TALLAHASSEE — Rashad Greene might be the most important player on Florida State’s offense.
That’s saying a lot with the school’s top scoring tight end returning in addition to four starting linemen and a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.
Greene’s value is magnified as the top producing wide receiver in a group filled with inexperience and youth. He is on the cusp of becoming one of FSU’s top career wideouts and will lead all-time categories in receptions and touchdowns and be second in yards should he duplicate his 2013 output.
Those numbers included team highs of 76 catches for 1,128 yards. Greene added nine touchdowns in placing second on the team behind Kelvin Benjamin, who along with Kenny Shaw departed with a combined 108 receptions last season for 1,944 yards and 21 TDs.
FSU will replace them with a group of receivers who have combined for 70 career receptions. Two of them, potential starters Christian Green and Scooter Haggins, have been limited by inconsistency and injuries during five combined seasons. Haggins missed all of 2013 with a knee injury and Green has only 16 catches since snaring 26 as a freshman in 2011.
Sophomore Bobo Wilson was expected to compete for a starting role, but has been suspended following a theft charge and won’t play until he is reinstated. Kermit Whitfield is the only other experienced receiver, as fellow sophomore Isaiah Jones is likely lost for the year due to academics. Four freshmen, recruited receivers Ermon Lane, Travis Rudolph and Ja’Vonn Harrison, and reserve quarterback John Franklin III round out the group.
That makes Greene’s leadership and production vitally important.
“My expectations are the same every year. I want to be the best player I can be,” Greene said. “I’m trying to instill in these younger guys how to work and create good habits.
“My knowledge has improved. I’ve become a better student of the game.”
Greene credited past stars with making him a better wide receiver. Lessons learned helped him be consistent, he said, and being steady has placed him among the list of FSU greats such as Ron Sellers, Kez McCorvey and Peter Warrick.
Greene is 42 receptions from surpassing Sellers as No. 1 on the career list. Greene currently is sixth with 2,465 yards and Winston’s favorite target is expected to have another stellar season. The impending statistics don’t change Greene’s team-first thinking.
“As long as we take care of business then everything will take care of itself,” Greene said. “If you take care of the team and work hard then you’ll be rewarded for it.”
Rewards and personal gains sometimes are what current players must be weaned from. Greene said the youthful receivers are understanding the process more each day. He said they have been coachable and quick to ascertain that no one player is larger than the team.
Talent is not an issue. That’s never been in question given FSU’s top recruiting classes. Transitioning it to the field is the key.
“It takes hard work and dedication to be good at anything,” Greene said. “You have to work on the little things, but at the same time enjoy football.
“It’s about us enjoying each other. It’s a brotherly, family feel.”