Gavin Sawchuk looks like FSU's top back after hat trick of touchdowns

Gavin Sawchuk scored three touchdowns in the first half Saturday against East Texas A&M (fka Texas A&M-Commerce) and looks like the No. 1 running back for the FSU offense.

Sawchuk, a transfer from Oklahoma, entered the season as part of an expected three-headed rotation along with Roydell Williams and Ousmane Kromah. While Kromah has been pegged as the next great Seminole running back, Sawchuk looks like the guy that will handle the number one duties for now.

With that 53-yard touchdown reception, Sawchuk had 88 total yards on nine touches in roughly 25 minutes of game time before Mike Norvell decided to clear the benches. 

Late arrival makes an early statement

Sawchuk was a late addition out of the transfer portal, joining FSU in May after leaving Oklahoma during the spring. FSU fans already had a good idea of what Sawchuk could do after he gained 100 yards against the Seminoles as a true freshman in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl. He would go on to have a very productive sophomore year (744 yards, nine touchdowns, 6.2 yards per carry) with the Sooners before injuries hampered him as a junior.

​With Williams on the shelf for an undetermined amount of time, it should lead to more opportunities for Sawchuk when the schedule starts to get much tougher at the end of the month. 

At 5-foot-11, 205-pounds, Sawchuk is a thickly-built back with some serious leg drive that was on display last week against Alabama on a 14-yard touchdown run that effectively closed out the game.

It was the sort of tough running and show of physicality that FSU sorely lacked last season.

"We call that a culture play. That's a culture play. That's a demonstration of our culture. That's the expectation that we're going to play through the whistle," FSU offensive line coach Herb Hand said. "Unfortunately, there was three other guys that were not at the pile, so they've got to get on board with that, you understand?"