Quintrevion 'Tre' Wisner is bringing his talents to Florida State, and there's a lot to unpack about this move. Wisner, who made a name for himself at Texas, racked up over 1,000 rushing yards two seasons ago and added 597 yards last year, even as the offense struggled to find its rhythm.
At first glance, Wisner might not dazzle with flashy moves, but he’s undeniably effective. The initial concern was how he’d fit into FSU’s scheme. His strength lies in outside zone runs, where he's in the 83rd percentile for yards per carry, compared to the 63rd percentile for inside zone runs.
But here's where it gets interesting: FSU’s offensive landscape is shifting. Gus Malzahn is out as the offensive coordinator, and Mike Norvell is in. This change could be pivotal for Wisner.
Under Malzahn, FSU leaned heavily on Inside Zone runs, which made up 51% of their rushing attempts. But Norvell’s playbook at Memphis was more varied.
His top run concepts included Inside Zone (27%), Pull Lead (20%), Outside Zone (14%), Counter (14%), and Power (9%). Norvell’s approach has always been about adapting to his players’ strengths, and we saw that with a mix of Counter, Outside Zone, and Inside Zone plays during his tenure from 2022-24.
The big question is how Herb Hand's experience with Inside Zone will influence FSU's strategy. But with Norvell’s diverse play-calling, there’s room for optimism. Wisner’s top performances have been in Outside Zone (5.4 YPC) and Cross Lead (4.7 YPC), making him a great fit for a more horizontally focused run game.
Malzahn’s offense rarely used outside zone runs, just 10 attempts last season, which didn’t align with Wisner’s strengths. However, Norvell’s adaptability could be the perfect match for Wisner’s style, focusing on horizontal runs that allow for longer cuts and exploiting defenses laterally.
Wisner is one of FSU’s key Transfer Portal acquisitions, and the investment seems wise if the scheme aligns with his abilities. Not to mention, Ousmane Kromah’s impressive 9.4 YPC on outside zone runs, albeit in limited attempts, highlights the potential of this approach.
With Norvell at the helm, FSU’s offense could become more dynamic, leveraging the talents of Wisner and Kromah. The pieces are there; now it’s about putting them together and seeing if Norvell can orchestrate a successful run game.