FIU football happy Shomari ‘Showtime’ Lawrence made the move to running back
Shomari “Showtime” Lawrence once had to beg to play running back.
Now, after a 139-yard FIU debut last week, the Jamaica native is locked in at his favorite position and is set to lead the Panthers (0-1) this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in their home opener against Maine (0-0).
Lawrence’s football career started as a seventh-grader in the Broward County youth leagues. However, the Tamarac Cougars coaches put Lawrence – who was big for his age – on the offensive line, and they gave him jersey No. 54.
As an eighth-grader – still wearing 54 – the coaches put Lawrence in at running back for the last play of the season.
“I had a big run,” Lawrence said. “So, they said, ‘OK, he might be able to play running back.’”
The next season, Lawrence was given jersey No. 4, and he has been a running back ever since, bouncing around from Coral Springs High to Pompano Beach Blanche Ely and then the University of South Dakota before finally landing at FIU this past January.
Things seem to have a way of working out for Lawrence.
Three months after arriving at FIU, the Panthers lost starting running back Lexington Joseph, who is out for the year due to injury.
Lawrence took that opportunity and ran with it – literally – producing a 67-yard touchdown sprint on just his second carry as a member of the Panthers.
It was a third-and-two play. Quarterback Grayson James took a shotgun snap and handed the ball to Lawrence, who hesitated for a second to wait for his blocking to develop. He then burst up the middle and went untouched for the final 60 yards.
Lawrence, now wearing No. 0, got a bunch of good blocks on the play, including one from tight end Christian Pedersen moving from left to right.
After having “butterflies” on his first carry – an eight-yard run -- Lawrence said his second touch felt like practice.
“I broke open that run,” Lawrence said, “and I said, ‘OK, this is going to be a smooth game.’”
Unfortunately for FIU, it didn’t work out that way for the Panthers, who lost 22-17. But Lawrence, a backup at South Dakota, took pride in his personal achievement, which included a 9.3 average per carry.
“It felt great – the first time getting a chance to start,” Lawrence said. “It all gets greater later.”
Lawrence, who said his favorite NFL running backs to watch when he was a kid were Marshawn Lynch and LeGarrette Blount, is dealing with a bone bruise.
Because of that bruise, he is wearing a knee brace on his left leg, and he feels it gets in the way of his running at times.
“I don’t have to wear it,” Lawrence said. “Our training staff is doing a good job of trying to keep me healthy throughout the season. The brace will be off soon. I’m just trying to make my training staff happy.”
THIS AND THAT
▪ The Panthers on Saturday will try to get their starting receivers going. Against Louisiana Tech, Kris Mitchell, Dean Patterson and Jalen Bracey combined for just two catches and zero yards.
▪ FIU will hope to again get strong defensive performances, similar to what happened against Louisiana Tech when Donovan Manuel had a game-high 15 tackles. Fellow FIU inside linebacker Reggie Peterson had 11 tackles, including two for losses, and one sack.
▪ Panthers nickel back Jamal Potts had a great game, forcing two fumbles and posting 2½ tackles for losses. He had 10 total stops. FIU also got one sack from Marquez Tatum and a half-sack from Jack Daly, Khaya Wright and Travonte O’Neal.
