Quote:Solid Spring Shows Weatherford's Upside

DOUG CARLSON
Tampa Tribune
Published: Apr 20, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - The trips home to Land O' Lakes will be short and sweet for Drew Weatherford this summer. Offseason throwing sessions with receivers, described last fall as ``voluntarily mandatory'' by first-team quarterback Wyatt Sexton, will have added significance this year.
Weatherford and freshman classmate Xavier Lee played well enough during spring practice to at least have a shot at overtaking Sexton for the starting job when preseason practice begins in August.

``It's probably about like we started,'' Coach Bobby Bowden said after Saturday's Garnet and Gold Game. ``We got two freshmen with a lot of talent, who've got a lot to learn and need experience. Then you've got [Sexton] with more experience, but his problem comes when the pressure gets on him. Not because he's afraid, but he can't get away from it.''

Sexton's lack of mobility, as much as anything, gives Weatherford and Lee a chance, provided they convince Bowden their decision making and accuracy are equal or very close to Sexton's.

And Weatherford needn't worry about the clear edge Lee gets in fan reaction. His name drew loud cheers each time he ran a series on Saturday, but that won't sway Bowden.

``You can bet your life I won't make a decision based on the fans,'' Bowden said.

Weatherford did the best job of getting rid of the ball, avoiding sacks, while Sexton and Lee took three each. Lee contends his quickness would have helped him avoid the sacks under game-like circumstances, instead of the quick whistle intended to protect the quarterbacks from injury during the spring.

Lack of contact for the quarterbacks and inadequate blocking from a depleted offensive line reduced the spring quarterback competition to a warmup for a battle that will take place over the first few weeks of the preseason.

Weatherford, Lee and Sexton all said they'll be around for every ``voluntary'' throwing session before then.

``It's much more important than it's ever been,'' Sexton said of this offseason. ``Last summer I couldn't throw because I had torn ligaments and tendons in my right forearm, so I had to sit out, and the years before that I was never in the picture, at all.

``It'll be my job to be the leader this year, and I'm looking forward to it.''

Weatherford said he is pleased with his progress during the spring, and clearly is looking forward to what comes next. He said he didn't want spring practice to end.

When probable starters David Castillo, John Frady, Matt Meinrod and Cory Niblock return to practice on the offensive line in August, along with injured receivers Willie Reid, De'Cody Fagg and Lorne Sam, Bowden said he'll be able to get a true picture of who needs to lead the Seminoles against Miami in the Sept. 5 season opener.

The process likely will come to a head within the first 10 days of practice, leaving the rest of the workouts to focus on preparation for Miami.

``I feel like I was very consistent throughout the spring and I feel like that was my upside,'' Weatherford said.

``But everything definitely will be a lot easier to evaluate once we have the type of line around us that we're going to have once the season starts. I'm excited and really confident going into the fall.''