Warrick Dunn isn’t just arguably the best running back in Florida State history. He is one of the program’s transcendent players and is still reverently talked about within the Seminoles fanbase.
It’s premature to place current Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook in Dunn’s category considering Cook is only two games into his sophomore season. However, the early Heisman contender has the attention of Dunn, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
“I know we played in two different eras, football is much different from when I was there. But from what I’ve seen of him, I think he’s talented,” Dunn told the Orlando Sentinel. “I think we have two different running styles. I think the players around him were a lot different than the players around me, so it’s tough. He’s bigger. He’s one that’s really turning heads. I salute him.”
Against USF last Saturday, Cook rushed 30 times for 266 yards and three touchdowns. It was the second-highest single-game rushing total in school history, and it was the fifth consecutive 100-yard rushing game for Cook.
Dunn holds the school record for consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts with six. He netted 100 yards 21 times over his four-year career. Cook has seven such games.
“Warrick was a guy that could cut at any point in time. I feel like I could cut at any point in time,” Cook told reporters. “Warrick was a great back. I always watched film of Warrick Dunn.”
From 1993-1996, Dunn never had more than 189 carries in a season. Cook has 49 through two games and is on pace for 318 carries if the Seminoles play 13 games this season. If the Seminoles were to play in the national championship, Cook’s 24.5 carries per game average would equate to 367 touches.
Dunn is a little jealous.
“I know he had an amazing feat of 200-something yards [Saturday]. When someone told me that, I said, ‘I wish I could have done that,’” Dunn told the Orlando Sentinel. “But in my era, the only time I got a lot of carries is when we played in big games. Other than that, we threw the ball. I was on the bench.
“... We scored fast so you had to get yours when you [could.] It’s a lot different. They’re utilizing his skill set to set the pace for the whole offense.”