A year ago, Austin Barron and Bobby Hart were members of the same offensive line at Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas, providing quarterback protection and creating holes for the Class 5A state champions.
Now they’re trying to win trench wars at Florida State.
Barron, a freshman center, received his first collegiate start Thursday when regular centerBryan Stork didn’t suit up because of “mild concussion symptoms.” Hart made his fifth start in a row at right tackle.
When the two were at St. Thomas, they anchored a line that helped the Raiders total 5,612 yards in total offense.
They’re not the only ex-Raiders playing for FSU. Sophomore safety Lamarcus Joyner, freshman receiver Rashard Greene and senior offensive tackle Andrew Datko also hail from the South Florida football power.
It was a shoulder injury to Datko that enabled Hart to crack the FSU starting lineup. Greene (ankle) has also been injured, missing the past four games, but has six touchdown receptions in his limited playing time.
NOTABLE
• EJ Manuel doesn’t focus on one particular receiver.
Heading into Thursday’s clash with Boston College, no FBS team had more players with at least five receptions averaging at least 10.5 yards per catch. The Seminoles had eight such players, tied with Utah State for tops in the nation.
And FSU began the night with seven players having at least 10 receptions, which hadn’t happened since 1999 when the national champion Noles featured Peter Warrick, Ron Dugans, Snoop Minnis,Laveranues Coles, Anquan Boldin, Atrews Bell and Robert Morgan.
• With his 8-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, senior Bert Reed moved into 13th on FSU’s all-time list in career receiving yardage. The reception gave Reed 1,816 receiving yards, passing Andrew Cooper, who had 1,810.
• Seminoles kicker Dustin Hopkins moved into sixth on the school’s all-time scoring list, passingWarrick Dunn, when he kicked his fourth extra point of Thursday’s game, giving him a total of 295. Hopkins, a junior, is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award given to the nation’s top kicker. The Seminoles’ all-time leader in points scored is Derek Schmidt with 393.
• Single-game tickets for FSU’s game against Miami on Nov. 12 are now on sale at www.seminoles.com.
• Along with Datko and Stork, other Seminoles who did not suit up on Thursday because of injuries were offensive linemen David Spurlock (knee) and Henry Orelus (head), defensive tackle Darious Cummings (hand) and receiver Willie Haulstead (head).
FSU football team like St. Thomas Aquinas north
