Dalvin Cook boosts FSU's running game

Shortly after the news broke that Dalvin Cook had been acquitted of misdemeanor battery charges, Florida State lifted Cook's indefinite suspension, freeing him to rejoin the team today. His presence is a considerable boost for a Seminoles program that is attempting to go for a fourth-straight ACC Championship.

Cook led all Florida State running backs with an 81.1 overall rating as a freshman in 2014. He swiftly established himself as the Seminoles premier big-play threat gaining 50 percent of his rushing yards on breakaway runs (runs of at least 15 yards), and averaging 3.53 yards after contact. With 39 forced missed tackles in 178 touches against Power-5 opposition, Cook's 77.2 elusive rating ranked 11th in the nation. Cook was one of a number of debutant running backs to make a great impression in 2014.

With an offense that already lost Jameis Winston, wide receiver Rashaad Greene, tight end Nick O'Leary and four season-long starters on the offensive line, the Seminoles could ill afford to enter 2015 without their best running back. Instead, with Cook back on the team, head coach Jimbo Fisher can lean on the running game early. That should buy some time for the new quarterback — whether it's Everett Golson or Sean Maguire — to develop some chemistry with a young and talented receiver group.