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A Lot To Like Under Center

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By STEVE ELLIS

The Tallahassee Democrat

Published: December 25, 2008

ORLANDO - Jimmy Black watched enough Florida State football games on television and in person to be optimistic about the program's future.

"All my buddies down here on the Space Coast are very excited with what we see and who we have on the team," said Black, who started at quarterback for FSU during Bobby Bowden's first season in 1976.

Black pointed to the growth of the offensive line, the play of freshman running back Jermaine Thomas and the potential for FSU's young receivers.

Then there is first-year starting quarterback Christian Ponder. Black, as with a handful of former FSU quarterbacks approached on the topic, found plenty of things to like about Ponder's first season with the expectations of improvement, especially in his passing game.

"I think he's exciting," Black said. "He has got really quick feet. He's not afraid to run the ball or tuck it down, which I have to mention we've missed for a couple of years. He throws the ball well but he needs to work on that part of the game a little bit. He's young.

"From what I've seen, he looks pretty good fundamentally."

For Casey Weldon, an evaluation of Ponder's 12 starts is more difficult because of the personnel issues that faced the offense, including key players suspended at the start of the season and the wide receiving corps being hit by suspensions later in the season.

"I think it's really hard to judge him or any quarterback this year with the suspensions and everything that went on," Weldon said. "Another year of knowing the offense and another offseason, hopefully the bowl game will begin that process. He's just got to be more accurate."

Improvement from Wally Woodham's perspective as a former FSU starter is for Ponder to drop back more and be more proficient. Ponder was sacked 17 times this season and was sacked twice or more in five games.

"I would like to see him a little more just drop back and plant his foot, step up and throw," Woodham said. "That takes confidence. If you're getting hit on the chin and the chest, it's hard to step up.

"He also runs. It's probably tough to be both."

Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and Ponder have repeatedly made the point that an emphasis of the offseason will be to improve the passing game. That's something former quarterback Peter Tom Willis will be watching for next season.

"There's a lot of good things there," Willis said of Ponder. "He's a competitor and he's more athletic than people thought he was going to be. One thing I was impressed with him this year, he seemed to make a lot of plays when we needed him to on third down to keep the chains moving. As far as being a leader and making plays, I think he did very well.

"But if you asked me as a passer and throwing the ball, he didn't improve as much as I would have liked to see him improve. ... One thing I've noticed and this really has been with all the quarterbacks since Chris Weinke, we're not throwing the ball on time.

"That's not a knock against Christian. It just seems like that at that position, we're not anticipating our throws. We're not throwing the ball when it needs to come out. That doesn't mean Ponder can't do it. The more you play, the more confident you are going to be."

Gary Huff, now an FSU senior associate athletic director, observed Ponder not only as a former starting quarterback for the Seminoles but also as one with seven years of experience as an NFL quarterback.

Huff points to Ponder's character and leadership, good work ethic and ability to learn.

"The next thing is how good can he be?" Huff said. "And what are the limitations? And on this young man the limitations are whatever talent he has around him. ... I think the sky is the limit. He has coaches who believe in him.

"He's still a young quarterback with a great future."

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