Florida State football: Duquesne game not a mirage for these Seminole running backs | Karels

OK fine, you don’t want to take much stock in the Duquesne game.

That is understandable. The Dukes are an FCS team. They were 42-point underdogs. They had one FBS win in program history. And the average person probably would not even know where the school is located.

But what if you knew that, per Pro Football Focus, Florida State forced 34 missed tackles?

What if you knew that Trey Benson accounted for 16 of those forced missed tackles?

And what if you knew that Treshaun Ward averaged a staggering 5.71 rushing yards before contact?

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The Seminoles had played their fair share of lowly programs over the years, including 28 previous meetings with FCS teams. Not once had they finished a game with three 100-yard rushers. And only once in the last 25 years had they rushed for 400 yards in a game.

Running backs Lawrance Toafili (13 carries, 101 yards, one TD), Ward (14 carries, 127 yards, two TDs) and Benson (11 carries, 105 yards, one TD) each eclipsed the 100-yard mark and paced FSU to 406 rushing yards in its 47-7 thrashing of Duquesne on Saturday.

If there is anything to glean from such a lopsided affair, it’s that the Seminole ground game should be a force this season. And there is plenty of context and evidence to suggest that their performance against the Dukes was not a mirage.

“Usually it’s whoever has the hot hand,” Benson said. “But today, all of us had the hot hand.”

They also had the hot hand despite running behind a banged up offensive line. FSU primarily featured Ward, Benson and Toafili for eight possessions, and there were 10 offensive linemen used across six different combinations during that span.

Following the first two drives, the Seminoles were without starting center Darius Washington. The versatile offensive lineman – who moved to center after top two options Maurice Smith and Kayden Lyles went down with injuries – permanently left the game with an apparent injury.

Without Washington, FSU constantly shuffled around its offensive line.

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Veteran left guard Dillan Gibbons slid to center. Redshirt sophomore Thomas Shrader and walk-on David Stickle also received snaps at center. D’Mitri Emmanuel lined up at left and right guard. Bless Harris played left and right tackle. Jazston Turnetine saw time at left tackle, right guard and right tackle.

On Benson’s 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, he ran to his left behind a true freshman at left tackle in Julian Armella, a backup at left guard in Bryson Estes and the sixth-team center in Stickle.

“I actually couldn’t really tell,” said Benson on the offensive line lacking continuity, “because everyone was eating.”

The Seminole offensive line managed to sufficiently run block. Still, it would be one thing if Ward, Benson and Toafili were running through Grand Canyon-like holes. They instead consistently eluded defenders, shook off tacklers and fell forward for extra yards.

Now, none of these running backs are as electrifying and game-changing as former FSU legends Dalvin Cook and Warrick Dunn. Not even close. What the Seminoles have in their three-headed monster, though, is a talented running back trio with wide-ranging skill sets.

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The shifty Ward probably brings the best patience and vision out of the group. Toafili might be the most explosive, and his signature dead-leg juke can be devastating to defenders. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Benson, the only running back on the roster who is heavier than 200 pounds, seems to have the best power.

“We talk about this is an offense and a program that's built for playmakers. Those guys have great playmaking ability,” FSU head coach Mike Norvell said. “All of them were brought here for a reason, and they have grown, they have invested, they have developed.”

Even before the Duquesne game, Ward, Toafili and Benson were expected to have strong seasons. Especially after what they showed in offseason practices.

Ward already topped the ACC with 6.36 yards per carry last season. And after Jashaun Corbin left for the NFL, Ward assumed a larger leadership role.

Then there’s Toafili, who entered the season as one of only five players in program history to record a rushing and receiving touchdown of at least 70 yards. Norvell expressed optimism about Toafili being ready for a heavier workload, calling him the most improved player on the roster.

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And Benson, who joined a team this past offseason as a transfer from Oregon, looked like the Seminoles’ best running back for most of preseason camp.

“It wasn't just a display for what happened tonight,” Norvell said. “It's something that has shown up in practice. They don't take off-days. They compete for every rep, for every rush.”

Not to mention Norvell and offensive coordinator Alex Atkins have a proven track record of featuring a stout running game.

The University of Memphis ranked among the top 40 teams nationally in rushing offense – including No. 4 in 2018 – in each of Norvell’s last three seasons as head coach.

With Atkins as its offensive line coach, Georgia Southern led the nation in rushing yards per game in 2014 and 2015. Then Atkins went to Tulane, inherited a rushing attack that ranked No. 118 in yards per game, and helped them finish in the top 30 for three straight seasons.

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FSU had one of the nation’s worst offensive lines and running games when Norvell and Atkins arrived in 2020. The Seminoles had finished outside of the nation’s top 90 teams in rushing offense in 2018 (No. 125) and 2019 (No. 93). Only San Jose State (2.07) had a lower yards per carry average than FSU (2.07) in 2018.

The Seminoles improved to No. 31 (2020) and No. 52 (2021) in rushing offense while averaging more than 4.75 yards per carry in both seasons.

“We want to be a football team that we move forward on contact,” Norvell said. “I thought those guys showed it. They were able to break some tackles. They've done that throughout fall camp and scrimmages. In a live situation, it was good to see it show up.”

The Duquesne game certainly should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s difficult to imagine that FSU will run for 400 yards again this season. Or have three 100-yard rushers. Or force 34 missed tackles.

But don’t be surprised if the Seminoles eventually prove that they have their best running game in several years.

They are just getting started.

“Before the game started, I had goosebumps,” Benson said. “My anxiety was through the roof. I’ve been keeping myself calm. These guys have been keeping me calm.

“And I saw it coming. I saw it coming from a mile away. I just didn’t know when it was going to happen. But it happened today.

“I’m living the dream, and I’m just thanking the man upstairs.”

Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Seminoles have something special in running back trio