The health of the Florida State wide receiver room heading into Saturday's game against Pitt was already an area of concern. That situation got even worse when the Seminoles learned they would be without star receiver Keon Coleman.

According to coach Mike Norvell, Coleman suffered an injury against Wake Forest the previous week — an injury that was kept under wraps as the team prepared for Pitt. With Coleman's absence revealed and Johnny Wilson missing his second straight game, the success of the passing game would fall on the shoulders of FSU's tight ends and backup receivers.

Enter Ja'Khi Douglas, who not only has been battling for playing time in a deep room, but has been battling injuries himself for most of the season. Despite finding himself further down the depth chart this season, Douglas is no stranger to making plays in big moments at Florida State.

Perhaps his most memorable moment came against Miami in 2021 when he caught a 59-yard pass that helped set up a game-winning touchdown drive — a win that proved to be monumental in the development of this program.

"Earlier in my career — my freshman and sophomore year — I used to mix in and play outside receiver," Douglas said. "It felt great to be outside. I could be free and run."

On Saturday during Florida State's 24-7 win against Pittsburgh, Douglas set career-highs for receptions (six) and receiving yards (115 yards). Of his 115 receiving yards, 54 came on Florida State's first touchdown drive of the game. On nearly every single FSU scoring drive, Douglas showed up with a big play, including a 30-yard back-shoulder catch on the Seminoles' final scoring drive in the third quarter that would put the game away.

"It was remarkable," Norvell said postgame. "I was so proud of Ja'Khi. Anybody that is around him, they know the type of young man that he is. They know the work and the passion in which he plays ... it was big plays in big moments and that's what we needed."

Each of the last two seasons, Douglas has started the year sidelined by a preseason injury. While he was able to come in and immediately make an impact last season, getting Ja'khi involved this season has been more of a struggle. It has not been without attempts to get him involved by offensive coordinator Alex Atkins and Norvell, it just has not materialized for the redshirt junior. Coming into Saturday's game, Douglas had only two catches for 36 yards in 2023.

Douglas knew that he would be a bigger part of the game plan earlier in the week after meeting with wide receivers coach Ron Dugans and Norvell.

"They asked me if I wanted to do this and I said I was ready. I came out here and showed I was ready," Douglas said.

It wasn't just Douglas that stepped up. Big plays from Destyn Hill, Markeston Douglas, Kyle Morlock and true freshman Vandrevius Jacobs helped carry the Seminoles through a slog of an ACC road game.

But it was Ja'Khi Douglas that appeared time and again, as he was awarded with the honor of breaking the rock in the locker room after the win — an honor normally bestowed by Norvell but the team made the decision for him.

"The team already was chanting his name by the end of it," Norvell said. "Guys understand and respect work. Ja'Khi missed an early part of the season due to injury — we had a couple of guys that was the case with — but they continue to work themselves and prepare for the moment. He got his moment tonight and did a great job with it."

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