| Christian Ponder |
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2008: In his first season as a starting quarterback, led FSU to an nine-win season for the first time since 2004.
Started all 13 games...named offensive MVP and Seminole Warrior at the football awards dinner...also the junior class academic award winner for the offense...ranked fifth in the ACC in total offense and sixth in pass efficiency...eighth in the conference in passing per game...a major weapon with his feet, Ponder is the first FSU quarterback to run for 400 yards in a season since Charlie Ward ran for 504 in 1992...just the fifth QB in school history to run for 400 or more yards...was second to only Antone Smith for rushing touchdowns in 2008 with four...ponder became just the fourth Seminole ever to rush for a touchdown in four consecutive games...his 144 rushing yards versus Miami were the second-most in FSU history behind Ken MacLean who ran for 146 in 1948...his 45-yard run versus Miami was the fourth-longest in school history by a QB...completed passes to six receivers or more in 11 of 13 games this season...found eight different receivers in a season-opening win over Western Carolina and nine different receivers in FSU's win over Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl...became the first FSU QB since Charlie Ward to throw six TD passes in his first two starts.
2007: Played in one game - the first game of his career - as he was forced into action against Virginia Tech when starting quarterback Drew Weatherford was injured in the second quarter of the game on the road...Ponder, who had worked with the first team offense during the week in practice, stepped into the game in the face of a nationally ranked Hokie defense and a hostile Lane Stadium crowd...the first pass of his career was a beautifully thrown 23-yard out pattern to Greg Carr...he completed one of three passes for 23 yards with one rush for nine yards in his first quarter of action...became more comfortable as the game went on as he guide the Seminoles to 15 second half points...on his first scoring drive (a 50-yard field goal by Gary Cismesia) he was 1-for-1 for 24 yards on a six-play, 27-yard drive...his second scoring drive was a seven-play, 54-yard touchdown scoring drive...he was 3-for-4 for 32 yards passing and rushed one time for six yards on the drive...his first career touchdown pass was an eight-yard strike to De'Cody Fagg that gave Florida State a 21-20 lead with 3:41 left in the third quarter...he finished the game 8-for-18 for 105 yards and one touchdown.
2006: A redshirt season.
High School: Graduated from Colleyville Heritage High School in January of 2006...a three-star player as ranked by Rivals.com...ranked 14th in the nation among pro style passers and the No. 50 overall prospect in the state of Texas by Rivals.com following his senior season...listed as the 20th-best overall prep quarterback as a senior by Scout.com...earned All-District first team honors by the Dallas Morning News as a senior...threw for 2,214 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 911 yards and 12 touchdowns...threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns in a regular season game against the eventual state championship team Southlake Carroll...accounted for 438 yards of total offense (252 yards passing and 186 yards rushing) and totaled six touchdowns (five passing and one rushing) in a regular season game against Richland during his senior season...passed for 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior starter...selected Florida State over Oklahoma State, Arizona, NC State and Georgia Tech.
Personal: Born Feb. 25, 1988...his father, David, played defensive line at Florida State from 1980-83...currently pursuing his MBA.
Career-Highs:
Passing
Yards 254, at NC State, 2008
Attempts 35, at NC State, 2008
Completions 23, at NC State, 2008
Long 54, Western Carolina, 2008
Longest TD 54 yards to Greg Carr, Western Carolina, 2008
TDs 3, two times last vs. Chattanooga, 2008
INTs 3, two times last vs. Boston College, 2008
Rushing
Yards 144, at Miami, 2008
Carries 19, at Miam, 2008
TDs 1, four times last at Maryland, 2008
Longest Rush 45, at Miami, 2008
Longest TD 4, Boston College, 2008
