Florida State will be bringing in a number of new faces this season and those new faces now have numbers.
Wearing No. 29 for the Seminoles in 2018 will be cornerback Isaiah Bolden. Bolden will take over the number most recently worn on defense by Nate Andrews and currently on offense by wide receiver D.J. Matthews.
As the freshman Bolden looks to embark on a productive FSU career, we look back on the five best Seminoles to have worn No. 29:
5. Sean Liss (1992-96)
Punter
Stats: 42.9 yards per punt, long of 76
A 4-year starter as the team’s punter from 1993-96, Sean Liss averaged better than 44 yards per punt in each of his final two seasons. His career-high 45.8 yards per punt average in 1995 earned him honorable mention All-American honors. His 76-yard punt against rival Miami as a senior is an FSU school-record.
4. Nate Andrews (2013-17)
Safety
Stats: 189 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 8 interceptions, 2 touchdowns
An injury to Tyler Hunter in 2013 opened the door for Alabama native Nate Andrews to make a meaningful impact for the eventual national champion Seminoles. Andrews wound up leading the team with four interceptions and was tied for the team-lead the following year with three. Andrews also scored FSU’s first touchdown of the 2014 season with an interception return for a score against Oklahoma State. Injuries derailed the latter parts of Andrews’ career, but his stay in Tallahassee was a productive one nonetheless.
3. Sam Platt (1978-80)
Running Back
Stats: 1,035 yards rushing, 6 touchdown rushes, 739 yards receiving, 9 touchdown catches
Sam Platt was a versatile skill player for Bobby Bowden’s early FSU teams and found the end zone 15 times in his career. After being the team’s second-leading receiver in 1978, Platt rushed for a team-high 983 rushing yards as a senior in 1980. In 1978, Platt caught three touchdowns against Navy. His best career rushing game came against Memphis in 1980 with 188 yards.
2. Tommy Polley (1997-2000)
Linebacker
Stats: 289 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown
A 6-foot-5 speedy linebacker from Baltimore, Tommy Polley made 31 career starts for the Seminoles. Playing alongside Brian Allen and Bradley Jennings, Polley was a force for FSU’s 1999 national championship team with a team-high 109 tackles. As a senior in 2000, Polley was named a third-team All-American while notching 100 tackles. Perhaps his best game came against Louisville as Polley recorded a forced fumble and a 4-yard interception return for his only career touchdown in a 31-0 win over the Cardinals in 2000.
1. Lawrence Dawsey
Wide Receiver
Stats: 128 receptions, , 2129 receiving yards, 20 touchdown catches, 272 yards rushing, 1 touchdown rush
Lawrence Dawsey was only a 1-year starter for Florida State, but was a big play waiting to happen for the duration of his career. As a sophomore in 1988, Dawsey averaged more than 20 yards per catch and had nine – half – of his 18 receptions go for scores. After finishing with 683 yards receiving in 1989, Dawsey turned into an All-American in 1990 with 999 yards receiving on 65 catches. An inductee into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1997, Dawsey remains 11th all-time in receiving yards at FSU and 10th in career touchdown catches. Dawsey would return to FSU in 2007 where he spent the next 11 years as an assistant.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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