TALLAHASEE, Fla. — When Florida State lost All-American defensive end Brandon Jenkins to a season-ending injury just one game into the 2012 season, there was no panic.
The Seminoles knew that the injury was significant – but also that there wasn’t much of a drop-off from Jenkins to Tank Carradine. And Carradine has delivered, producing a team-leading 48 tackles and eight sacks.
Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher hopes for similar results after the season-ending injury to Chris Thompson on Saturday. While Thompson led the team with 91 carries and 687 rushing yards, there is confidence that James Wilder Jr. and Devonta Freeman will be able to fill Thompson’s shoes.
Thompson was injured early in the second quarter of Florida State’s 33-20 win over Miami after catching a 32-yard pass on Saturday night. Wilder finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run, and Freeman added a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. They combined for 119 yards on 18 carries against the Hurricanes.
“They played very well in that game,” Fisher said. “You have to move on. We’ll adjust.”
The adjustment process has already begun for Florida State (7-1, 4-1 ACC), which is preparing for its matchup of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s division leaders on Saturday at home against Duke (6-2, 3-1). Fisher said that Wilder will earn his first college start but that he and Freeman will split carries.
While neither has Thompson’s speed, Wilder and Freeman are physical tailbacks that have improved as blockers and are capable receivers. And Florida State still has versatile senior fullback Lonnie Pryor, who is known as a tenacious blocker, has excelled in short-yardage situations and has six rushing touchdowns.
“We were hoping it wouldn’t happen like this but it is what it is,” Wilder said. “We are definitely prepared.”
And both have plenty of experience. Freeman enrolled early in January 2011, using that spring to get a jump on academics and football. He was clearly ahead of Wilder, who arrived over the summer, and Freeman led the team with 579 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while Wilder had 160 yards and a touchdown.
This season has been a reversal as Wilder has run for 369 yards and seven touchdowns. Freeman, who missed the majority of three games following the death of his cousin, Anthony Darling, has 41 carries for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite being just 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, Thompson was quick, shifty and didn’t shy away from contact. But Freeman and Wilder pack a different punch. Freeman is also 5-8 but is 210 pounds and Wilder is 6-2 and 225 pounds. Florida State will alternate both backs to keep them fresh and wear down defenses in the second half.
And this deep into the year, Wilder and Freeman haven’t had to shoulder as many carries.
“It’s the midseason and we have two running backs with fresh legs,” Wilder said. “We have other great running backs banged up in college right now. And me and Freeman, we’re coming in here fresh like it’s the beginning of the season.”
Now, it’s a four-game sprint to the finish for Florida State, which will enjoy a bye week after Saturday’s game against Duke. Then the Seminoles play back-to-back road contests against Virginia Tech, a primetime Thursday night game, and Maryland before wrapping up the regular season on Nov. 24 at home against Florida.
While Thompson will be relegated to the sideline, he has again accepted the role of teacher and mentor to Wilder and Freeman. Both sophomores said that Thompson has been helping out during practice and in film study. And the three have sat down and talked about how the rushing game changes without Thompson.
“I was just telling him that me and Wilder are going to do our best to do what you would if you were out there,” Freeman said.
Said Wilder: “He’s a great leader. He taught me and Freeman everything we know on the field at the college level.”
Florida State has run for 1,850 yards and 26 touchdowns through just eight games in 2012, surpassing by far the 1,458 yards and 20 touchdowns of last season. The Seminoles have demonstrated that they are one of the nation’s top ground attacks, averaging 231 rushing yards per game (15th best in the Football Bowl Subdivision).
And the Seminoles’ young backs don’t plan on having a drop-off the rest of the way.
“We have to step up; we have to do this for Chris,” Wilder said. “This is our chance to show what the future in the backfield is going to be like. We can show it in our sophomore years and show it now.”
