Patrick, Akers give Seminoles big boost
DURHAM, N.C. — Florida State’s rushing attack has come into its own during the past few games, putting up its second consecutive 200-yard performance during a 17-10 win over Duke on Saturday.
FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said after the win his staff is “tickled to death” by his top two running backs, junior Jacques Patrick and true freshman Cam Akers.
This newfound success on the ground has helped offset the absence of the leading rusher in program history, Dalvin Cook, who left FSU for the NFL after the 2016 season.
It has also been a great aid for freshman James Blackman, who continues to grow into his unexpected role as the starting quarterback after Deondre Francois suffered a season-ending injury.
“We’re finding an identity through running the football,” Fisher said. “We have to feed off that.”
Patrick and Akers each bring different skills to the field, but they have come together during the past few games to create a formidable duo.
Patrick continues to serve as the leader of FSU’s stacked running back group and has grown into his role as the bruising tailback.
“He made two or three runs today early when he ran through about four tackles,” Fisher said of Patrick Saturday. “Should have been a 1-yard run, it was a 9-yard run.”
Added Patrick: “I got recruited to make those plays and that’s what I did.”
Patrick’s evolution into the physical back he is now has been developing since he arrived on campus in 2015. Ever since his freshman season, Fisher has been hard on Patrick publicly, trying to help him reach his potential.
Safe to say Fisher is happy with his development.
“Jacques Patrick is a heck of a football player,” Fisher said. “There’s so much character and heart and talent in that guy.”
Akers has also grown into his role in FSU’s running-back stable. During his first five games, Akers has seen his usage as well as his production gradually ramp up as he adapts to the college game.
From 30 rushing yards in his debut against Alabama to putting together back-to-back 100-yard performances against Miami and Duke, Akers is flashing the talent that made him a top prospect out of high school.
The culmination of that was his 42-yard touchdown run, the first of his career, that ended up being the game winner for the Seminoles over the Blue Devils.
“Cam Akers is playing his tail off,” Fisher said. “He just keeps growing.”
Saturday’s win against Duke saw FSU finish with a season-high 228 rushing yards behind a balanced rushing attack, with Patrick carrying the ball 18 times for 98 yards while Akers racked up 115 yards on 15 carries.
“I’m not going to talk about one without the other,” Fisher said of his top two running backs. “They feed off each other; they play off each other.”
For some groups, this distribution of carries may cause in-fighting as each of them desires a larger role. For Patrick and Akers, though, a close-knit friendship has developed early in their time knowing each other.
“That’s my little brother. That’s my brother for life,” Patrick said of Akers. “He’s going to grow up and be a great player for us for a long time.”
The confidence extends to the entire FSU running back unit.
“We’ve got a great group of running backs,” Patrick said. “We feel like anyone who touches it can do what they do.”