FSU Senior Moments: Kermit Whitfield

With the exception of a bowl game still to be played, another season of Florida State football is in the books. While the Seminoles will also lose some juniors who leave early for the NFL Draft and other players who will transfer for other reasons, FSU will say goodbye to a special group of seniors.

After winning a national championship as freshmen, this senior class has FSU in position to compete for a major bowl for a fifth straight year. This was also the first class in FSU history to go a combined 8-0 against Florida and Miami.

As the bowl game nears and their careers wind down, we’ll look back on the most prominent moments in the careers of some notable Florida State seniors. On Saturday, we looked at the career of Jesus Wilson. Now, we’ll look back on the career of another small, fast receiver and the top 5 moments from Levonte “Kermit” Whitfield.

A track star out of Orlando, Whitfield was primarily a kickoff returner and a very good one for the early portion of his FSU career. At only 5-8, some thought that might be his role for most of his career with a spot carry here and there. Over the final two years of his career, Whitfield became a dependable pass-catcher for quarterbacks Everett Golson, Sean Maguire and Deondre Francois. For his career, Whitfield has more than 1,200 yards receiving and 12 total touchdowns.

5. A Pair of Long Ones
Nov. 14, 2015
At home against N.C. State in its 2015 ACC finale, Florida State was able to turn an early double-digit deficit into a decisive victory, thanks largely to Kermit Whitfield. After rallying for 13 straight points to take a 20-17, Whitfield helped put the exclamation point on the win with touchdown catches from quarterback Sean Maguire of 27 and 45 yards in the second half. Whitfield finished the day with 117 yards receiving as the Seminoles rolled, 34-17.

4. Whitfield Takes One Back at Wake
Nov. 9, 2013
There will be one kickoff return for a touchdown from Whitfield that Florida State fans will always remember, but his first came in garbage time, but was still a thing of beauty. With nine minutes left to play against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, the Demon Deacons had just kicked a field goal to break up the shutout and make the score 52-3. Considering what happened next, it might have been a mistake. Whitfield took the ensuing kickoff up the middle and broke two tackles before racing 97 yards for a score down the right sideline for a touchdown in a 59-3 FSU victory.

3. Kermit Carves Up the Cardinals
Oct. 17, 2015
The biggest day of Kermit Whitfield’s receiving career came at home in mid-October of his junior season. Against a good Louisville team, the Seminoles found themselves down 14-13 midway through the third quarter, but things wouldn’t stay that way for long. With more than eight minutes to play, FSU quarterback Everett Golson found Whitfield on an intermediate third down pass. From there, Whitfield simply turned on the afterburners outrunning the Louisville defense on his way to a 70-yard touchdown. The score put the Seminoles ahead for good in a 41-21 victory as Whitfield would go on to finish the day with nine catches for 172 yards — both career-bests.

2. Orange Crushed
Nov. 16, 2013
After taking his first career carry for a 31-yard touchdown three weeks earlier, Whitfield’s second career carry had the same result, but this time a little further. At home against Syracuse and already on top 7-0, Whitfield got the ball on the first play of FSU’s second possession. With the help of a block from quarterback Jameis Winston, Whitfield left the Syracuse defenders in the dust on what would be the longest play from scrimmage in his career — a 74-yard touchdown. The Seminoles would go on to handle the Orange, 59-3.

1. BCS Title Touchdown
Jan. 6, 2014
The top spot on the list comes as no surprise. The play that will always be remembered from the 2014 BCS National Championship against Auburn in Pasadena will be Kelvin Benjamin’s game-winning touchdown catch with seconds remaining. The contest might not have gotten to that point however, had it not been for the prior FSU touchdown. The Seminoles had grinded their way back from an early 21-3 hole and with less than five minutes to play trailed 24-20 after an Auburn field goal. That’s when Whitfield gave the Seminoles their first lead since the first quarter by taking the ensuing kickoff 100 yards down the left sideline for a score. The teams traded touchdowns from there with FSU coming out on top 34-31, but it was Whitfield’s touchdown that made the comeback possible.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson