FSU Football: In Search of a Fullback

As with any other offseason, Florida State will have some voids to fill from departing players. The big ones discussed so far seem to revolve around the replacement(s) for running back Dalvin Cook and who ultimately mans the left tackle position, which was previously filled by Roderick Johnson.

Cook and Johnson were among three players who declared early for the NFL Draft. The other was wide receiver Travis Rudolph. While those vacancies will get some much-deserved attention, another large void was left in the backfield at a position that tends not to get much exposure: fullback.

While Florida State fans rarely dub the program “FBU” as it does “DBU” for defensive backs university, the Seminoles have a proud history at fullback. From Dayne Williams in the late 1970s to Edgar Bennett, William Floyd and Pooh Bear Williams in the 1990s to more recently, Lonnie Pryor, Chad Abram and Freddie Stevenson, FSU has always managed to get exceptional play from the position.

The void that head coach Jimbo Fisher and company will look to fill in 2017 has been left by Stevenson. Originally recruited as a linebacker out of Bartow High School, Stevenson served as a 3-year starter, used mostly as a blocking back but was productive when given the occasional touch. Stevenson finished his FSU career with 292 total yards and seven touchdowns.

Two players on the roster — Colton Plante and Gabe Nabers — are currently listed as fullbacks, but Fisher’s history suggests that those aren’t the only two candidates for the starting job. Often times, Fisher has been inclined to look for players to switch positions to fill that void.

Pryor was a 4-year starter at fullback for FSU from 2009-12 and closed his career with a 135-yard rushing effort en route to being named MVP of the Orange Bowl. Pryor arrived at FSU as a tailback before making the switch early on his freshman year following an injury to Daniel Gard.

That’s a similar route that FSU could go in 2017. Johnathan Vickers is a 230-pound senior who Fisher has always been a fan of. Vickers is part of a crowded backfield that includes Jacques Patrick, Cam Akers, Khalan Laborn and Amir Rasul among others, making it unlikely that he ever sees the field as a tailback. The move to fullback could be Vickers’ only chance at meaningful contribution.

Throughout his tenure at Florida State, Fisher has also had success moving players from one side of the ball to the other. Rick Leonard and Ermon Lane are two examples from the current roster, but as mentioned before, Stevenson enrolled at FSU as a linebacker. Abram, the starting fullback on the 2013 national championship team, was a converted defensive back.

Looking at the makeup of the current roster, there probably aren’t too many defensive backs that fit the mold, but among linebackers, a prime candidate to relocate could be Delvin Purifoy. As a former 4-star recruit, injuries have kept Purifoy from making any impact on defense.

With younger players like Dontavious Jackson having already surpassed Purifoy on the depth chart, a position change could do the redshirt junior some good. At 6-2 and more than 245 pounds, Purifoy already has the body for the position.

While FSU has a number of options at the fullback position, how much or how little fullbacks are used vary from year to year under Fisher. Pryor’s versatility made him an every-down type of player while Abram’s use was more prevalent under center and in short yardage situations.

With six scholarship tight ends on the roster, Fisher may mix in “12” personnel more often in 2017, exchanging a fullback for an extra tight end. It’s also not uncommon for Fisher to use two tailbacks as he’s done the past two years with Cook and Patrick and before that, with Devonta Freeman and James Wilder, Jr.

Who fills in at fullback and how prevalent that position is in Fisher’s offense remains to be seen for 2017. But in a day and age where uptempo spreads are becoming more prevalent, the role of fullback remains an intricate part of the FSU attack and one that has been productive for several years running. While replacing Stevenson might be a quiet story line for the Seminoles, it’s not an unimportant one.

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