Manuel poised, ready to lead FSU to victory

Staff and wire report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.

Florida State's chances of a 33rd consecutive winning season and a 28th straight bowl game now rest on the shoulders of the untested E.J. Manuel.

And the Seminoles (4-5, 2-4 ACC) must win two of the next three games to avoid their first losing season since 1976.

That doesn't faze Manuel, a redshirt freshman quarterback from Virginia Beach's Bayside High School.

"I know I'll be fine once I get out there and get a few plays under my belt and get some confidence," Manuel said by telephone Monday night. "I'm not really thinking about it personally. I just want to have a good game and win and keep the offense rolling."

Manuel, who was second on South Hampton Roads' career yardage list when he left Bayside, gets his first collegiate start Saturday at Wake Forest. The Seminoles then play at home against Maryland before finishing the regular season against top-ranked Florida in Gainesville.

Manuel replaces starter Christian Ponder, who suffered a season-ending dislocated shoulder in Saturday's loss to Clemson. Ponder had thrown for 2,717 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

Manuel said he took most of the reps in practice last week while Ponder nursed another injury. But he has been in on only a handful of plays and has one completion for 4 yards.

"Obviously, the level is the highest level before the pros," Manuel said. "The guys are faster and stronger and you have to relax and play your game. But it's just football when you think about it."

Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is full of confidence in Manuel's ability to replace Ponder.

"He's looking forward to the opportunity," Fisher said. "I think he'll handle it well. He's going to be a great football player in my opinion."

The 19-year-old Manuel was Fisher's prized recruit in his initial recruiting class at Florida State. Fisher is slated to become the Seminoles head coach in January of 2011.

The 6-4, 225-pound Manuel, who was redshirted last year, threw for nearly 6,000 yards during his career at Bayside. He was a first-team All-Tidewater selection as a senior in 2007 and was one of the nation's top quarterback recruits.

Walk-on freshman Ryan Becker will move up to No. 2 at quarterback, Fisher said.

Ponder will travel with the Seminoles to Wake Forest, largely to encourage his teammate.

"He's got a lot of tools to be successful," Ponder said of Manuel. "He's intelligent, has got a great arm and is obviously very athletic."

Over the years, backup Florida State quarterbacks have enjoyed success when replacing an injured starter.

Peter Tom Willis threw five touchdown passes in place of Chip Ferguson to lead the Seminoles to a 59-0 win at South Carolina in 1988 and Danny Kanell matched that performance in place of Charlie Ward during a Florida State win at Maryland in 1993.

Manuel would love to join that short list Saturday.

"You don't know how he'll play," Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said. "He could play fantastic or he could struggle."

Staff writer Jami Frankenberry and The Associated Press contributed to this story.