach at Florida State and his 19th overall on the FSU staff in 2004. The challenge for the Seminole offensive front will be much different from last year. Heggins welcomes back all five returning starters from a year ago. Included in the group are a pair of All-America candidates at offensive tackle. Alex Barron was a consensus All-America as a junior last year and naturally should contend for the honor as a senior, while Ray Willis will be a three-year starter at the other tackle spot. Last year, Heggins began the season with the task of finding four new starters along the line.

Heggins was an outstanding noseguard on Bobby Bowden's FSU teams in the mid 70s. He returned to his alma mater in 1986 as a full-time coach after a year at Southwestern Louisiana where he tutored USL's defensive ends. Prior to his stint with the Ragin' Cajuns, he was running backs coach at Eastern Michigan for two years and at Western Illinois for a year. He coached the tight ends and then the noseguards at FSU prior to taking over offensive line duties in 1994 when Brad Scott left to become head coach at South Carolina.

The Seminoles have produced a number of NFL offensive linemen and have had two offensive linemen selected in the first round of the NFL draft over the last six years. Seattle selected Walter Jones with the No. 6 overall pick four years ago and he started for the Seahawks as a rookie. Tra Thomas was selected with the 11th pick of the 1999 draft by Philadelphia. Both have become perennial All-Pros. In fact, FSU's 1996 offensive line produced three NFL players with Clay Shiver starting at center for the Dallas Cowboys in 1997 and Todd Fordham, who is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most recently Brett Williams, who was twice named the ACC's top blocker, was selected by Kansas City in the 2003 draft along with Todd Williams (Tennessee Titans). Milford Brown was taken in a supplemental draft following the 2002 season. In addition to his offensive line protégés, Heggins coached a pair of tight ends who enjoyed solid NFL careers in Reggie Johnson and Lonnie Johnson.

A native of Salisbury, N.C., Heggins came to FSU in 1974 as a running back after gaining 1,670 yards and earning all-state honors in North Carolina in 1973. A fullback his first two seasons with the Seminoles, he made the switch to noseguard in Bobby Bowden's first year at FSU in 1976 and was named the team's outstanding defensive player following the season. As a senior, he led Florida State to a 10-2 record and a win over Texas Tech in the Tangerine Bowl. He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at East Carolina in 1980. He filled the same role at FSU in 1981 and `82.

Heggins has two daughters: Andrea and Lauren.

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