FSU Football: Backfield, special teams breakdown from 2019 class

FSU Football did not push extremely hard for running backs for the 2019 class understandably. In years past, the Noles have done a great job recruiting elite running talent to the team, and are returning several running backs this year. Florida State did make a late push for four-star running back Darwin Barlow, but lost that battle when Barlow signed with Texas Christian University.

However, Ward’s decision to join the Noles as a preferred walk on, is promsing. Not only because his talent has now been added to the team, but he chose to do so as a walk on. One thing Florida State has needed to get back to for years is recruiting players who truly want to play for the Florida State brand, and Ward no doubt seems to have that heart.

The quarterback situation is perhaps Florida State’s biggest nightmare right now, in addition to the offensive line woes they have already encountered. Justin Fields ended up not coming to Florida State, committing to Georgia and then transferring to Ohio State. Bailey Hockman left the team in 2018 to transfer to North Carolina State.

Sam Howell, who was a die-hard Florida State commit, but was recruited by former offensive coordinator Walt Bell, flipped to the University of North Carolina when Walt Bell left for Massachusetts. Deondre Francois has been removed from the team after a video surfaced of him threatening his girlfriend.

The Noles went all in on recruiting four star quarterbacks, John Rhys Plumlee and Lance Legendre after Howell flipped only to have Plumlee sign with Ole Miss, and then Legendre, whom the Noles considered a lock, sign with Maryland.

This leaves the Noles with James Blackman, Jordan Travis who needs a waiver to be able to play this year anyway after transferring to Florida State from Louisville, and Nolan McDonald, a three-star walk on. Now granted, McDonald is not your average walk on, but the situation is less than ideal to say the least.