FSU Spring Game 2015: Sean Maguire Shows Growth but Still Needs Improvement

One of the first throws in the post-Jameis Winston era at Florida State was a pick-six. Sean Maguire, generally believed to be Winston's successor at quarterback, threw it right to freshman defensive back Derwin James, who returned it 41 yards to the house. 

Suddenly, the world ended. Would the Seminoles be lost without Winston? Just how much did fans need to brace themselves?

It was a bad mistake by Maguire, without a doubt, but the bigger question would be how he responded. If he's going to take over Florida State's offense in 2015, there are going to be moments when Maguire has to overcome adversity. 

And overcome he did—at least at first. 

Maguire had a slow first quarter for a number of reasons. Nerves all around meant high snaps, poor decisions and bad timing, and receivers were covered well early. It should also be noted that the Seminoles have been plagued by the injury bug all spring. The teams on display on Saturday won't look exactly like what's fielded in September. There are going to be some mistakes associated with that attrition. 

"The offensive line...there were high snaps, off snaps. When you're trying to play quarterback, that's the worst thing in the world," head coach Jimbo Fisher said, via Wayne McGahee of Scout.com. 

However, Maguire, a redshirt junior, followed up his slow start with a much stronger second quarter, as noted by Corey Clark of the Tallahassee Democrat: 

For a while, it looked like Maguire was out of the woods. He was playing more confidently and showing off some nice accuracy on deep balls. Keep in mind, too, that this is the same player who threw for 304 yards against Clemson, which had the No. 1 defense in the country, last year. 

However, Maguire's inconsistency and inability to close out the game strong were concerning. Specifically, Maguire regressed in the fourth quarter, missing open receivers and throwing high for another interception. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey nearly picked off another Maguire pass with just seconds left in the game. 

"We had some drives where we looked like a great football team and drives where we didn't," Maguire said, via Travis Register of 247Sports. "Up and down was the definition of today." 

You'd think that would be a bad omen for Maguire's chances at earning the starting job, but it's going to take more than one spring game to truly affect those chances. Fisher has raved previously about Maguire during practice, according to the Palm Beach Post's Bob Ferrante. 

When it comes to the quarterback competition, Maguire still appears to be a step ahead of everyone else. J.J. Cosentino, the second-team quarterback, had plenty of overthrows. Freshman De'Andre Johnson showed nice flashes on some touchdown passes, but he's still learning the offense.

"

lots to like from all three quarterbacks, lots for them to work on. it's still maguire's spot to lose, but johnson bridging gap

— Perry Kostidakis (@perrykos) April 11, 2015"

Nothing out of Florida State practice reports indicate either of them is ready to overtake Maguire. It would have to take injury or a major development in the next few months for that to change. 

Maguire can't rest easy yet, though. After Saturday, he won't. And he shouldn't. He still needs work in his decision-making and must improve his accuracy. As Clark notes, Maguire doesn't have to make every throw, but he has to make must-have throws. 

"

Maguire isn't going to make those incredible Winston throws. But he's got to be MUCH better at making the simple ones.

— Corey Clark/TDO.com (@Corey_Clark) April 11, 2015"

Ideally, you'd like to see an improvement on that consistency by the time preseason camp rolls around. The summer months are going to be largely on Maguire to make those strides himself. This is when we'll really find out how capable he is of improving. 

No, Maguire isn't Winston, but he doesn't need to be. Just because Winston was a once-in-a-generation quarterback for the Seminoles doesn't mean they can't win without him. Maguire has a few things going for him as well. He has a nice arm, good mobility and can extend plays long enough to make a dump-off throw. 

That can be more than good enough to win. He just has more room to grow. 

Sure, the look of Florida State's offense could change. That happens every year depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the unit. Running back Dalvin Cook is bound for a breakout year and leads a talented backfield with Mario Pender Jr. and Jacques Patrick. If the new-look offensive line shapes up and receivers are still developing, there could be more emphasis placed on the run than in 2014. 

Right now, it would be a surprise to see someone else besides Maguire be the first-string quarterback in the fall. If the Seminoles want to get back to the ACC championship, and perhaps to the College Football Playoff, Maguire has to show what happened Saturday was an anomaly, not a trend. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football.