Florida State’s backfield took a hit in the wake of its 50-36 loss to Alabama in Week 3, and that injury could finally create the opening Tre Wisner has been waiting for.
Sam Singleton Jr. left that game after a 65-yard catch-and-run in the second half, and head coach Mike Norvell said Monday that the running back will be out for an extended stretch because of a leg injury. Norvell still believes Singleton Jr. could return at some point this season, but for now, his absence leaves snaps on the table.
That’s where Wisner comes in. The transfer from Texas arrived with expectations, and Florida State reportedly paid him $650,000 in NIL this offseason to get the deal done.
Through three games, though, the production hasn’t matched the investment. Wisner has just five carries for 34 yards and has mostly watched from the sideline while Singleton Jr. handled a bigger role.
Seminoles offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. said Wisner has been “waiting in the wings for more opportunities.”
Now those opportunities are here.
Wisner’s background gives Florida State reason to trust him. He’s a senior with three years at Texas behind him, where he piled up 369 carries for 1,734 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
He also added 66 catches for 457 yards and two more scores as a receiver. That kind of résumé is exactly why the Seminoles believed he could help right away, even if injuries in fall camp slowed his start.
Singleton Jr. had become a real piece of the offense before the injury. He finished with 20 carries for 73 yards and also made a major impact as a pass catcher, ranking second on the team with 162 receiving yards while leading the Seminoles with two receiving touchdowns on eight catches. Losing that production creates a clear opening, especially with Florida State trying to replace the chunk plays Singleton Jr. provided.
Ousmane Kromah remains the lead back, but when he needs a breather, Wisner looks like the next man up. For a Florida State offense trying to steady itself after back-to-back losses, this is the kind of chance Wisner was brought in to seize.
In Other News...
Florida State Has A Realignment Concern As Senate Vote Nears
The latest college sports push in Washington has put Florida State in the middle of a debate with big implications for how the sport is organized. The Protect College Sports Act, bipartisan legislation from Sens. Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz, is nearing approval in the U.S. Senate after drawing support from 77 senators, and it has backing from the Big Ten, SEC and NCAA.
For Florida State, though, the fine print matters. Florida senators Ashley Moody and Rick Scott are opposing the bill because of provisions that would limit conference realignment and cap conference membership, and Miami, Florida State and South Florida have all lined up behind that resistance. The schools want to preserve flexibility if the shifting landscape of league membership keeps moving, which leaves the Seminoles watching a Senate vote that could shape their options down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Norvells Postgame Response Should Worry Florida State Fans
Florida State came out with enough punch to build an early lead against No. 10 Alabama, but the afternoon unraveled in the second half and left Mike Norvell explaining how the Seminoles went from control to damage limitation. In the postgame session, Norvell pointed to Ashton Daniels as a bright spot and said he was proud of the effort he saw from his team, even as the final result turned into a 50-36 loss.
The concern for Florida State is not hard to find in Norvells comments. He acknowledged the turnovers that swung momentum and the defensive problems that surfaced after halftime, the kind of issues that can erase a promising start in a hurry. For a team that wanted to prove it could handle a top-10 opponent, the response after the break may end up saying as much as the score did. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States QB Praise Suddenly Feels Like A Bigger Warning
Ashton Daniels gave Florida State a mix of the encouraging and the alarming in the Week 3 loss to Alabama, throwing for four touchdowns while also putting the ball in harm's way with three interceptions and taking three sacks. Even so, Mike Norvell made a point of praising the quarterback afterward, a sign the Seminoles are trying to steady Daniels as much as the offense after a 1-2 start.
The bigger issue now is whether that public confidence is mostly about keeping Daniels on track or a reflection of how thin Florida States options are behind him. Malachi Marshall, the Iowa Western transfer, is the likely backup and could be in line for work in Week 4 against Central Arkansas, which makes the coming game a chance to learn more about the Seminoles quarterback picture than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]