Ponder plays along with Heisman hype

GREENSBORO -- Last year, Clemson came to the ACC Football Kickoff with life-sized posters of running back C.J. Spiller to promote his Heisman Trophy candidacy. Spiller, despite a solid all-around season, didn’t get far, finishing sixth in the voting.

This year, Florida State handed out portfolios embossed with ‘CP7’ to push quarterback Christian Ponder for the Heisman. The redshirt senior, who already has his MBA and is working on a Masters in sports management, has endorsed the campaign, even if he hasn’t put those graduate degrees to use on its behalf.

“They came to me in the beginning of the process and made sure I was comfortable with everything that was going on,” Ponder said. “There will be more, I’m sure. Have I pitched them anything? No, I’m not that creative. I would never have come up with something like this.”

Ponder may be a Heisman candidate, but he feels a little left out among college football’s social elite. While controversy swirls over a party in Miami for players that may have been thrown by an agent, Ponder cheerfully poked fun at the issue that has loomed over this entire weekend.

“I’ve never been offered (anything),” Ponder said. “I was a little offended I didn’t get invited to the party. I was expecting my invitation to be in the mail.”