Receiver Winston Wright set to make anticipated Florida State debut against LSU on Sunday
When Winston Wright Jr. takes the field pregame Sunday, he said he will be overcome with emotions.
And who could blame him?
The skilled wide receiver is set to finally make his Florida State football debut at Camping World Stadium in Orlando as the No. 8 Seminoles take on No. 5 LSU. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Last March, Wright was involved in a serious car accident that required him to have season-ending leg surgery. He underwent an extensive rehabilitation process last season, working to return for this moment.
It's safe to say he is chomping at the bit to show Seminoles fans what he brings to the offense after last playing in an official game Dec. 28, 2021, in an 18-6 loss to Minnesota in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
Wright, a Savannah, Georgia, native, transferred to FSU from West Virginia following the 2021 season.
"I think it's going to hit before the game," Wright said. "It's going to hit then for sure the whole day."
Wright told the local media following Tuesday's practice he never seriously contemplated playing last season, instead focusing on his recovery.
He worked hard and was with the team for drills last season, ramping up his work. He has continued to win over the coaching staff with his hard work, earning a co-start spot as the slot receiver.
"Winston knows he's put himself in a position to help this football team," head coach Mike Norvell said of Wright earning a starting spot. "That's something that a year ago we were all hopeful. I mean, he had to go through a long and tough journey to get back to this point.
"To see him confident, to see his speed, the explosiveness, being put back on display. He had a great play Sunday night. Those are the moments when you have the game taken away from you; there is a question of whether you're ever going to play again. To be able to get back out and see and feel what you were, it was a hard journey for him.
"... I'm grateful for Winston and just the work he's put in, but excited to see him get out there and play."
Another option for an elite offense
Wright recorded 63 catches with a team-high 688 receiving yards and five touchdowns to earn second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2021 with West Virginia.
He had 47 receptions for 553 yards and two touchdowns in 2020. Wright likely would have been on the top of the depth chart last season if he stayed healthy.
This season the 5-foot-10, 191-pound speedster has earned a starting spot in the slot role, along with freshman Destyn Hill. When Winston gets on the field, he'll likely be flanked on the outside by 6-foot-7 Johnny Wilson and 6-4 Keon Coleman.
"I feel good, I feel very good right now with myself, confident," Wright said. "The second scrimmage, it was just, I was playing more faster, more physical, you can see the confidence in my moves."
Wright's performance in the second scrimmage earned him praise from head coach Mike Norvell and offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, in terms of his playmaking ability and return of his elite speed.
He is playing 11 pounds heavier than he did during his time as a Mountaineer. He said that's the only thing about his game that has changed in the last year since he played a college football game.
"Winston has been working all he can since he got here," Atkins said. "He just had the unfortunate accident and had to get his body back prepared. At this last scrimmage, he really showed us that he's really feeling better and moving better."
An eventual option in the return game
While Wright ramped up his return last fall, he said it was recently when he started to feel comfortable and that he was able to play his game, again.
"After the spring, I felt good. But going into the summer I felt very confident," he said. "I was hitting the speeds I was hitting I was before. I feel more confident."
Wright also was a dynamic kickoff returner. He accumulated 618 yards and a touchdown across 23 kickoffs last season, which came to an average of 26.9 yards per return (19th nationally).
He has been in the rotation during practices returning kicks and punts. He is listed as the backup to wide receiver Deuce Spann and running back Trey Benson for kick returning duties.
"I would like to get back to but I would say like, in the middle of the season, I would like to get back to where I want to focus on the receiver right now," Wright said.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: AP No. 8 FSU (0-0) vs. No. 5 LSU (0-0)
When/where: Sunday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m.; Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
TV/Radio: ABC/94.9 FM
Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @JackGWilliams on Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY on Twitter
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Receiver Winston Wright ready for Seminoles' debut
