Florida State Football: 5 Guys Who Need a Great Spring Performance

Florida State has done it again. With a plethora of new recruits, it seems that the Jimbo Fisher era will be a bright one indeed.

What the Tribe need to focus on, though, is doing well with the experience they already have.

I've compiled a list of the five Seminoles you want to keep an eye on come spring practice, because they make the dynamic that can make the 2012 Seminole platoon great.

1. EJ Manuel

Breaking(ish) news—EJ Manuel played the Champs Sports Bowl with a broken leg.

What a beast!

Fortunately, he is cleared for spring practice.

Moving on, EJ Manuel is the glue that holds the team together. And his two touchdown performance against Notre Dame inspired nothing but confidence in this writer. By not throwing his penchant reckless interception per game, Manuel is about to turn the corner.

Charlie Ward had a subpar year taking over for Casey Weldon the year before he won the Heisman. Manuel needs to work on preventing the reckless pick through practice. With a better running game expected in the spring, Manuel can focus more on his throwing skills.

2. Mario Pender

Though I have tabbed Devonta Freeman to be FSU's "back of the future," stud recruit Mario Pender is going to give him a run for his money.

Pender is already on campus, and will thus participate in spring practices. While I believe he will perform as excellently as Freeman did down the stretch of last year's regular season, he will not be a star yet.

Pender is a great complement to Freeman, who was a great all-around back last season. However, he does not have the experience for him to become the star of the team this upcoming year. Expect a Mark Ingram-Trent Richardson relationship to play out with these two. Pender (or for the sake of metaphor, Richardson) will be a great backup before becoming a star player in 2013. Chris Thompson's back injury almost ensures that Pender will have a starting job come Autumn.

3. Nile Lawrence-Stample

How this obscure defensive tackle could become an attention grabber was news to me.

Having to duke a starting position with top defensive tackle Eddie Goldman caused me to doubt Lawrence-Stample's prowess. But with the news that he's toned up and added some muscle, things seem different.

Whenever a player makes some kind of obvious behavioral change (in this case, how much they eat), that player becomes noticeable. Lawrence-Stample's workout and eating styles have changed; he's sacrificed to go for the starting job.

If not, expect for this defensive tackle to at least be moved to the offensive line. Between experience issues and overall disappointing results, a couple of jobs protecting the quarterback should become available.

4. Jacob Coker/Clint Trickett

The duel for backup quarterback is a fight most often played in the shadows.

Not for these guys.

Clint Trickett and Jacob Coker are redshirt freshmen quarterbacks from last fall. Both men are qualified for the job, but Trickett got the start when Manuel went down midseason. From the glimpses we caught of it, Trickett's arm was electric. On the other hand, he was like Manuel when throwing a couple of reckless interceptions (see replays of the Wake Forest game).

Fisher probably started Trickett over Coker, though, due to speed. Coker is more like a tank, and as a result would be slower when having to evade vulture-like defenders. Because the offensive line was porous from early September, Jimbo took the gamble of avoiding sacks and hoped that Clint Trickett could perform well and get the ball out of the pocket on time. In the Clemson game, he did. In the Wake Forest game, he didn't.

So it's going to be a real grinder to see who will be the next EJ Manuel. With a more solid running game expected this year, Coker could option off to Devonta Freeman and Mario Pender. On the other hand, a more polished Clint Trickett could establish a relationship with a signature wide receiver, making the Seminoles a threat on two fronts.

Fisher seems to like Coker right now, but he has also seen what Trickett can do under pressure. While the edge (in my opinion) goes to Coker, don't expect anything to be settled until after the spring game.

5. Kelvin Benjamin

As alluded to in the last slide, who will be the Seminoles' go-to wide receiver?

One name rises above the rest: Rashad Greene.

What????

Yes, Rashad Greene is the star of the show (see: Champs Sports Bowl MVP). But every leader needs a follower, just as every starter needs a backup. With the loss of Bert Reed and so few additions at receiver, last year's redshirt freshman should have a starting job.

Enter Kelvin Benjamin. With most offenses figuring out the best way to score touchdowns is to have taller targets, Benjamin fits in the offense perfectly. He's 6'6'', for crying out loud!

With starters like Benjamin, Pender, Freeman and Manuel, we can see a tweaked and more truly balanced offensive playbook next year. Can't wait for the highlight reels!