The Daily Nole

FSU Senior Moments: Sean Maguire

Perrone Ford/FSU athletics

With the exception of a bowl game still to be played, another season of Florida State football is in the books. While the Seminoles will also lose some juniors who leave early for the NFL Draft and other players who will transfer for other reasons, FSU will say goodbye to a special group of seniors.

After winning a national championship as freshmen, this senior class has FSU in position to compete for a major bowl for a fifth straight year. This was also the first class in FSU history to go a combined 8-0 against Florida and Miami.

As the bowl game nears and their careers wind down, we’ll look back on the most prominent moments in the careers of some notable Florida State seniors. Our series begins with the top 5 moments in the career of redshirt senior quarterback Sean Maguire.

A 3-star prospect out of New Jersey, Maguire made six career starts throughout his FSU career, going 4-2 with two victories over ranked teams. Maguire was regarded as a good teammate by many and stuck it out at Florida State despite losing starting quarterback battles in each of the last two seasons.

Maguire had a knack for being ready on short notice and displayed his toughness by playing through a severe foot injury in last season’s 38-24 Peach Bowl loss to Houston. Throughout his career, Maguire has more than 2,000 yards passing and 16 touchdown passes.

5. First Career TD Pass
Nov. 16, 2013

The game was already well in hand for Florida State as Sean Maguire entered the game against Syracuse at Doak Campbell Stadium in 2013, but Maguire’s first career touchdown pass would be of historical significance. With the Seminoles already leading 45-0 midway through the third quarter, Maguire threaded the needle on a 17-yard toss to junior Nick O’Leary for the touchdown. The catch for O’Leary from his future roommate tied Melvin Pearsall’s FSU career record for touchdown grabs by a tight end with 11. The Seminoles would go on to rout the Orange, 59-3.

4. A Career Day
Oct. 31, 2015

Maguire didn’t know whether it would be he or Everett Golson, who would get the nod in the Halloween clash with Syracuse in Tallahassee. Golson was battling concussion symptoms and just before kickoff, Maguire was told that it was he who would be making the start. In his first start of the 2015 season, Maguire passed for a career-high 348 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in a 45-21 thrashing of Syracuse.

3. Maguire to Kerr
Nov. 28, 2015

With Florida State clinging to a 3-0 lead over rival Florida midway through the second quarter and facing 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard-line, head coach Jimbo Fisher had a decision to make. Foregoing a field goal attempt, Fisher decided to put the ball in the hands of Maguire. Flushed to his right, Maguire looked to be in trouble before firing across his body into a tight window to tight end Jeremy Kerr for a touchdown. The score gave FSU a 10-0 lead and was the only touchdown of the first three quarters as the Seminoles went on to rout Florida in Gainesville, 27-2.

2. Maguire Rallies FSU Past the ‘Pack
Nov. 14, 2015

After falling behind 17-7 to N.C. State, thanks largely to three turnovers by FSU starting quarterback Everett Golson in the 2015 ACC finale, the Seminoles turned to Maguire in the second quarter to save the day. Maguire did just that. Maguire led scoring drives on each of his first four possessions as the Seminoles scored the final 27 points in a 34-17 win. Maguire finished the day with 231 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns to cement his place as the team’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the year.

1. Maguire 74 Yards to Greene
Sept. 20, 2014

With Maguire making his first career start in place of suspended Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, things looked bleak for Florida State in its 2014 ACC opener. With less than seven minutes to play, the Seminoles trailed 17-10 and faced a 2nd-and-24 from their own 26-yard-line. That’s when Maguire decided to air it out, hitting Rashad Greene for a 74-yard touchdown to knot the game, 17-17. FSU would get timely stops in the red zone late in regulation and again in overtime before Karlos Williams’ 12-yard touchdown run gave FSU a 23-17 victory at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

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