Will Christian Ponder (#7) live up to the Heisman hype?
As the Bobby Bowden era fades in the hands of Jimbo Fisher, Florida State strives to reclaim its dominance of yesteryear. To stir up the hype and to get the fans excited about FSU football, the university launched its official Christian Ponder for Heisman campaign. The gunslinger is entering his final season as a Seminole with the hopes of breaking out of the mediocre mold of FSU football that hasn’t won a conference championship since 2005.
Ponder’s career stats are Heisman like but not even close to some of his counterparts (see Ryan Mallett). However, Ponder has an offense that can create Heisman type numbers in 2010. With the return of his entire offensive line anchored by center Ryan McMahon with Andrew Datko, Zebrie Sanders, Rodney Hudson and David Spurlock completing the package and practically every skill position player returning, Ponder’s numbers should be off the charts.
The defense is the Achilles’ heel for the Seminoles. Fisher hired Mark Stoops and a slew of coaches to tighten up the line and improve on pass defense. Though six starters return on defense, the secondary will be a concern and will be tested in the second week of the season when the Seminoles travel to Norman.
The team has a tough schedule to get the recognition and respect for Ponder to have a legitimate shot at the Heisman. There is no doubt Jimbo Fisher’s offense can drum up enough statistics to send Ponder to New York in December. The question is, can the team win more than 7 games and will the defense take him out of the running (see Jimmy Clausen’s 2009 campaign).
