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Top 12 Florida State running backs of all-time

Top 12 Florida State running backs of all-time

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This list is the top 12 Florida State running backs of all-time. FSU had some very talented and special players at halfback. Here is the list.

 

Leon Washington (2002-05)

Leon Washington helped lead the Florida State running backs, when he was in Tallahassee. 

Leon Washington ran for 2,041 yards and 12 TDs-5.5 avg during his career.

2004 was his finest year, he rushed for 951 yards with 7 TDs-6.9 avg 

Washington wasn’t always healthy and if he had been, would be ranked higher.

At FSU he was never really featured. Not for a lack of talent. Washington shared time with fellow Florida State running backs, Greg Jones and then Lorenzo Booker.

Amp Lee (1989-91)

Florida State Seminoles running back Amp Lee

Amp Lee rushed for 2,092 yards and 30 TDs-5.2 avg, along with 968 receiving yards.

Lee left school with 3,060 yards from scrimmage and 38 TDs.

Greg Jones (2000-03)

Greg Jones was one the best Florida State running backs of all-time.

When Greg Jones was  one of the Florida State running backs, he was a one dimensional player.

The one dimension of his game was run you over, run through you, use a stiff arm and try to slam you off the ground and onto your face.

Jones ran for 2,535 hard yards and 23 TDs-5.3 avg when he was in Tallahassee.

 Devonta Freeman (2011-13)

Seminoles back Devonta Freeman

Devonta Freeman led the 2013 National Championship team with 1,016 yards and 14 TDs-5.9 avg.

Freeman rushed for 2,255 yards-30 TD-5.6 avg. over his FSU career.

 Lorenzo Booker (2003-06)

Lorenzo Booker rushing the rock in college

Lorenzo Booker ran for 2,389 yards and 15 TDs-4.8 avg in the four seasons he wore the garnet and gold.

The shifty, versatile back also collected 114 receptions for another 995 yards.

Booker’s yards from scrimmage stand at 3,384 yards and 17 TDs.

Larry Key (1974-77)

Larry Key was the first of Florida State running backs that were special talents

Larry Key rushed for 2,953 yards-13 TDs-4.7 avg. for the unconquered during his career.

1,117 of those yards came in 1977.

Larry Key isone of the finest Florida State running backs of all-time. He had 3,521 yards from scrimmage with 18 total TDs.

Cam Akers (2017-19)

The youngest of the Florida State running backs on this list, Cam Akers

Cam Akers spent three seasons in Tallahassee, rushing for 2,875 yards and 27 TDs-4.9 avg.

Akers also caught 69 balls- 486 yds- 7 TDs, for a total of 3,361 yds from scrimmage with 34 TDs.

In his three seasons, Akers had two 1,000+ yard rushing campaigns. Akers finest season came in 2019, he had 1,144 yds-14 TDs-5.0 avg.

 Sammie Smith (1985-87)

FSU running back Sammie Smith

Sammie Smith was a member of the historic 1985 recruiting class of Bobby Bowden.

In 1987, Smith rushed for 1,230 yards-7 TDs-7.2 avg., in a season that was a 2-point conversion away from a National Championship.

Sammie Smith was drafted 9th overall after that season and finished his career as one of the top Florida State running backs of all-time. Smith went to the NFL with 2,539 rushing yards-15 TDs-6.2 avg.

Travis Minor (1997-2000)

Only three Florida State running backs were starters on a national championship team and Travis Minor was one of them.

Travis Minor was in Tallahassee for four seasons. The Noles played for three National Championships with Travis Minor as the starting tailback.

Minor was needed to give FSU the versatility that made them a prolific offense. There have been FSU teams that were very deep, with NFL caliber talent, at the running back position.

Minor sat atop the depth chart of Florida State running backs on these teams. They needed what Travis Minor provided to become the elite teams that they became.

He had 3,218 rushing yards-28 TDs-4.8 avg., Minor also caught another 106 balls for 831 yards.

His total yards from scrimmage stand at 4,049 yards with 31 TDs.

Greg Allen (1981-84)

One of the great Florida State running backs, Greg Allen.

Greg Allen finished 7th in Heisman balloting in 1984. It was 1983, however, that was his best season at Florida State. That season he had 1,134 yards-12 TDs-5.7 avg.

Allen was a 1983 Consensus All-American too.

In 1982, he rushed for 20 TDs, which made him the NCAA leader that season. He also led the country in total TDs (21) and points (126) in 1982.

Greg Allen had a great career at FSU and his resume reads 4,145 yards-from-scrimmage and 44 TDs. 3,769 rushing yards-6.0 avg.

 

 Warrick Dunn (1993-96)

The first truly superior running back at FSU, Warrick Dunns

1993, was the only season Warrick Dunn didn’t rush for 1,000+ yards in his collegiate career. It may have been his most important season in Tallahassee, as the Noles captured their first National Championship under Bobby Bowden.

Warrick Dunn made some of the biggest plays to secure that championship of the 1993 season. Out of the Florida State running backs, he wasn’t the starting back that season, but Warrick Dunn made some of the biggest plays to secure that championship in 1993.

Dunn would get drafted 12th overall behind what he did in Tallahassee.

Rushing stats

1994: 1,026 yds-8 TDs-6.8 avg
1995: 1,242 yds-13 TDs-7.5 avg
1996: 1,180yds-12 TDs-6.2 avg

Add 132 receptions for 1,214 yds for 12 more receiving touchdowns for his career. Warrick Dunn finished with 5,273 yards from scrimmage and 49 Touchdowns.

3,959 rushing yards for 37 TDs-6.9 avg.

 Dalvin Cook (2014-16)

Dalvin Cook was one of Florida State's running backs that were a problem for opposing defenses.

Dalvin Cook racked up 5,399 yards from scrimmage and 48 touchdowns while wearing the garnet and gold. The 5,399 yards is 2nd all-time in the ACC and first among Florida State running backs.

He led the ACC in rushing in 2015 (1,691) and 2016 (1,765). Cook is 3rd all-time in rushing in the ACC. He led the conference in touchdowns in 2015 (20) and yards from scrimmage(1,935), then he did it again in 2016 (2,253)

Dalvin Cook’s prolific stats made him a 2016 Consensus All-American and Heisman top 10 finisher twice (2015-16).

Cook rushed for 4,464 yards-46 TDs-6.5 avg and caught 79 passes for 935 yards during his career.

Rushing stats
2014: 1,008 yds-8 TDs-5.9 avg
2015: 1,691 yds-19 TDs-7.4 avg
2016: 1,765 yds-19 TDs- 6.1 avg

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I provide highly opinionated sports articles. Most of these are featured articles. They will likely differ from the thoughts, stories and ideas, recycled by TV, radio, etc.

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