It has been brought to my attention that I need to make up my own personal starting lineup of all-time for my beloved Florida State Seminole football team. Wow! Where do I even begin?
To make this easier, I will only use starters—no second teamers, even though there are so many. Let's begin.
QB: Chris Weinke
What? Not Charlie Ward? Sorry guys, but the stats are almost overwhelming. Weinke has the FSU record for most yards passing, as well as most touchdown passes in a career and in a single season. The fact that Weinke took his team to two National Championship games speaks volumes. These guys both won the Heisman, but I have to go with Weinke.
RB: Warrick Dunn
This one is a no-brainer, although I'm sure there will be arguments. Dunn is the career leader in yards rushing for the Noles, and he owns the record for most career rushing touchdowns.
WR: Peter Warrick
Another no-brainer—Warrick could be considered the best just by his performance in the 1999 National Championship game against Virginia Tech. He was by far the most electrifying wide receiver in the history of the Noles.
WR: Ron Sellers
A standout wide receiver, he still owns the record for most receiving yards in a career—3,598 total. Sellers was the first All-American ever for the Noles.
WR: Fred Biletnikoff
Not statistically amazing at FSU, but his pro career puts him here. He's in the NFL Hall of Fame. He was also a first team All-American.
TE: Pat Carter
FSU isn't known for its TEs, and Carter is the only first team All-American that FSU has had.
OL: Walter Jones
An absolute giant. He only played two full seasons for the Noles, but he was devastating. He was a second team All-American and a first round draft pick.
OL: Clay Shiver
The anchor to that National Championship line and a two-time first team All-American.
OL: Alex Barron
Two-time first team All-American and a first rounder. Barron was a great tackle for the Noles.
OL: William Thomas
A second team All-American in college, Thomas has had a very productive pro career. I know we're not supposed to base college lineups on how players did in the pros, but I couldn't resist on this one.
OL: Patrick McNeil
Another great lineman on that '93 National Championship team, McNeil made several All-American teams in his college career.
DE: Ron Simmons
A force on the defensive line, Simmons made an All-American lineup every year of his career while at FSU. His number is retired, and he is in the FSU Hall of Fame.
DT: Corey Simon
A two-time first team All-American and the force of the defensive line for the '99 National Championship Team. He was the sixth overall pick of the 2000 draft.
9 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Chief Osceola 11 months ago
Peter Boulware was a DE at FSU (and is the BEST DE FSU EVER HAD), not a LB. Jamal Reynolds was a DE, not a DT. Chris Weinke does not hold the record for career passing yards; he did not start 4 years, Chris Rix did and, hence, Rix posted more career passing yards.
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Renegade Nole 11 months ago
Ron Simmons was a DT (nose tackle) too, not a DE.
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Daniel Brommer 11 months ago
my bad guys, i meant to have all of those say DL, not specific positions, and as for weinke, i just meant the single season passing record, good observations though guys
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stephen j 11 months ago
To have no safety in the group is to totally discount the play of some great FSU safeties and to underestimate that position. Cromartie very talented but to list him among the greatest is just rating his potential. Using that logic why not include Randy Moss as a receiver, I mean he certainly was among the best athletes to ever don an FSU jersey, even though he never played.
Martin Mayhew and Dexter Jackson certainly deserve some props at safety.
But you seem to be using both stats and potential to determine a players nomination. Choose a method to name this team and then we have an argument.
Only one rb? Larry Key, Bennett, or Floyd certainly have a place in there somewhere.
No one who saw him play will ever doubt that Charlie was the best qb we have ever had. Stats or no stats. He could bring the team down the field like no one ever before or since. Plus he took a freshman rb in as his roommate when he was a senior, not a little thing. The rest of that story is history. He was a leader first, qb second, but second to no one at that position, in fact he is in my opinion the greatest player we have ever had at any position, include PT.
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Daniel Brommer 11 months ago
Great points Stephen, I'll be honest with you I agree 100% with you about Charlie, but you can't deny the things Chris did. 2 National Championship game, leading the only team to go wire to wire at #1, I mean I love Charlie, especially his character traits, but I had to go with Chris. Dexter Jackson should for sure be in there, but I had to throw Cromartie in there because of how freakish he is. He's the most athletic player arguably FSU has ever had, and had he not been injured so much, there would be no argument here. Thanks for the comment though, and great points.
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BabyTate 11 months ago
The wide receivers were the easiest part of this as those 2 make a case for being the alltime receivers at any school. One of them even has the nation's best receiver award named after him !
I don't understand how you can have an all-time Fla State team with out JT Thomas at Cornerback. Deion might be, I said might be, his equal but there's no question he's better than any of the others plus he was the first black player at Fla St. Who's to say any of these other people would be there if it wasn't for the trail blazer JT Thomas, a First Team All-American, and player of epic proportions in the history of Seminole football? You speak of pro football careers and its effect on your list then you must consider the FOUR Super Bowls won by JT as part of the Steel Curtain of Pittsburgh where he anchored the defensive backfield with Mel Blount. College or pro, JT is your man for the alltime team.
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Daniel Brommer 10 months ago
Very good observation BabyTate, and I agree 100%. Your for sure right about the receivers too, those guys were simply amazing, thanks for the comment.
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Kenneth Julian III 9 months ago
I know I am late getting on this, but I just wanted to throw OT Brett Williams name out there for offensive linemen... He was always kind of forgotten sometimes, but he was pretty good. And safety Bobby Butler was a good one too.
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STACY SMITH 8 months ago
MAN THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD OLINE CHOICE MCNEIL WOULDNT BE THERE BUT HEAVEN WOULD AND AS FOR LINEBAKERS MARVIN JONES WAS THE BEST WE EVER HAD AND D BROOKS WAS SECOND SO IT GOES LIKE THIS WIDE RECEIVERS KEVIN KNOX KEZ MCKORVEY PETER WARRICK LAWERENCE DAWSEY) RUNNING BACKS (WARRICK DUNN WILLIAM FLOYD) QB CHARLIE WARD) DEFENSIVE ENDS( RENARD WILSON PETER BOULWARE) D LINE ODELL HAGINS STERLING PALMER COREY SIMON TODRICK MACINTOSH) LINEBACKERS(MARVIN JONES DERRICK BROOKS KURT CARRUTHERS ERNIE SIMS) CORNERBACKS(DEION SANDERS TERRELL BUCKLEY ) SAFTEY LEROY BUTLER AND DEVIN BUSH) THATS A BANGER RIGHT THERE DONT MAKE ME DO A SECOND STREN OR A 3RD 4TH OR 5TH WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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