Lundy thrives in fullback role for Seminoles

Fullback has long been associated with toughness and physicality.

It’s a hard-hat position, requiring a player to be a tremendous blocker or make a crucial carry for tough yards without seeing much of the glory like a quarterback or running back. It’s one of the positions Florida State coach Mike Norvell is enamored with when it comes to offense.

“I don’t like it. I love that position,” he said. “It’s one of the purest positions in football.”

“When you play fullback, you’ve got to have it all. The toughness, the mentality, the skill set, and the agility to be able to work and make people miss.”

Everywhere Norvell has coached, he’s found a use for a fullback.

“I’ve always had a defensive player that’s been our fullback,” he said. “Even as an offensive coordinator, I would always be kind of drawn to those guys and see them engaging in the opportunity.”

Linebacker DJ Lundy has stepped into the role of fullback this season for Norvell.

The 6-foot-1, 255-pound redshirt freshman from Ocilla, Ga., has been thrust into the position close to a dozen times this season, mostly on short-yardage or goalline situations. He’s carried the ball twice — once against LSU and once against Clemson — scoring on 1-yard touchdowns.

He caught his first pass last Saturday against Miami, a 2-yard touchdown with 4:51 left in the first quarter that put the Seminoles up 14-3 before they would go on to win 45-3.

“For most of his high school career, he was a running back,” Norvell said of Lundy. “He only moved to linebacker his senior year and did a great job with that. When we got into the recruiting process, it was something that I saw as a real opportunity for him.”

Lundy has appeared in all nine games, participating in more than 250 snaps at linebacker, where he has accounted for 31 tackles, including 3 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Offensive coordinator Alex Atkins knows the importance of the position to his head coach.

“Coach Norvell, that’s his baby — the fullback position,” said Atkins. “Whenever we work on fullback stuff, he takes a lot of ownership in that position. He tells us nobody can talk to the fullback but him. He is the designated fullback coach. DJ is a talented player, and it helps when you pick the one you want to be the fullback.”

“I just like coaching that position, and I need to get it put on my business card, actually,” joked Norvell.

Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@ orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.