Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston has made enough of a six-game splash in his first season of college football to garner strong mention as a Heisman Trophy candidate. But for former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, Winston has a better handle on how to go about it than the man who blazed the Heisman trail for all freshmen, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel.
"Well not only his talent, but his humility," Bowden said of Winston in a Q&A for the Orlando Sentinel. "He's not doing like [Johnny] Manziel. And Manziel, I like him, I love to watch him play. [Winston] gives all the credit to the rest of his team and plus he has statistics to go behind him."
Bowden will make his first public return to FSU this weekend as the Seminoles play host to North Carolina State, and will spike FSU's ceremonial flaming spear into the midfield logo before the kickoff.
Winston has led the Seminoles to their first 6-0 start since they last won the national championship under Bowden in 1999. Winston, for his part, has completed 112 of 157 passes with 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He should cross the 2,000-yard passing mark against NCST Saturday, needing just 115 yards.
"I don't have anybody I compare him to. Somebody asked me on a call-in show if I'd compare him to a Charlie Ward or a Chris Weinke. They're all different," Bowden added. "Charlie was 185 pounds and could run like a scarlet dog, he runs better than this guy. But this guy runs in a very positive way. This guy is 6-foot-4, so I don't see the physical similarity there. Chris Weinke would be more similar, but he didn't care anything about running that dadgum football. This guy just seems to have it all."
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