Florida State coach Mike Norvell provided a positive bit of injury news recently pertaining to a key freshman. Wide receiver Devin Carter is coming off the injury report for the first time this season, and the receiver is expected to make his collegiate debut against Clemson.
Norvell did not provide specifics or explain just how much the Seminoles' staff plans on utilizing Carter, but his return to the field comes at a key time. Florida State has a completely decimated backfield and an offense that is desperate to find playmakers at any position. Help is truly needed, and a healthy Carter might be able to do so, but now the question is whether or not that impact will be felt against Clemson.
Can Devin Carter help Florida State solve some of the issues on offense through the air?
With limited options left on offense, Florida State is going to have to change a few things around against Clemson, starting with how the team attacks. Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. are both out, meaning the team is down to just three healthy running backs, including two who have barely played at the collegiate level.
No shade to Amari Thomas or Tre Wisner at all, but replicating the consistency and success of Ousmane Kromah is difficult to do, even with two players. Kromah's value to the team is immense, and Florida State's run game will certainly take a hit without his leadership in the backfield. Something has got to give, and either Florida State finds ways to attack through the air or the team sends Thomas and Wisner straight into walls of defenders.
This is where Carter comes into play, as a fresh new receiver who was exciting throughout camp, making plays that even the experienced receivers struggled to make. It is hard to imagine Carter triumphing in his collegiate debut, but Florida State needs someone to take the lead, and the freshman has all of the tools to do so.
Part of the issues Florida State has had through the air this season can be attributed to quarterback Ashton Daniels, who struggles at times to accurately push the football through the air. However, another problem has been the fact that Daniels rarely has an open look by the time he needs to get rid of the football.
Nobody in the receiving room has truly stepped up this season consistently, and that is a problem that the Seminoles need to shake without either starting running back available.
Former USC receiver Duce Robinson appeared to be a star in the making with a breakout season last year for Florida State. Now, Robinson is on track to finish the 2026 season with 697 yards and 37 receptions, which are drastic falls from the 1081 yards and 56 receptions he recorded last season.
Part of the reason why Robinson is not seeing the ball quite as much this season is because of the emergence of Jayvan Boggs, but that still does not explain why Robinson hasn't been as effective this season for Florida State. Daniels may not be the best quarterback, but he needs players to complement his play on the field, and neither Robinson nor Boggs has been able to do that consistently this season.
Obviously, Carter making his debut against Clemson is awesome to see, but the Seminoles still have a few questions that need to be answered. Someone needs to make life easier for Daniels more consistently, and that person may very well be Carter, but the answer needs to be found soon. There are only five games left in the season, and the longer it takes to find answers, the less of an impact that player can make.
Add us as a preferred source on Google