Los Angeles, Calif. – If anything, it only further certified the amount of confidence Florida State’s redshirt sophomore quarterback has.
A winner of every game he’s started at the collegiate level, Jameis Winston, when discussing the prospect of facing an Oregon secondary without its All-American cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olumu, displayed the type of self-assurance he has possessed throughout his career Sunday.
“I don’t mean to come off as arrogant,” Winston said, “even if he was on the field, we were going to be looking forward to playing him.
“We don’t fear nobody,” he continued. “Richard Sherman get out there and line up against us, we wouldn’t throw away from him neither.”
His co-offensive coordinator Randy Sanders was quick to add how glad he is not be playing Sherman, the NFL’s 2013 leader in interceptions. But Winston’s statement in front of the media at the LA Hotel Downtown is a testament to the nature that he is most often praised for.
As a second-year starter, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner has endured a season unlike he’s ever experienced in his life. He’s combined a dismal 17 interceptions this season with an innate ability to finish, leading the team to five wins by five points or less.
His numbers have taken a dramatic decline, especially in the turnover category. However, he’s still winning and still in the position he was in a year ago.
“I think he’s better this year than he was last year,” Fisher said on SiriusXM College Sports Nation earlier in December. “The time which he had to change gears. He’s got five fourth quarter comebacks in a year. He’s dominated from the beginning.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback hasn’t wavered when faced with adversity and it’s now becoming his most valuable attribute.
Sure, he’s thrown as many as four interceptions in Florida State’s 24-19 win over Florida. However, a product of that win was the way he excelled on the field in drives following turnovers. It’s a trait that hasn’t slipped from Oregon’s defensive coordinator Don Pellum.
“What I see is a very confident guy,” Pellum said. “The thing that he possesses is that, if he tries to fit in a window and it doesn’t happen, if there’s an interception, it doesn’t faze him. So he’s coming right back out there, and the next series, he’ll make that play.”
Pellum also said that his ability to fit balls in tight windows is the biggest difference between him and the quarterbacks Oregon’s defense has faced in the Pac-12. With an innocent smirk on his face, Pellum used the word “fun” when describing watching him play on tape.
For Boston College defensive coordinator Don Brown though, watching Winston’s film is an entirely different experience. As told in the Sports Illustrated story featuring Winston, Brown threw everything as far as pressure and coverage packages he could at the star quarterback.
But, as it’s been for 27 straight games, it wasn’t enough, leaving Brown naturally frustrated while dissecting the type of plays Winston was able to make.
Despite all of the added publicity he’s created off the field, Winston has consistently produced.
“He gets the guys to believe in him by getting it done,” Sanders said. “It doesn’t matter how much leadership ability you have, how much presence you have, charisma you have, anything else, if you don’t go out on the field and produce and win, people aren’t going to follow you.”
His teammates have followed him, and it’s a reason why Winston talks with such confidence when describing a game like the one against Florida in November.
“I know I messed up but I know I’m going to come through in the clutch, and they (my teammates) know I’m going to come through in the clutch,” Winston said.
His name is often associated with Oregon quarterback and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota as far as their on-field performance for this reason. As defensive back Erick Dargan described him, the proper question may’ve been what hasn’t he seen from Winston.

“He can throw anywhere on the field, you know, whether it’s deep, short, middle, side, the ball is going all over,” Dargan said. “You can’t just say, he only likes to throw to the right; no, he’s throwing all over.

“And another thing, he’s running, he’s moving the pocket. He’s not an easy guy to tackle. He’s big and he’s physical.”

Another term to describe him came from Oregon cornerback Troy Hill.

“He’s a playmaker,” Hill said.

But as what often times happens with playmakers like Winston, he tends to press. It is something that Oregon has taken full advantage of this season when its had the opportunity. The defense’s turnover margin of +17 ranks third in the nation and Hill knows how pivotal an ill-timed pass could be for the Ducks.

“When he forces those throws we’ve got to take advantage of our opportunity,” he said.

All of those interceptions haven’t translated to a loss this season though. The mistakes, as Pellum says, “haven’t hurt the team.” He’s persevered when it’s mattered most, came through clutch when he’s had to and became the product of both praise and frustration from opposing defensive coordinators.

He’s been battle-tested so much that he showed no hesitation when saying that the NFL’s Richard Sherman wouldn’t pose a sense of fear.

He presents a challenge that Oregon’s defense hasn’t faced before – and one that only becomes tougher without Ekpre-Olomu.

But with all the intangibles Winston has, also comes a contingent of weaknesses that have been exploited this season. It’ll just be a matter of capitalizing on them.

“We’ve just got to stay in coverage and make a play when the opportunity presents itself,” Dargan said.
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise