Most of the talk around Florida State has centered on Ashton Daniels, but the Seminoles’ real swing piece might be the group lined up behind him. With Mike Norvell heading into what feels like a make-or-break season, the running backs could be the part of the offense that determines whether FSU gets back into the ACC picture in 2026.
That optimism isn’t coming out of nowhere. Even after losing its top two rushers from last season, Florida State’s backfield has drawn strong notice, with Phil Steele ranking the unit No. 10 nationally. Steele called it a group that “should be a much more productive unit than the last two years” and added, “It’s one of the strengths of the team.”
The biggest reason for the buzz is simple: this is a real competition. Kam Martin said the starting job is open, and all six backs in camp will get a chance to win it. Still, Ousmane Kromah, Samuel Singleton Jr. and Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner are the names most clearly in the mix at the top.
“There is going to be competition in this fall camp,” Martin said. “I want to see who can go down the field and not get taken out.
That’s what I want to see. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve had a guy that can do that”
Martin likes the fact that he has multiple players who can push for the job, and he made it clear he’s looking for someone who can seize control when the game tightens.
“I’m excited for who is going to take charge,” Martin said. “Who is going to take charge?
Who is not going to come out of the game when things get hard? I want someone who can take over the game.
All six of those guys can do it.”
Kromah, a former four-star prospect from Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia, played in all 12 games as a freshman and finished third on the team in rushing with 408 yards on 72 carries. He averaged 5.7 yards per attempt but did not score a rushing touchdown.
Singleton, a former four-star recruit from Fleming Island High School, is entering his fourth season in Tallahassee. He ran 51 times for 360 yards and four touchdowns last year, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, and his 54-yard run showed the kind of burst that can change a drive in one snap.
Wisner brings the most proven production of the trio. After three seasons at Texas, he arrives in Tallahassee with 38 games and 21 starts on his résumé. Last season he totaled 597 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 131 carries, and in 2024 he led the Longhorns with 1,064 yards on 226 attempts.
That depth matters because Florida State wants the run game to do more than just pick up steady yards. A consistent ground attack would give the offense a chance to lean on play-action and help control the pace, while also keeping Daniels from having to do everything himself.
That part matters for a quarterback whose career numbers already show the risk. Daniels has thrown nearly as many interceptions, 22, as touchdown passes, 24, and the Seminoles need a structure that doesn’t ask him to carry the whole offense.
If Norvell is going to get this season pointed in the right direction, the path may start with the backs. Florida State has the kind of room that could turn into the engine of the offense, and if it does, Daniels won’t need to be the whole story.
In Other News...
Tony Whites First Scrimmage Reaction Says A Lot About FSUs Defense
Florida States defense has been under close watch this offseason, and defensive coordinator Tony Whites first reaction to the teams recent scrimmage offered a familiar mix of frustration and perspective. White initially came away focused on the negatives, which is usually how a coach sees a live work day before the film brings a clearer picture, and that was the case here too. After going back through the tape, he saw more signs of progress than he did in the immediate aftermath, a reminder that the Seminoles are still sorting through details even as camp moves along.
Tom Herman has also become part of that process in a meaningful way since joining Florida States OPS staff this offseason. White pointed to Hermans long coaching background and the support he offered during the scrimmage, using that experience as another layer of help in refining the defense and sharpening the teams overall preparation. For a unit trying to find its footing, having another veteran voice in the building can matter, even if the most important answers still have to show up on the field. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Running Back Battle Just Took An Unexpected Turn
Quintrevion Wisners push to move into Florida States backfield picture hit a small snag this week when he was held out of the Seminoles first preseason scrimmage. Offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. said the absence was tied to a minor issue, but he also noted that Wisner has been practicing well and has made progress since spring ball, which keeps him firmly in the conversation as camp rolls on.
For now, the opening created by Wisners absence has given Ousmane Kromah and Sam Singleton Jr. a little more room to make their own case in the competition for the top running back spot. Those extra reps matter in a battle that was already expected to be one of the more closely watched storylines of preseason, and Florida State will be paying close attention to how the rotation sorts itself out once everyone is back on the field together. [Read more 🡒]
Ousmane Kromah Is Forcing A Florida State Backfield Shakeup
Florida States backfield already had a crowded look to it before camp, and the addition of Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner only added another layer to the mix. But Ousmane Kromah has kept pushing his way into the conversation after a freshman season that appears to have given way to a much stronger offseason and a fall camp that drew steady praise from Mike Norvell and the Seminoles staff.
Norvell has made it clear this years rotation will look different, which matters in a room that also includes Samuel Singleton Jr. and a newcomer expected to compete for touches. For Kromah, the real significance is less about being part of the mix than about how far he has climbed within it, with the early-season pecking order now sounding very much like a competition the Seminoles will keep watching closely. [Read more 🡒]