RB Patrick weighs NFL vs. returning to Noles
Change of coaches, new offensive style are factors for junior.
While Florida State junior running back Jacques Patrick already was planning to consider his future at the end of this season — either entering the NFL draft or returning for his senior campaign — the resignation of Jimbo Fisher and arrival of Willie Taggart only adds more variables to the equation.
With that in mind, Patrick says he will wait until after Wednesday’s Independence Bowl game against Southern Miss to make a decision.
“I need to get my information gathered before I make my decision and do the best thing for me and my family,” Patrick said.
Taggart, who was named head coach earlier this month, already has made his case to the Seminoles’ second-leading rusher in a one-on-one meeting. He has explained that his offense will not be difficult to
learn and that he’d love to have Patrick’s size and skills at his disposal.
Up until this point, the 6-foot-3, 234-pounder has been noncommittal. But Taggart was very excited to hear that Patrick took it upon himself to reach out to one of Taggart’s former players, Oregon tailback Royce Freeman, for advice.
Freeman faced very similar circumstances one year ago.
Freeman had been limited by injuries as a junior, just like Patrick. His team had been coming off of a surprisingly poor season, just like Patrick. And he knew that a strong senior season could make him a more attractive prospect for the NFL draft.
So, after talking things over with Taggart — who was entering his first and only season with the Ducks — Freeman opted to stay.
“The prospect of playing for Coach Taggart my final year here was certainly a factor in my return,” Freeman said at the time. “His enthusiasm and vision for this program are contagious. I am certainly excited to be coached by him and enhance my development.”
The decision could not have worked out any better for Freeman. The 6-foot, 238pound back enjoyed a standout season in Taggart’s wideopen, up-tempo offense, rushing for 1,475 yards and 16 touchdowns.
“He was in a similar position to me,” Patrick said, explaining why he reached out to Freeman for advice. “He had nothing but good things to say about the offense and Coach Taggart.
“He said the offense wasn’t really hard to learn. I feel like I’m a smart guy, so coming back and learning a new offense probably wouldn’t be a big deal for me.”
While Patrick’s and Freeman’s situations are similar, they are not identical.
Freeman was already one of the greatest running backs in Oregon history, while Patrick has not even enjoyed a complete season as a fulltime starter.
After sitting behind Dalvin Cook during his first two seasons, Patrick ended up splitting carries with fresh- man Cam Akers in 2017. The junior played at a very high level, particularly late in the year, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and finishing with 687 yards and six touchdowns.
But Akers will be back as a sophomore, and he should be very well-suited to flourish in Taggart’s offense as well. The Seminoles also have several talented runners behind them, including Amir Rasul, Khalan Laborn and Zaquandre White.
If Taggart’s one year at Oregon was any indication, however, there will be plenty of touches to go around. After Freeman, Oregon’s next-leading rusher had 584 yards and the next one had 498.
As a team, the Ducks featured t he nation’s 12th-ranked rushing offense and they ranked No. 8 for “long rushing plays” — carries of 10-plus yards.
It will be at least a few more days before Patrick makes his decision, but Taggart is encouraged by the talk with Freeman. It shows that the Seminoles’ veteran running back is trying to gather all of the available information and not rushing into a decision.