These Sunshine State players are likely to have the most impact on the fate of their teams this season.
Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
Jordan Travis arrived at Florida State from Louisville in 2019 buried on the depth chart. Now he's a Heisman Trophy contender. The Benjamin School alumnus has accounted for 70 total touchdowns so far. He already holds the school record for career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Travis enters the season with 5,888 passing yards and 45 touchdowns while compiling 1,734 rushing yards and 24 scores, plus one touchdown reception. Last season was his most impressive yet, throwing for 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami
Miami is expecting to see Tyler Van Dyke return to his 2021 form when he was Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year after throwing for 2,931 yards and 25 touchdowns with six interceptions. Van Dyke dealt with a recurring shoulder injury that hampered his production (10 touchdowns and five picks) and forced him to miss several games. His struggles, in part, led head coach Mario Cristobal to fire offensive coordinator Josh Gattis after one season. Shannon Dawson has been tapped to lead the offense and put Van Dyke in the best position to be successful. Now playing for his third offensive coordinator in as many years, Van Dyke should see improved play on the offensive line and will have one of his go-to receivers back in Xavier Restrepo, who was limited to seven games last season.
John Rhys Plumlee, QB, Central Florida
John Rhys Plumlee led all Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in rushing last season (861 yards and 11 touchdowns). New offensive coordinator Darin Hinshaw was hired to help improve Plumlee's passing game (2,586 yards with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2022). Hinshaw and head coach Gus Malzahn will give him more freedom to change the plays this season, which should make it easier for Plumlee to direct the up-tempo offense as Central Florida navigates a Big 12 Conference schedule for the first time.
Larry McCammon III, RB, Florida Atlantic
Larry McCammon III carried the ball 194 times for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022, becoming the first Florida Atlantic player to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing mark since Devin Singletary in 2018. The Owls have a new head coach in Tom Herman and a new home in the American Athletic Conference, so expect Herman to lean on McCammon as FAU navigates upgraded competition with a new quarterback.
Montrell Johnson Jr., RB, Florida
This could have just as easily been Trevor Etienne, but Montrell Johnson Jr. gets the nod after starting nine games last season. Johnson and Etienne combined to rush for 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2022. Johnson was responsible for 841 of those yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. With the uncertainty at quarterback, Florida will need a reliable ground game to help Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz get acclimated to life in the Southeastern Conference.
