After taking last week off in between summer sessions, the Seminoles returned to the practice fields to continue their offseason conditioning program.
I had a chance to chat with starting quarterback Christian Ponder about a number of things including the new freshmen that just arrived on campus. Below is the complete transcript.
How was the week off for the team?
Ponder: “It was good for those freshmen. They had a week off to get acclimated and everything.”
As one of the players responsible for bringing the freshmen along, what was your role?
Ponder: “We were just helping making sure that everyone stayed straight. We answered questions and we got to know everybody. It’s really important because naturally they are kind of separate from everyone. We have to help them get acclimated and help them get to know all the guys.”
What were your first impressions of the group?
Ponder:
Was anyone shell shocked, or did they appear that they belonged from the beginning?
Ponder: “I think for the most part they were pretty composed. A lot of them seemed excited to be here. Everyone was pretty well composed. They are ready to be here.”
What do you see in the freshmen wide outs?
Ponder: “They look really athletic. We will throw around with them for the first time here today.”
Most people characterize that group as big an explosive. Is that accurate?
Ponder: “Yeah, actually I just had a conversation with coach Dawsey about it earlier and he seemed pretty excited about it. I’m definitely excited. They have some height and hopefully they have some speed. We are expecting some big things from them. They will be playing early because we are kind of thin at the position right now. It’s good to have them.”