'Waiting for my moment' ... Florida State's Wyatt Rector breaks down first TD pass of his career
He always wanted to play quarterback in college.
In fact, that’s how Wyatt Rector started his college career, as a scholarship QB at Western Michigan.
But when he transferred to Florida State and later moved to tight end, Rector figured his passing days were probably over.
Not so fast.
The Leesburg, Fla., native got his chance on Saturday night in Syracuse and made the most of his opportunity, completing a two-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Jordan Travis on a fourth-and-goal play late in the third quarter.
“It’s a play that we’ve been running for a long time now (in practice),” Rector said on Tuesday. “I’ve been waiting for them to call it. I’ve been waiting for my moment.”
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Rector said that when Mike Norvell called timeout after a failed third-down play, the head coach came up to him and asked if he was ready to run it.
“I’m ready, Coach,” Rector replied. “Let’s go.”
The tight end said Norvell debated it for a few moments before deciding to call it. It worked to perfection.
The play started with Rector and Johnny Wilson going in motion to the other side of the formation. Then when the ball was snapped, Mycah Pittman ran an end-around and took the handoff from Travis. Pittman then proceeded to flip it to the former high school quarterback Rector, who had to take a shot from a blitzing defender as he lofted the ball to a wide-open Travis in the end zone.
“I knew I was going to get smacked,” Rector said. “Because Coach Norvell told me to run the ball if Jordan is covered. But if Jordan is not covered, throw the ball. But as soon as I saw the dude off the edge, I was like, ‘I’ve got to get the ball out quick.’ But it turned into a touchdown.
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“It was awesome.”
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Much was made of Travis becoming the first Seminole since 1949 to have a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and a passing touchdown in the same game.
But Rector also showed off his versatility on Saturday night. The TD pass was the first of his career, but he also has touchdowns receiving and rushing as well.
Plus, as Norvell pointed out on Tuesday, Rector is one of their best special-teams players and has been a team captain for the Seminoles.
“Wyatt Rector has been awesome for our football team,” Norvell said. “A guy that changed positions when he first got here. He’s really taken some dramatic steps. Just his physicality, the passion, the energy, the toughness that he puts on display. One of our best special-teams players. Whether it’s punt, kickoff, return game, just remarkable.
“And he takes a quarterback ownership to all of those things. That play on Saturday is something we work, and it’s a great double-option for him. If he can run it, obviously he’s got great speed and ability. They played it well, and had somebody for him, and he was able to complete a pass with somebody bearing down on him. That was one of my favorite scenes of the game. Wyatt got hit pretty good on that, and after he completed the pass, he’s on the ground and you see his hands go up (signaling touchdown).”
Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.
