TALLAHASSEE -- Junior quarterback Christian Ponder, who was limited with bruised ribs this week, returned to full-team drills Wednesday. And coach Bobby Bowden said Ponder looked sharp after shaking off some rust.

``His first few passes were astray,'' Bowden said. ``But he began to settle in. I think he's going to be OK [for Saturday's game].''

Ponder's down time did provide one benefit; it gave redshirt freshman E.J. Manuel time with the first-team offense.

``E.J. has looked the best this week since he's been here,'' Bowden said after Wednesday's practice. ``He got all the work Tuesday and Monday and got most of it [Wednesday], and looked pretty darned good.''

BRING THE NOISE

In preparation for their game at Clemson's Death Valley, the Seminoles held a rare Wednesday practice inside Doak Campbell Stadium, with noise piped in through the public address system.

FSU normally does that on Thursdays before road games, but Bowden said his team needed it twice this week.

``That is one of the loudest stadiums there is,'' Bowden said.

-- IRA SCHOFFEL

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