TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Ponder Adds Another Twist To Noles' Quarterback Saga

ADVERTISEMENT

By SCOTT CARTER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 13, 2007

Updated: 11/12/2007 11:55 pm

TALLAHASSEE - The tight spiral to Greg Carr for a 23-yard gain on the first pass of Christian Ponder's career? Florida State starting quarterback Drew Weatherford doesn't remember it.

The nifty 22-yard run Ponder made on third-and-14 to keep a scoring drive alive late in the third quarter? The scramble remains fuzzy to Weatherford.

What about Ponder's 8-yard touchdown pass to De'Cody Fagg that gave FSU a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter in Saturday's 40-21 loss at Virginia Tech? Well, Weatherford has seen the replay and recalls how excited his teammates were.

On Sunday morning, Ponder dropped by Weatherford's place for breakfast and a quarterback-to-quarterback chat. Once Weatherford's headache subsided from the concussion he received the day before from a helmet-to-helmet collision with Hokies cornerback Brandon Flowers, Weatherford fully grasped why Ponder has added another twist to FSU's ongoing quarterback saga.

"Everybody is really proud of him - fans, players, coaches," Weatherford said Monday. "He went out there and competed. He went out there and played hard and played fast. He is a smart kid. He understands the game."

No one is saying the Seminoles have yet another quarterback controversy on their hands, but Ponder's play against the Hokies - especially in the third quarter - certainly created another layer of competition, more for next season that in what little remains of this one.

Ponder finished eight of 18 for 105 yards and one touchdown in the first appearance of his career. But he also had a costly fumble and two interceptions in the fourth quarter after the Hokies regained the lead, reminding everyone he is a redshirt freshman. But in the third quarter, when the Noles came back from a 20-6 halftime deficit to take a 21-20 lead, Ponder showed why he was a top recruit coming out of Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High.

Ponder was 5-for-7 for 60 yards in the third quarter, and he also rushed for 34 yards on two carries.

"I was amazed with what happened in the third quarter," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "You saw a redshirt freshman quarterback, who has played none, go out there and outscore them. And you wonder when's he going to make a mistake? When's he going to throw an interception? When's he going to blow it? Those things that were supposed to occur finally did occur. But I was amazed with the third quarter."

While Weatherford returned to practice Monday and is expected to start Saturday against Maryland, Ponder's emergence has him competing in practice to replace Xavier Lee as the regular backup.

Lee, after serving a two-game suspension, was cleared to return Monday by the school's academic advisory committee, but Bowden and offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher both indicated Lee's role on the team is not guaranteed to be the same as before his suspension.

"He has to work his way back up," Bowden said.

That could mean if Weatherford suffers a setback in practice this week, Ponder could go from a relative unknown to starting quarterback in one week.

"He is real intelligent," Weatherford said. "He learns things faster than any of us, really."

Ponder isn't just football smart. He enrolled at FSU in January 2006 and is on pace to earn his bachelor's degree by the time his sophomore season ends next year. He plans on pursuing an MBA during his final two years of eligibility.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT