NCSU, FSU quarterbacks match wits

Christian Ponder could study law.

He could start working toward a Ph.D.

Pursuing a second undergraduate degree is another option.

As Florida State's quarterback, Ponder is considering all those options for the 2010-11 academic year, presuming he returns to school as a fifth-year senior rather than leaving for the pros.

In 21/2 years, Ponder completed a bachelor's degree in finance with a 3.7 grade-point average. He expects to finish a master's in business administration after the spring semester.

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said Ponder demonstrates how important it is for a quarterback to be smart in what's become a complicated game. Ponder's production on the field -- he's the ACC's total offense leader -- matches his performance in the classroom.

Bowden said that aside from leadership, intelligence is the most important tool for a quarterback.

"There are a lot of great arms in the country," Bowden said. "Every team has a great arm on the team. Now who can make the decisions that move the ball? I think that academic part is pretty important."

At noon today in Tallahassee, Fla., Ponder will match wits with N.C. State sophomore Russell Wilson in a meeting of two of the most proficient and academically successful quarterbacks in the ACC.

Wilson is a third-year sophomore who plays baseball as well as football. The 2008 first-team All-ACC quarterback also is an honor roll student on pace to earn his bachelor's degree in communications after the spring semester.

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said there's no doubt the intelligence of both players shows up on the field.

"It helps them at that position," O'Brien said. "There's so much to learn and understand."

Changing direction

Wilson wasn't always a good student or a good leader while growing up in Richmond, Va.

In elementary school he was interested only in playing baseball and basketball. He admits that he was a bit of a troublemaker.

"I'd be out on the recess field, beating up people, playing football, knocking teeth out and talking trash all the time, not getting my work done sometimes," he said.

When he was in middle school, he underwent a spiritual change. He had always gone to church but had been more interested in scoping out pretty girls than the message of the services.

He devoted himself to Jesus and became a more serious person. Scott Corrigan, who taught and was lacrosse coach at Collegiate School, mentored Wilson.

Corrigan said he told Wilson how much he cared about him but wouldn't coddle him. He said that at Collegiate, coaches constantly find bigger challenges for the top athletes so they wouldn't plateau.

He urged Wilson to carry that concept into the classroom, to find appropriate goals and then strive for them.

"He just needed to find a love of learning," Corrigan said.

At N.C. State, Wilson made the ACC Academic Honor Roll in each of his first two years. His intelligence carries over into the film room when offensive coordinator Dana Bible is explaining things to the quarterbacks and wide receivers.

On a daily basis, Wilson will point out additional aspects of plays and coverages to his teammates after Bible is done talking. Some of Bible's favorite moments during games this season have come when Wilson has called up to him in the press box after successful drives.

Bible will compliment him on finding the right receiver.

"[Wilson] will say, 'Yeah, I knew where I was going. It was just a matter of him getting himself in a position where I could get it to him.' That's the good stuff right there," Bible said.

Abundant gifts

Ponder, from Colleyville, Texas, was placed in a gifted and talented program at an early age and has excelled academically ever since he started school.

His parents have a large collection of books at home and constantly encouraged him to read and keep up with his academic responsibilities. His smarts carry over onto the field as well.

While studying film before last week's game, Ponder saw that a formation with three wide receivers to one side provided a chance for a big play against North Carolina.

Sure enough, he threw to Taiwan Easterling for a 6-yard touchdown pass from that formation.

"He's a lot like Russell," N.C. State defensive coordinator Mike Archer said. "His escape ability. His intelligence. When he feels pressure, he knows right where to go with the ball."

Wilson doesn't believe a player necessarily needs to be "book smart" in order to be an outstanding quarterback.

He said it's possible for smart players to "overthink" things at the quarterback position instead of relying on and trusting in their instincts and abilities. But he said quarterbacks have to know the game to be successful.

"It's not a common man's position," he said. "You have to be intelligent. You have to understand what you're looking for."

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen doesn't list intelligence as the most important quality for a quarterback. Friedgen became known as a quarterback guru because of his success grooming Scott McBrien at Maryland and Joe Hamilton at Georgia Tech, where Friedgen was the offensive coordinator.

Friedgen said quarterbacks need vision and toughness in addition to knowledge of the offense and defense they're facing.

"There are guys that are 4.0 in the classroom that haven't been 4.0 on the football field," Friedgen said. "That doesn't always correlate. But sometimes it does."

In the case of Ponder and Wilson, it correlates. It's particularly evident in the good decisions that help them avoid interceptions.

Earlier this season, Wilson set a Football Bowl Subdivision record when his streak of passes without an interception grew to 379. Ponder comes into this game with 237 consecutive passes without an interception.

"There is an advantage to having some intelligence at the position," Ponder said. "It gets pretty complicated. There are a lot of checkoffs and a lot of things you have to do and study on your own."