QA with Fabian Walker

Fabian Walker was one of six offensive players selected to talk to the press during Sunday's Media Day. Here are selected questions and answers from the 'Noles' junior quarterback:

Are you going into this season with the goal of being the starter?

Everybody wants to be a starter here. I'm not satisfied with being the backup and will push Chris as hard as I can. I know that I'm going in 100-percent and haven't had any problems with my shoulder

Do you think you can be the starter?

No doubt. I know I can be the starter. With the experience I have in the one game in a hostile environment, against the No. 3 or 4 ranked team, that was a good learning process for me. I really enjoyed that experience.

Before the last couple years was there ever a time when you weren't a starter?

No, every sport I've played I was always starting, I was always on the field and in the spotlight. Coming here and having to take this role here it was hard at first but that's what happens when you come to a big time program. You are surrounded by athletes that are All-Americans as well in high school.

Being close friends with Alonzo Jackson how did you handle what he went through with his father dying of cancer last year?

His dad was pretty much like a father to me also. We would sit down and talk for hours and hours about his family problems and what he was going through. With football, the injury I was going through and his family problems we were able to just sit down and talk for hours about it. Like I said his father was like a father to me and he took it hard. He told me a lot of things about it that I don't think he told anybody.

What do you remember the most about when you first enrolled in the spring of 2000?

I remember Weinke talking to me. He was just telling me that there should be no pressure on me and to just go out there and perform like he knows I'm capable of doing - he saw some film on me in high school. When he said that to me it really helped me out. That was in the beginning of the spring and after that I went out and I just performed and I did it to the best of my (abilities). That was really big for me, for him to tell me that.

How difficult has it been for you to try to recapture how you felt and performed back then?

It's been a long road, a very long road. I think right now I'm as close as I was back then because I had to go through rehab with the shoulder and everything. Right now I think I'm back to that level.

What was going through your mind when you first arrived on FSU's campus back in the spring of 2000?

I felt good then. I was fresh out of high school, a freshman and had no worries. I had just come into school and there were no worries, just football. I didn't have to worry about my injuries, I didn't have to worry about anything. That's where I'm at right now. At the same time I have to guard my shoulder and make sure none of the defenders grab my arm like they did in the spring game. But other than that I'm healthy, school-wise I'm fine, and I'm just worrying about football.

How do you deal with being told by the NCAA that effectively you cheated and had to go to JUCO if you hoped to regain your eligibility?

It was very heartbreaking for me. Every time I get interviewed about that I try to leave it in the past and not even bring it up but that whole process I had to go through with the NCAA it really wore me down. Here I am trying to convince somebody that this is my test, I took this test, I prepared for this test but they are telling me, 'no, you cheated or somebody took it for you.' That really hurt me because after all that hard work that I put in to do that test I really felt like I deserved that. Then they just cancel my scores like that and send me off to junior college for a year. I was really heartbroken but at the same time I had to stay strong. There was nothing I could do about it. I had to go over there and make sure I get done with it in one year, which was tough. I was taking 18-19 hours a semester but it had to be done for me to get back here at Florida State.

Did anybody from the NCAA or the Clearinghouse actually tell you they thought you cheated?

Not to my face, no. They were sending me letters and stuff.

Even though you went through all of this, do you not feel singled out since other players have gone through the same thing?

I don't think I was singled out but the way I had to go about it, I had to get my tutor to write them letters, I wrote them letters, people at Florida State wrote them letters that said 'this guy here really worked hard and he took the test.' It was hard because I took the test here in a room and get the people that administered the test and get them to write a letter saying 'we watched this guy and he didn't do anything.' They didn't contact them. There were two people walking around the room.

When you finally made through JUCO and got your AA, you were then told you would have to sit out a year.

It was a long drawn out process I had to go through. I wouldn't wish it on anybody. It was hard on me but I was able to come through it. I'm just thankful that it's all behind me now.

Do you feel stronger now that you have been through so much?

I think I'm able now to take on adversity pretty good. I think I'm able to handle anything that comes my way.

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