The top 100 FSU football players: No. 34— wide receiver E.G. Green

There are three pass catchers in Florida State history who averaged at least 100 yards receiving per game in multiple seasons. Ron “Jingle Joints” Sellers in 1967 and 1968. Number nine, Peter Warrick in 1998 and 1999. And Ernest “E.G.” Green in 1995 and 1997.

For a program with as many great wide receivers in its history as FSU, it’s understandable that some guys get overshadowed now and again. Heck, the award given out annually to the best receiver in the nation arguably wasn’t even the best receiver for the Seminoles just in the 1960s. So, I can forgive some of the younger fans if E.G. Green isn’t a name that springs immediately to mind when the topic of all-time great receivers in program history is brought up. But while ignorance can be bliss, in the case of Green it’s best to educate yourself a bit, lest you end up looking as foolish as the defenders who tried to keep him out of the endzone.

Speaking of the endzone, if the first stat wasn’t enough to convince you of Green’s place in Seminole legend, try this one on for size. Here’s the list of Florida State players who recorded double-digit receiving touchdowns in multiple seasons:

E.G. Green - 1995 (10), 1997 (11)

That’s it. That’s the list in its entirety. Like I said, better educate yourself.

Green arrived at FSU from Fort Walton Beach in 1993, where in high school he teamed up with Danny Wuerffel to form an unstoppable offensive machine that pushed the Fort Walton Beach Vikings to the number two national ranking by USA Today.

After redshirting during FSU’s 1993 national championship season, he saw action in 7 games in 1994, including grabbing 4 balls for 74 yards against UF in the Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter.

In 1995, nabbing the starting position opposite Andre Cooper, Green exploded onto the national scene. Opening the season with his first career 100 yard game against the Duke Blue Devils, Green proved to be a big play all threat all season long as he racked up 1,007 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 60 receptions. This 63 yarder against NC State highlights two of Green’s best traits—his sure-handedness in traffic and his speed to get outrun defenders.

Those figures don’t even include his five catch, 99 yard, one TD performance against Notre Dame in FSU’s epic Orange Bowl victory, featuring Green’s late-game, 4th down reception that came in as FSU’s 54th best play of all time in last summer’s countdown.

Green’s 1996 numbers took a dip as FSU’s offense used Warrick Dunn as its focal point, but the junior still hauled in seven scores and 662 yards on just 34 receptions. Showing he could still be a home run threat when needed, Green recorded 156 yards and two first-half touchdowns on just five catches against the Clemson Tigers in a 34-3 blowout.

With Dunn off to the NFL, Green was once again a premier component of Florida State’s offense during the 1997 season. While many remember 1997 as the year a another Warrick burst onto the national scene, it was the senior Green who taught the budding superstar what it meant to show up consistently, every route, every game. On the year, Green led FSU in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, while also setting fashion trend among late-90s FSU receivers with his classic knee-high socks (dang, those guys made that look good).

Midway through the season, Green recorded back-to-back-to-back games with at least 150 yards and one score, culminating in an eight catch, 184 yard, three touchdown performance against NC State. The following game, despite UNC’s best effort to shut him down in a top 5 showdown in Chapel Hill, Green broke the game open with a fantastic one-handed score just before halftime (stick around through the commercial for the replay).

And while the NCAA says the stats don’t count, Green punctuated his FSU career in FSU’s Sugar Bowl destruction of Ohio State with 176 yards on 7 receptions, including high-stepping his way into the endzone—escorted by his knee-high sock wearing companion, Mr. Warrick—on this first quarter touchdown.

After the 1997 season, Green was named a second team AP All-American before being drafted with the 71st overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, where he played for three seasons.

While seasons have grown longer and rules created to favor passing, Green still remains near the top of many career FSU receiving records, ranking 4th in career yards and tied for second in career TD receptions—and he would be in sole possession of second if his bowl game stats counted. In fact, Green is tied for 4th all time in the ACC for receiving touchdowns, trailing only Clarkston Hines (Duke, 1986-1989), Peter Warrick, and Torry Holt (NCSU, 1995-1998).

So when Tamorrion Terry sparks conversation at your tailgate this year about the greatest receivers in school history, make sure E.G. Green is included in the discussion.