If you're a Florida State fan of any age, you will know of college football legend Bobby Bowden and the dynasty of winning football that he left on the sport for years to come during his time in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. As a pioneer of the "Fast Break Offense,” He won 12 ACC Championships with 33 consecutive winning seasons and two National Championships during his time at FSU, and if you drive by the Moore Athletic Center, you will find a statue commemorating one of the most prolific college football coaches of all time.
A huge part of that dynasty era was defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who spent 26 seasons with the 'Noles and developed players like Deion Sanders, Terrell Buckley, LeRoy Butler, Odell Haggins, and Marvin Jones. The list could go on and on.
Andrews sat down with CBS Sports' Bryant McFadden on All Things Covered, one of the many players that he's left an impact on during his time as a coach, to discuss what it took and what he preached to implant a winning culture and mindset.
"Basically, the things that I tried to do — It wasn't just about coaching football, it was about learning life lessons. One of the things that I've known through the years, or I've felt like I've learned it, is that you become what you do," Andrews said. "We were talking earlier about the two percent deal that we started in spring practice one year. We asked the guys to get two percent better each day. And at that time, we had 20 days of spring practice, which meant if you accomplished individually, you were going to be almost half a better player than you were going into it."
READ MORE: Washington Commanders Elevate Former FSU Standout To Active Roster
Fans who have followed the Seminoles recently will probably recognize the "percent better every day" phrase, but in elite coaching circles, it is more than just an idiom — especially to Andrews.
"(It was about) developing habits, the proper habits. You develop championship habits, which are winning habits, or you're (just) practicing ways to get beat. We wanted to make it an everyday thing and even an every play thing. Do your best every play, and if you're not gonna do it, then get out of the way and let someone else do it."
Andrews played for Alabama and was a two-way star under another legendary coach named Bear Bryant who an award for Coach of the Year is named after. Champions are scarce, and his explanation for success was simple and straightforward.
"You had to make sure there was discipline involved, and what you try to get to is the thing about self-discipline. A coach doesn't have to discipline a player that will discipline himself," Andrews continued. "And I don't think everybody is born with that as a trait that you look for, but certainly, you can develop it, you can get it better. It's about loyalty. It's about doing your job (and) being accountable… I think one of the things that coach Bryant did and coach Bowden did as well is the accountability factor."
The Daleville, AL native described his practices and having "one perfect play" down to the finest detail before allowing players to leave. Even if a player's knee pads were wrong they would have to run it again until every detail was up to standard.
The high expectations for a program that had the success that Florida State did under both Andrews and Bowden were built on attention to detail and resiliency that brought two National Titles to Tallahassee, FL, and built numerous first-round draft picks who went on to have successful careers in the NFL.
"It's not a sin to get knocked down but you better be on your way up before you hit the ground."
It is undeniable the impact that Andrews has had on Florida State and his former players and his motto that "You can't live soft and fight hard." has changed many student athletes' lives for the better. As FSU heads into 2025 with the same expectations as 1993, Andrews still adorns the 'Nole Hall of Fame.
READ MORE: Florida State Lands Promising North Carolina Linebacker Transfer Caleb LaVallee
Stick with NoleGameday for more FREE coverage of Florida State Football throughout the offseason
Follow NoleGameday on and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
• Six Former FSU Basketball Players File Lawsuit Against Leonard Hamilton Over NIL Payments
• Linebacker Transfer From ACC Program To Visit Florida State
• Florida State True Freshman Defender Entering NCAA Transfer Portal
• Former FSU DT Leads NFL Rookies In Sacks, Climbs LA Rams History Books
Tommy Mire joined NoleGameday in 2023 as a writer and editor. He initially worked as lead voice at SBNation's Tomahawk Nation and contributes to football, NFL and recruiting coverage. Connect with Tommy on Twitter at @TommyM3III
Follow TommyM3III
© 2025 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
