Across the nation, sports in 2020 has been filled with its fair share of challenges and uncertainty. Butch Davis and Panthers know that all too well, as the football team battled through a litany of injuries, roster turnover and a schedule more fluid than a Café con Leche in 2020. With no spring season or summer workouts and an unorthodox training camp schedule, we all knew this year would look very different. Despite all that, FIU football still has an optimistic view of the future and an unwavering drive to bounce back even stronger in 2021.
 
After losing one of the most successful senior classes to ever play at FIU due to graduation or the NFL, the Panthers were always going to face challenges in 2020, but injuries throughout the season truly exasperated that to a new level.
 
FIU's leading returning receiver from 2019, Shemar Thornton, suffered a season-ending injury over the summer to begin the troubles, while defensive leader Andrew Tarver was sidelined all of 2020 with a year-long injury of his own. Promising young rushers Shaun Peterson Jr. and Lexington Joseph were lost as well earlier on, while Jamal Gates' game-ending injury against WKU proved to be crucial for the outcome of that contest. Thankfully, all of those injured Panthers will be back and at full strength in 2021, looking to pick up where they left off.
 
"This season was truly unlike any other we've ever experienced," Davis said. "I am proud of our team's commitment and fight despite dealing with injuries and being outmanned for most of the year. We didn't have the results we wanted on the field, but I am very excited about what we have coming back and how our young team matured throughout the season."
 
The roster turnover and lack of depth provided a chance for the young pups to shine however, as Coach Davis and the Panther coaching staff leaned heavily on a talented (but inexperienced) youth movement.
 
The year began with one of those young pups stepping onto the big stage, as sophomore Lexington "Flex" Joseph returned the opening season kickoff 100 yards at future nationally ranked Liberty. To end the year, freshman EJ Wilson Jr. returned his own kickoff 100 yards at WKU as the Panthers became the only squad in 2020 to return a pair of 100-yard kickoffs.
 
Special teams were truly the brightest spot for the Panthers in 2020, as FIU ranked among the nation's leaders in punt return defense, kickoff coverage and kickoff return yards. This was in part due to the kicking of Tommy Heatherly, who was the only non-Power 5 punter to be named a semifinalist for the prestigious Ray Guy Award earlier this month. Heatherly will surely set more records at FIU, as he and his veteran long snapper Tommy Zozus will return in 2021.
 
The pass catchers also had a pair of successful young pups, as redshirt freshman Nate Jefferson and true freshman Rivaldo Fairweather gave Panther fans much to look forward to in the coming years. Fairweather finished the year with a 16.5 yards per catch average, as he led all freshmen in the country for his position. Not to be outdone, Jefferson was the only wide receiver in the conference to have a rushing and receiving touchdown while owning an 11.33 yards per catch clip to rank as the third-most among freshmen wideouts in the league. With leaders like Shemar Thornton and Sterling Palmer returning to the lineup next year, this group will look very dangerous in 2021.
 
Along the battered and bruised offensive line, the Panthers had a different starting lineup in four of their five games for 2020. Of the eight different starting offensive linemen in 2020, five of those were underclassmen or newcomers. Despite that constant rotation, the Panther offensive line helped pave the way for a breakout year for D'vonte Price as the running back earned 6.84 rush yards per carry to rank as the 11th-most in the nation. Price also finished over the century mark for rushing in all but one game in 2020, while earning a career-high 178 yards rushing against FAU.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, FIU had to replace five starters who were lost due to graduation or the NFL, with underclassmen filling in at cornerback to replace the loss at that position. The Dames twins stepped up for the defensive secondary, helping the Panthers rank as the 18th-best pass defense in the nation. Richard Dames ranked among the nation's leaders for solo tackles per game as well for most of the season, while finishing as the team leader in total tackles for FIU in 2020. With no seniors in the secondary, the entire group looks to be back and stronger than ever in 2021.
 
As we prepare to turn the page on an uncertain 2020 and begin anew in 2021, we can hope for a return to normalcy on the football field and to our daily lives. One thing is certain however, FIU's inexperienced youth will mature into experienced veterans and for that, Panther fans have a lot to look forward to in 2021 and beyond.
 
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