The legacy he inherits was shaped by Butkus Award winners Paul McGowan, Marvin Jones and Daryl Bush.

And he is paid the ultimate compliment by Florida State's running backs by being voted the man they least want to hit them.

Bradley Jennings is a senior and ready to start for the third year in a row at middle linebacker ... so why are we just now hearing about him?

"I don't know," Jennings said. "I guess 'cause those other guys were getting all the attention."

"Those other guys" are Tommy Polley and Brian Allen, FSU's highly polished outside linebackers who drew the lion's share of the praise and attention the past three seasons. Polley and Allen are gone, leaving Jennings as the lone returning starter among the Seminoles' linebackers.

Jennings, at 6-3 and 240 pounds, has etched some serious notches of respect from an oft-revered list of productive linebackers at Florida State.

Coaches don't blame his ability for Jennings' lack of national attention.

Rather, look at whom he played with and how they played.

Just as Jennings joined FSU's program, the Seminoles made a subtle, yet significant shift in their defensive scheme. Instead of funneling ball carriers to linebackers by absorbing blockers, the defensive ends and tackles are asked to slip offensive linemen and make the stop. Plus, the speed and headhunting of Allen and Polley made it easy to overlook Jennings.

No more.

Where last year he came out on many passing downs, Jennings will stay in this season as his younger mates, Kendyll Pope and Michael Boulware, learn their trade.

"It's my job to be a leader now," Jennings said.

"When I was a kid, Brian Allen took me under his wing and showed me what was what. Now it's my turn to do the showing. Everybody knows what the expectations are here. We're all ready to live up to that.

"It's my job, along with Chris Hope and Darnell Dockett and some others, to lead the way on defense."

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