Now That's How You Play Football

Here was the scouting report on Nole's QB E.J. Manuel during his recruiting period:

"If you're looking for an all-around, world-class quarterback, look no further. Manuel combines size, athletic ability, and a tremendous arm. He reads defenses well, and is fluid in his progressive reads. With notable quarterbacks Mike Vick, Aaron Brooks and Ronald Curry hailing from his region, Manuel has a chance to be a superstar on the next level."

And superstar he was in Saturday's 41-28 defeat at Wake Forest! Manuel went 15 0f 20 for 220 yards and ran 10 times for 45 yards. He showed his patience, he showed his strong arm, he showed his ability to run, but most of all, he helped his Noles win with teamwork.

To be sure, this win was a complete team effort, with Manuel leading the charge. Greg Reid continues to dazzle, the offensive line worked hard to protect Manuel, the running game was smoking, and the receivers were making plays. The kicking team and special teams played with brilliance. Best of all, just when it looked like this game would be another "shootout," the defense came through with an Ochucko Jenije interception...in fact, the defense played pretty darn well the whole game!

Still, you have to hand it to Manuel. He was highly recruited out of Virgina, with offers from just about every school you can name, and he has patiently waited his turn to have a chance at quarterbacking the Noles.... We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did, E.J! Thanks for quite a show. You can bet we'll be in our seats and awaiting the next game.

And that's not to take anything away from Ponder. ....Hey, aren't we fortunate to have two talented QBs representing our university?