FSU Seminoles

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- It was a lost year, and Christian Green isn't particularly interested in debating the reasons why he rarely saw the field in 2012. He's simply turning the page.

"I don't really get into that. It just happened," said Green, who followed up on his 450-yard freshman campaign by making just three catches as a sophomore. "They're the coaches, so they decide who plays and who doesn't. All I have to do is work hard and do what I've been doing and look forward to what's going to happen now."

Still, the questions linger. How could a player with obvious talent and a solid season under his belt simply disappear from the offense?

Jimbo Fisher insisted it was largely a numbers game last season. Florida State had a bevy of quality pass catchers, and Green simply didn't perform well enough in practice to see regular action on game day. Green ranked 12th among FSU players in targets last season, and no one on the team caught a lower percentage of the balls thrown his way.

"It was frustrating, but everything happens for a reason, so I just keep working and do what I have to do to get better," Green said. That's the coaches decision who plays and who doesn't. I just have to focus on myself and get better."

If both parties remain vague on what negated Green's 2012 season, however, both also seem optimistic about what could be in store for 2013.

While Fisher hasn't pegged Green as Florida State's top receiver this spring, the junior has at least been in the conversation, with the Seminoles' coach routinely offering positive reviews of his practice performance. That's a major improvement after Green's name was rarely mentioned at all last season.

And Green sees room to grow, too. Rodney Smith is gone, which opens up playing time, and after spending 2012 working with the reserves, he's got as good a rapport as anyone with FSU's new group of quarterbacks contending for the starting job.

Whether all of that coalesces into regular playing time in the fall remains, like so many others surrounding Green, an unanswered question. The difference is, Green's focused on finding answers.

"I always put high expectations on myself," Green said. "I continue to work. I can't control what goes on with playing time, so I'll do what I've always done and just work hard and do the little things they preach to us and we'll see what it leads."

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- With spring practice less than a week away, the fervor surrounding some of the most-hyped storylines of 2013 has already been raging for months. The three-way battle at quarterback, the return of Bobby Hart to the limelight, Lamarcus Joyner's move to cornerback -- Jimbo Fisher already has plenty to keep his eye on.

But while those stories will continue to headline Florida State's preparations for the 2013 season, there are a handful of other intriguing players to watch this spring. They might not be in the running for a starting job, but they should offer plenty of reasons to watch as they look to impress a new group of coaches and find their own niche for the upcoming season.

Mario Pender (RB/RFr.)

When it comes to sheer intrigue, the entirety of Florida State's returning redshirts could probably make the list -- with Jameis Winston probably atop it. But while there will be genuine interest in Justin Shanks' weight or Marvin Bracy's speed, it's Pender who likely leads the pack in non-QB buzz from fans. The highly touted tailback missed all of 2012 with a groin injury and is just now getting back into full swing. His workouts during fourth-quarter drills earned raves from Fisher, who compared his burst and home-run ability to Chris Thompson -- only Pender is a bit bigger and stronger. Does that mean a job awaits this fall? Not exactly, but he'll definitely have his coaches' attention.

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Five assistant coaches and three juniors all left Florida State for greener pastures in the past six weeks, and a bevy of senior talent from the 2012 ACC champions departs as well. While the spring always brings hope for players to work their way up the depth chart, this year will offer a wealth of opportunities for some younger Seminoles to impress new coaches and win some vacant jobs.

That's good news for a handful of once promising talent on the Florida State roster, but it's hardly a guarantee that much will change. While last week, we looked at five rising stars for FSU, these six players have a much steeper hill to climb after seeing their stars dim during 2012.

Mario Pender (RFr./RB)

Background: Highly regarded on the recruiting trail, Pender's freshman season at Florida State never got started. A groin injury over the summer lingered into fall camp, and it was quickly determined he'd need season-ending surgery to repair it. He never ran a rep during practice but is expected to be ready to go this spring.

Possible 2013 status: On the one hand, Pender can still step in to a relatively uncertain running back situation and find a niche. James Wilder Jr.'s continued legal problems are a cause for concern, and Devonta Freeman was inconsistent down the stretch after Chris Thompson's injury. On the other hand, Florida State could be adding more talent with this year's recruiting class, and thanks to the injury, Pender won't be dramatically ahead of them in terms of preparation.

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The route was bad, and the throw never came close to the receiver, and Jimbo Fisher got mad.

"It's a good thing we've got all these great receivers," Fisher yelled during Thursday morning's practice session. "I haven't seen anyone make a play in four days."

That's not entirely true, of course.

After practice, Fisher raved about the big plays made by junior Greg Dent, and he lauded the potential of Kelvin Benjamin, who has spent a good portion of this week taking reps with the first-team offense.

Fisher's frustration isn't about potential though. He knows his receiving corps is loaded with talent -- from the 6-foot-6 Benjamin to standout sophomore Rashad Greene to veteran Rodney Smith. ESPN's Travis Haney has FSU ranked as the seventh-best receiving corps in the country.

But with an offensive line that's still a work in progress and a running game littered with question marks, Fisher knows that talented receiving corps might need to carry the offense at times, so he's asking the group to make big plays that can change the game.

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