Last week, Florida State revealed that Christian Ponder had undergone a second surgical procedure on his troublesome right elbow and would not be available for practice until a few days before the Seminoles’ bowl game.
While the senior quarterback’s availability for the Chick-fil-A Bowl the last day of December remains up in the air, Ponder still appears to be on track for the expected practice return.
In its daily release, FSU said Monday that, as expected, Ponder has not yet returned to practice. However, in another sign of progress, he had the protective brace removed from his right arm and his scheduled return to the practice field when the Seminoles reach Atlanta remains in reach.
“We’ll probably let him throw some a bit the next three or four days before he goes up there, then turn him loose on the 26th and see what happens,” head coach Jimbo Fisher said in comments distributed by the school.
E.J. Manuel, who started two of the last four games because of Ponder’s injury issue, has been getting the vast majority of reps in the starter’s absence.