[Peterson] also developed a high level of discipline on and off the field and an unusual number of pro quarterbacks. His wide-open passing offense was the antithesis of what most southern teams did, and his forward-thinking schemes were frequently copied by NFL coaches. Peterson can be credited with putting Florida State on the national map. He recruited from the talent-rich areas of Pennsylvania (Fred Biletnikoff) and Ohio (Steve Tensi) as Florida, unlike today, had a smaller population and a limited high school talent base. He brought in three-platoon football mimicking the famous "Chinese Bandits" teams he used as an assistant at LSU and gave them the designations of the "Chiefs", "Renegades", and "War Party". Despite the wide-open attack, the LSU influence was obvious and he built his early teams upon a smothering defense. He later augmented this with one of the first truly innovative passing offenses that brought visiting coaches from every corner of the country. He came up with the concept of the "hot receiver", never before seen, to counter blitzes, and FSU became known as an Independent primed to upset any team at any time.
