Florida State’s backfield has been battered into a mess, and the Seminoles may be staring at another hit.
What started the season as a promising rotation has turned into a survival exercise. Four injuries, five different players getting carries, and one dismissal have left the running back room stretched thin, and now there’s concern that freshman Amari Thomas could be the next one sidelined.
The Seminoles opened with Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. as their top pairing, but they only got two full games together before Singleton suffered what has effectively been a season-ending injury. Kromah then became the main answer for most of the year, with Tre Wisner helping out before Kromah was carted off against Miami.
Wisner’s own injury came against Clemson, though he still dressed for the next game against Boston College. He lasted only a handful of snaps before leaving, and that pushed Thomas into the starting job.
Thomas entered the year expecting limited, if any, action because of the depth ahead of him. Instead, Kromah’s injury forced him into a much bigger role much faster than planned.
That stretch took another turn against Pitt, when Thomas left after limping off the field. With Florida State already dealing with its fourth injury at the position, fifth-string back Zay Parks took over.
Parks has looked solid with the ball, and if he gets enough work with the first team, he could be ready to handle a bigger role if needed. But the Seminoles are in a tough spot, and interim coach Rick Stockstill does not have many clean answers left.
If Thomas can’t go and Singleton’s return keeps fading, Florida State may have to get creative. One possibility is wide receiver Micahi Danzy, who could be dangerous on sweeps and screens. Danzy got a brief look in that kind of role against Pitt, and if Thomas is out, it may make sense to use him there more often.
Danzy is quick and elusive, and he reaches top speed fast. He does not need to become Florida State’s sixth-string running back, but he could give the offense a useful gadget option and ease some of the load on Parks.
Another route is simpler: keep feeding Parks the football the way the Seminoles did with Thomas. Parks has stayed with the program through some of its toughest losing seasons in recent memory, and while he did not earn a traditional featured role this year, Florida State may need him to be the next man up.
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