FSU Spring Position Preview: Running Back
There are less than two weeks remaining until Florida State returns to the practice fields for spring camp. The sessions will give the coaching staff an opportunity to see how the transfers and early enrollees are assimilating alongside the returning players on the roster.
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The Seminoles are bringing back plenty of depth at running back, headlined by breakout star Trey Benson, who turned down the NFL to spend one more year in Tallahassee. At this time a year ago, no one knew what to expect out of Benson. Following a standout spring, he built a rhythm and never looked back, eventually nabbing a starting job and building from there.
With that being said, the room will look different with Treshaun Ward moving on. The coaching staff will be looking to redshirt freshman Rodney Hill and redshirt junior Caziah Holmes to play big roles in the offense.
Departures:
Redshirt junior Treshaun Ward
Ward began his career as a walk-on at Florida State before being put on scholarship once head coach Mike Norvell arrived. An injury forced him to miss time in 2022 and that gave Benson the opportunity to take over as the lead back. Ward's role wasn't guaranteed this upcoming year so he chose to transfer to Kansas State. He recorded 188 rushes for 1,241 yards with 12 touchdowns in 26 appearances, with six starts, in garnet and gold. He added 28 catches for 210 yards and another score through the air.
Returnees:
Redshirt junior Trey Benson, redshirt junior Lawrance Toafili, redshirt junior Caziah Holmes, redshirt junior DJ Lundy (fullback), redshirt sophomore CJ Campbell, redshirt sophomore Joshua Burrell, redshirt freshman Rodney Hill
Florida State returns rushing 295 attempts from its running backs/fullback (75.6%), 1,657 rushing yards (72.5%), and 19 rushing touchdowns (73.1%) from last season.
New Additions:
N/A (FSU signed four-star running back Samuel Singleton but he won't enroll until the summer)
Projected Depth Chart:
Running Back:
1. Trey Benson
2. Caziah Holmes
3. CJ Campbell
Tailback:
1. Lawrance Toafili
2. Rodney Hill
3. Joshua Burrell
Fullback:
1. DJ Lundy
2. Fabien Lovett
Benson and Lawrance Toafili both have extensive experience in Florida State's offense and will enter the spring as starters. It's important to note that the Seminoles listed two starting running back positions on their depth chart last year. Hill was listed as the primary backup to Toafili last season while Holmes wasn't eligible to play after transferring in from Penn State. Both players will look to solidify roles in the offense beginning this spring.
CJ Campbell has talent and experience while Joshua Burrell has dealt with injuries during his first two years with the program.
DJ Lundy will be back for his package in short yardage situations and on the goal line. A jumbo package with Fabien Lovett on the field is my pipe dream.
Spring Outlook:
Despite the departure of Ward, Florida State's rushing attack looks like it will be promising once again in 2023. Benson is even further removed from a major knee injury that he suffered at Oregon and now has a year in the Seminoles' system under his belt. He's a physical runner who has the ability to get into gear down the sideline, evidenced by his 78 missed tackles forced in only 154 rushing attempts according to PFF. In total, Benson recorded 990 yards and nine touchdowns while catching 13 passes for 144 yards.
Benson will be the workhorse but Toafili is more than capable as a second-fiddle plus he improved his ability immensely between the tackles this past season. He's a gadget, crafty player who can contribute on the offense through the air and on the ground. Toafili's progession will be crucial as he'll be asked to do even more with Ward gone. Last season, he rushed 93 times for for 457 yards and five touchdowns while catching 24 passes for 268 yards and another score. Toafili recorded three consecutive games of 100+ yards of total offense against Clemson (113 yards), Georgia Tech (154 yards, 2 TDs), and Miami (127 yards).
It will be important for Florida State to find a third and fourth member of the rotation that the offense can rely on. At this point, that appears to be Hill or Holmes. Hill has all of the potential in the world and has the makings of a future star with the Seminoles. He's got speed, athleticism, and physicality with the ability to contribute in the same vein as Toafili, though he may already be a better pure running back. Hill only rushed 27 times for 144 yards and a score during his first year with the program. Regardless, the best is yet to come for him.
There might not be another 'newcomer' who already has more expectations on his shoulders than Holmes, who transferred from Penn State to FSU following fall camp last season. He contributed during practice and ended up being named Co-Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year. Holmes appeared in nine games for the Nittany Lions in 2020, recording 51 carries for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Holmes concluded his true freshman season with the best performance of his college career, a 77-yard, two-touchdown outing against Illinois.
His role diminished in 2021 while he was dealing with multiple injuries. Holmes contributed mainly on the practice squad, rushing five times for 27 yards in three games. He's back fully healthy and has a solid build. It'll be fascinating to see what he looks like working with the first team offense in the spring. It's too early to predict his exact impact at this point.
Campbell and Burrell are both solid options to have waiting in the wings as insurance. Burrell has been limited by injuries during his first two years at Florida State, recording no offensive statistics while flip-flopping between wide receiver and running back. Campbell is a walk-on who looks like he could eventually follow in a similar path to Treshaun Ward. He's a standout during practice and rushed 18 times for 64 yards and two touchdowns last year.
It's still early in the offeason but Florida State projects to have one of the top running back rooms in the country for the second consecutive season. It may even become elite if Benson and Toafili improve while Hill realizes his vast potential, which may be higher than anyone else in the group.
Previous Spring Position Previews:
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