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Jameis Winston eyes QB job

College Football, Florida State Seminoles

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- There's a quarterback competition brewing at Florida State, but Jameis Winston believes the team is loaded with talent no matter who coach Jimbo Fisher chooses to start.

"If we're playing Florida State football, we're going to have a very good team," Winston said. "Look at the numbers."

If he wins the job, the redshirt freshman said any success wouldn't change him.

"If I get [Johnny] 'Manziel disease,' I want every one of y'all to get your mics and just start [hitting me] on the head," he told reporters, adding that Manziel was a good person, based on what he'd heard from other athletes.

Winston had a stellar showing in the spring game, completing 12 of 15 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in a quarter against the Seminoles' first team defense.

He scorched veteran defensive back Lamarcus Joyner for a 58-yard touchdown throw on his first play.

"That's a critical factor," Fisher said Sunday. "Those lights on the scoreboard really matter."

Winston, who also plays baseball, has been featured as the newest Seminole superstar despite not taking a single snap in a game. He's up for the job against redshirt sophomore Jacob Coker.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Winston and the 6-5, 240-pound Coker are big and strong runners.

"The good thing about these two guys, they're much more similar than they are different in their physical skills," Fisher said.

But vastly different in personality, although few Seminoles rival the gregarious Winston.

"I'm obviously way more reserved," Coker said. "Jameis is a funny guy now, he's something else."

Winston, whose childhood dream was becoming a doctor, was asked to describe his bedside manner.

"I want everyone to feel comfortable," Winston said.

Coker said the offseason attention surrounding Winston hasn't altered his preparation.

"All I can do is all I can do," said the soft-spoken Coker, who has just five pass attempts on his resume. "I knew when I signed to come here [that] when you play quarterback at Florida State, you're inheriting a lot of pressure."

Florida State will face Pittsburgh in the opener on Sept. 2. They finished 12-2 and ranked No. 10 last season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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