Christian Ponder Resumes "Slinging It," Plus Other Items

-- Christian Ponder returned to practice over the weekend after missing all of last week while nursing an elbow injury. 

"Shoot, he was slinging it," Fisher said. "Seems good so far."

-- Ponder, who should be fine to start on Thursday, went so far as to say the injury may have been a blessing in disguise:

He says the injury has forced him to use his core body muscles more than relying primarily on his arm strength, which has brought back some missing power and accuracy.

"I think it’s actually become a blessing in disguise," Ponder said during a conversation with the media Monday morning. "It’s actually made my mechanics better, which is hard to believe. I’m starting to use my core more, which is something I got away from this year."

But he's still a bit sore, still receiving treatment daily.  And he's right that he's been off this season, at least in comparison to what he did a year ago.  His completion percentage (60.2%), while more than acceptable, is down from 68.8% in 2009.  He's averaging a modest 6.6 yards per attempt, which is down from 8.2.

Even so, Florida State's offense is chewing up yards at nearly the same rate it did in '09 and ranks 2nd in the league in both total yards and yards per play.  A significantly improved running game helps.

-- Bert Reed is excited about his return to Raleigh, thanks to one very special lady:

"She was ripping us the whole game," Reed said. "I don't think she was watching the game. I think she was just talking to us. … I'll never forget that lady. I just know when I scored, it was so good looking at her. I just stared at her. I didn't say anything, because that would have been rude … But I just started at her."

[snip]

"I love the environment," he said. "Two years ago, that's when we had been through a little of that trouble stuff and they were killing us down there, calling us criminals, doing a lot of crazy stuff."

Reed added that C-F is a tough place to play because the fans are so close to the bench.

-- Florida State will be without starting right guard David Spurlock, who suffered a concussion against Boston College.  Spurlock, a multi-year starter, will be replaced by redshirt freshman Bryan Stork, but Jimbo Fisher does not sound overly concerned.

-- Florida State practiced for most of last week while NC State had the week off.  Audie Cole went hunting and didn't bring me anything.  Russell Wilson likes the Rangers to win the World Series, so you can take that to the bank.

-- Here's the depth chart for the Florida State game.  I tell you, it's the same story every time.  You seen one depth chart, you seen 'em all. (Knock on wood.)