Associated Press, staff reports



TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State backup quarterback Fabian Walker will transfer to Valdosta State, a move which leaves the Seminoles with only two quarterbacks on their current roster.

Walker started the 2003 Sugar Bowl against Georgia but played sparingly last fall behind Chris Rix. He asked for his release Monday, university spokesman Rob Wilson said.

“I felt I could’ve gone out and helped the team a little bit, but I never really got the opportunity,” Walker said. “I’m really looking forward to moving on.”

Wilson said Florida State was working closely with Walker on transferring credit hours, since the 23-year-old is close to completing his degree. Spring semester classes began Monday at Valdosta State, a perennial NCAA Division II power.

Telephone messages seeking comment from Valdosta State coaches were not immediately returned. VSU cannot comment on Walker transferring in until he is officially enrolled at the school.

Walker is the second person to leave Florida State’s team in the last four days. P.K. Sam, the team’s second leading receiver last season, said Friday he’s foregoing his final year of college and applying early for the NFL draft.

Walker was a record-setting high school quarterback at Americus, Ga., where he passed for 8,281 yards and 81 touchdowns in high school. Walker graduated high school in 1999 as Georgia’s all-time prep passing leader in career passing yards and career touchdown passes after starting three seasons in Americus. He set the state record for passing yards in a single season in 1998, a record that was broken two years later by Robert Johnson, Walker’s top receiver in ’98 and his replacement at Americus.

At Florida State, the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Walker completed 30 of 50 passes last season for 342 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions.

He played with an injured shoulder against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl after Rix slept through a final exam and was suspended. Walker completed 7 of 12 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in the Seminoles’ 26-13 loss.

Redshirt sophomore Wyatt Sexton is now the lone backup to Rix, who will be a senior next season. Florida State already has an oral commitment from one high school quarterback, Drew Weatherford of Land O’ Lakes (Fla.), and is said to be heavily pursuing Xavier Lee of Daytona Beach Seabreeze.

Florida State’s coaching staff were on recruiting assignments and unavailable for comment Monday.

Walker is the third quarterback in five years to transfer from a major Division I program to Valdosta State. Dusty Bonner transferred in from Kentucky in 2000 and had a record-setting two-year career quarterbacking the Blazers. Jeff Creveling transferred from Florida last year, and was third on the depth chart behind Barrett Wilkes and Buster Faulkner.

Walker was reportedly interested at first in transferring after the spring semester, but was urged by Hatcher to go through spring practice at VSU in order to learn the offense. Walker ran a similar offense at Americus under then-coach Dan Ragle. Ragle, now at Ware County, based his offensive scheme on the one Hal Mumme used at Valdosta State, similar to Hatcher’s current scheme.

Walker contemplated transferring a year ago, but stayed in Tallahassee after former Seminole quarterback Adrian McPherson was dismissed from the team in January of 2003.

Walker met with Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden last week following the Seminoles’ loss to Miami in the Orange Bowl to discuss his future. Florida State’s starting quarterback Chris Rix opted to return to Tallahassee for his senior season in 2004, which would have left Walker as the projected backup in his senior year.

He originally signed with Florida State after graduating but never enrolled. After failing to meet academic standards during the fall of 1999, he did not attend college and enrolled at Florida State during the spring of 2000. Walker was forced by Atlantic Coast Conference rule to earn an associate of arts degree before re-enrolling and competing for the Seminoles. He completed the requirements at Jones (Miss.) Junior College and re-enrolled at Florida State, where he was redshirted in 2001.



The Valdosta Daily Times contributed to this report.