Through four games, Jashaun Corbin has been one of the most dynamic running backs in the United States.
The Florida State offense is struggling. And the team itself is 0-4. But Corbin has been a major bright spot for the Seminoles in September, rushing for 439 yards and three touchdowns on just 48 attempts.
"Just doing what I've been doing since I was a little boy," Corbin said. "Just making somebody miss and just having fun and playing the way I know I can."
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He's been the best player on the Seminoles' offense through the first month.
Despite getting just seven carries for 27 yards at Wake Forest after an early fumble, Corbin bounced back in a big way against the Louisville Cardinals. He rushed for 159 yards on just 11 carries and also caught four passes for 32 yards.
His 75-yard run on the first drive of the second half was his second 75-yard-plus touchdown of the season. He also had an 89-yarder in the loss to Notre Dame in the season opener.
"You take Jashaun a year ago, and he would get in open field and there were times where he'd be seven or eight yards from a safety and start making a cut," FSU head coach Mike Norvell said after Tuesday's practice. "And the safety had enough time to maybe get a hand on him. ... But to see the tracks he was running (against Louisville) and the belief that his feet would make him right, to be able to cut the inside shoulder, that was a thing of beauty, man.
"That is somebody that has bought into what he is trying to do. Trying to be the best guy that he can be and then trusting what his ability is ... that was my favorite play that we had. Because I know what we had seen and what has been put on display, and that growth that he's done and the investment he's made. It's really showing up."
Last year, coming off a season-ending hamstring injury when he was at Texas A&M, Corbin struggled early to find his footing with the FSU offense. He finished with 401 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 81 attempts.
He showed flashes of game-breaking ability later in the season, but for the most part he was a bruising, short-yardage back, whose main role seemed to be picking up the tough yards to keep drives alive.
Corbin's longest run a season ago was 28 yards. He had four rushes for over 20 yards on Saturday alone.
So, if the Rockledge, Fla., product looks like a different guy this season, it's because he kind of is.
"This year I think just being more comfortable, further removed from the injury," he said. "Last year was a year after not playing for a whole season. So, this year I'm feeling more fresh, more confident in myself. Just having fun, being positive, doing what I always do."
The 6-foot tall, 221-pounder currently ranks third in the country in yards per carry at 9.1, and he's third in the ACC in rushing yards -- already surpassing his total from a season ago.
"He's deceptively fast," offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham said. "You don't look at him and say that's a guy who's going to run away from people. But he does."
Back at full speed and full confidence, Corbin has become the offensive weapon the Seminoles thought he would be when he transferred from Texas A&M after the 2019 season.
"I think the biggest thing is speed," FSU running backs coach David Johnson said. "He's gotten stronger. He's changed his body, which is really good. His knowledge of the game, too, with understanding the offense. And he's more confident. He's just playing. Having fun. He's not thinking about the injury or anything like that. And I think that's one of the big things -- the difference from last season. He's not thinking, he's out there just playing."
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