He can sometimes be a forgotten part of Florida State’s 2-deep roster, but the upcoming season should present a chance for running back Mario Pender to show what’s he capable of.
A redshirt junior, Pender will be the veteran in the FSU backfield for 2015. A former 4-star recruit out of Cape Coral, finding his way onto the big stage has been a struggle.
As the Seminoles won their first ACC crown in seven years in 2012 and their first national championship in 14 years in 2013, Pender was forced to watch from afar. Pender suffered a severe groin injury that forced him to miss his first season on campus before being ruled academically ineligible for 2013 as his teammates went a perfect 14-0 and scored more points than any other school in FBS history.
Pender spent much of the 2014 season behind senior Karlos Williams and Dalvin Cook, who emerged late in the year to become the first FSU freshman ever to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. In limited action, partially due to ankle injury, Pender made the most of his opportunity.
Pender scored one in about every 10 times he touched the ball last season, finishing with five total touchdowns on just 51 touches. Pender’s first career carry went for an 11-yard score in last season’s opener against Oklahoma State.
Pender was slated to split time with true freshman Jacques Patrick as the team’s No. 2 back behind Cook before Cook was suspended late last week when he was charged with punching a woman outside a Tallahassee bar. Cook’s arraignment isn’t scheduled until September 2nd — three days before FSU kicks off the season against Texas State.
With Cook’s season and FSU career potentially in doubt, Pender could end up being the go-to back for an offense that has had 1,000-yard rushers in consecutive seasons after going without one from 1997-2012.
Patrick has the ability to become a complete back at the next level, but for now, Pender has the edge in experience and brings a bit more versatility. In limited time last season, he caught 10 passes out of the backfield including a touchdown against Syracuse.
Pender has put on about 20 pounds — most of it muscle — since arriving in Tallahassee and at 5’10” and about 205 pounds, has enough bulk to carry the offensive load. Pender also possesses excellent speed and has been described as a home run hitter by FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher in the past.
Regardless of whether or not Cook is available for the 2015 season, Pender should enjoy a bigger role in an offense likely to be more run-centric. Most would agree that the Seminoles would be a better team with Cook in the lineup, but his absence would create an opportunity for Pender to show why FSU coaches were so high on him out of high school.
As the old adage goes, good things come to those who wait. After being forced to watch from the sidelines during his first two years in Tallahassee, Pender is hopeful those words will ring true.
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