The jump from high school to college football proves to be a real challenge for all incoming freshmen except for the very best of the best. Florida State freshman running back Ousmane Kromah appears to be quickly making a strong case for belonging in that top-tier category. Even though he missed FSU’s spring camp and […]
The jump from high school to college football proves to be a real challenge for all incoming freshmen except for the very best of the best.
Florida State freshman running back Ousmane Kromah appears to be quickly making a strong case for belonging in that top-tier category.
Even though he missed FSU’s spring camp and didn’t arrive on campus until May, the former four-star recruit continues to turn heads this preseason.
“He’s different,” FSU running backs coach David Johnson said. “He loves football, extremely smart, understands football, he’s really competitive. He wants to make sure he’s doing everything right. He’s trying to be perfect on every rep. It’s rare from a freshman. He’s not afraid of contact. He really gets up when it’s time to go against the linebackers in pass (protection drills), and that’s different for a young guy.”
Kromah’s extensive high-school production as a budding prospect at Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County High certainly played a role in the immediate impact he’s been able to make. The 6-foot-1, 218-pound running back rushed for 4,643 yards, racked up 1,456 receiving yards and scored 74 touchdowns (55 rushing, 19 receiving) over his last three years of high school.
While Kromah says that being enrolled at FSU, which was the first school to offer him a scholarship, is “surreal,” it doesn’t sound like getting acclimated to this level of football has been much of a challenge for him.
“It’s pretty (much) the same, I’m going to be real,” Kromah said of the difference between playing in high school and at FSU. “It’s not a big difference.”
Kromah was seen as one of Mike Norvell’s biggest recruiting wins of his FSU tenure when the Seminoles flipped the blue-chip running back from Georgia last December. While he was seen as a potential immediate contributor, especially in an unproven FSU running back room, there were concerns about how a summer arrival could negatively impact that.
It sounds like Kromah has made up for lost time and then some, being praised for displaying different skills in each of FSU’s first two preseason scrimmages.
After FSU’s first scrimmage, Kromah was praised by Norvell for a huge block he made immediately upon his entrance.
“Ousmane, one of his first plays in there was a pass protection, blitz pickup,” Norvell said. “I haven’t seen many freshmen running backs that will stick his face in it like he did. It was violent, and it’s exciting.”
Added Kromah, “This is what I live by: I’m going to give it all I got, and if I get thrown around, that’s what happens. I’m just going in with all I’ve got and whatever happens, happens.”
Asked which running backs performed the best in Sunday’s second scrimmage of the preseason, Norvell mentioned Kromah first, citing a pair of red-zone touchdown runs he had.
Johnson said on Tuesday that FSU is likely to shorten its running-back rotation to just two or three players this season in new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s scheme. From the sounds of things, Kromah seems to be firmly in that mix to still get on the field as a freshman, even with a reduced rotation.
“(His chance to play right away) is real. If he keeps progressing like he is, I fully expect him to make a great impact,” Norvell said of Kromah. “ … He’s a superb talent with the ball in his hands and the things that he can do. But seeing him without the ball in his hands too is something that gets you excited for what the future can be.”
Malzahn said Monday that Kromah got some work with the first-team offense during Sunday’s scrimmage.
“We are throwing a lot of new installs (at him). We’ve been kind of slowly working him in with different groups and even with the 1’s some to see how he would react. So far so good,” Malzahn said. “He is very talented, I think everybody knows that. He’s learning to play without the ball in college and he is a fast learner with that. Overall, he has progressed at a good level so far.”
It doesn’t sound like Kromah needs any extra motivation to get on the field immediately. But if he did, the fact that FSU opens the 2025 season vs. Alabama could provide exactly that.
“This (Alabama) game is something that I’ve dreamed about,” Kromah said. “Realistically, I’m approaching it with a different mindset as far as preparation. By the time that comes, I’m going to know the whole offense.”
As for what his goals are for that game? He doesn’t have any specific things in mind. He just hopes he’ll be able to get on the field and help the team.
“It’s very simple. Do what they need me to do,” Kromah said of his goals for the Alabama game. “I’m not going to do anything extra. I’m not going to try to be a savior like they say. I’m just here to play football.”
Category: General Sports
