Meet Tallahassee native RB Micahi Danzy: A dual-sport talent who is ready to learn and improve in his freshman year at Florida State.
Dane Draper
In an effort to better familiarizeFlorida Statefans with members of the remaining newcomers from the 2024 recruiting class who did not enroll early for the spring, Noles247 is speaking with as many of these new 'Noles as possible prior to their summer enrollment in Tallahassee.
We're calling this seriesNew Noles,and we hope that FSU fans are able to get a better understanding of who each newcomer is, on and off the gridiron.
Today, we sit down with a Micahi Danzy.The 6-foot-1, 180-pounderis a Tallahassee native and former Top247 prospect who is highly talented on both the football field and track. He also plans to continue pursuing both sports at FSU. AFlorida High product, Danzyis a state champion, and he primarily chose FSU over Florida in his recruitment. Danzy committed to the Seminoles last summer, shortly after taking his lone official visit in his hometown.
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OLManasse Itete: ClickHEREto read.
DT D'Nas "Debo" White: Click HERE to read.
What originally attracted you to Florida State?
"They are very real. They would tell you how the recruitment would go. It was just how real they were, and I really felt what they were saying. And the way they were going to use me. I mean, it was really everything about them that I liked. It's kind of hard to think of another college I wanted. I loved everything about it."
Is staying in Tallahassee something you always wanted to do for college?
"I didn't always want to do that, it's just by coincidence. I wanted to live somewhere close to my house, but it didn't matter where I was going to go but somewhere close. It was just by chance that it was in Tallahassee. That's the way I take it."
What are the good things about staying in town for college?
"I can get some of my mom's cooking any time I want… But yeah, my family can support me and come to all my home games. I also know a lot of people here and I don't have to get used to a new environment; I'm already in the environment that I've lived in my whole life, so there's no adjustment to a new city. It makes it easy for a lot of stuff: moving, it makes it easy."
It’s been six months since you signed with FSU and officially ended your recruitment. How do you feel about that decision?
"I feel good. Especially being behind (Lawrance) Toafili and seeing what he did last year. I'm just ready for him to teach me and just follow him. His leadership is great. All those boys look up to him, so I'm just ready to be there and support him and work with my brothers."
You’ve mentioned before that his role is similar to how you expect to be utilized in your career at FSU. When you think of that, what exactly do you envision?
"So like Trey Benson, he would work inside a lot and do the dirty work. But Toafili, he would move around a lot, like even at wide receiver and you saw him at Wildcat. (Wildcat) was more about the situation they were in, so I don't think I'll be doing that. But just moving me around, I'm very versatile. I might do special teams this year. He does so much and that's what I want to do. He's very useful and versatile."
Everyone knows you are very fast, but what is the strength of your game outside of just speed?
"I've been working on catching, that's another thing. I have good hands, but I'm working on that. I have good vision; like I'm not just going to bounce outside because of my speed. If I have to get in there, then I will get in there. I'm not scared of contact. I might look a little slim, but you know."
Is there a goal weight you’re trying to get to before the season?
"I hit the goal that I wanted to hit before I go into college. After surgery, I was at 160 (pounds). Then I started working out and I got to 180. I was 170 during the football season, so I gained 10-pounds since then… (FSU) said they want to get to around 190-200. I put on very slim weight, so I look very skinny for 180, but they want to get me to 200 and they said they can get me to 200 easily."
Is there something you’re especially focused on improving right now before you get to FSU?
"Definitely route-running. I didn't do that a lot in high school. That's what I want to add to my bag. That's just one more step to being versatile."
What kind of expectations do you have for yourself in year-one?
"I'm going to try and learn the plays and be a team player. I just want to help the team out the most that I can in my first year. We have a deep running back room, and I'm not saying I don't believe in myself, but like, I don't want to rush the process just to feel like I have to do it. I want to learn the plays and get into it and not stress about it."
You have mentioned that you want to continue running track at FSU. Why is that?
"I have very good times compared to FSU. I could go to the Olympics if I get a little bit faster. I feel like track is a part of me, so I have to do it in college."
What kind of goals do you have for yourself with track?
"I want to try to get to 44-low (in the 400m). This season, I had to get used to my weight, so that's why I was running a little bit slower times. In the beginning of the year, I was running 21.9 (in the 200m) and I came down to 20.88. So I just had to get used to my own weight. In college, I'll have to gain weight and get used to my weight before every year. So I feel like I get like 44-low, and hopefully I can get like 20-low."
Do you see a future for yourself in track?
"If football doesn't work the way that I want it to, then I'll go with track. As long as I have a back up."
Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
"My dad. It's definitely my dad, and my mom. My mom always wants me to be a better person outside of sports. She always pushes me to be a better person in school and sports and in general. She just always has been there leading me to the rights and away from the wrongs. My dad too. My mom did a lot outside of sports, but my dad, he always pushed me. I always want to be better than him, so that has always pushed me. He knows how to get in my head and has pushed me since I was little."
What motivates you?
"I don't like losing. That taste in my mouth when I lose is horrible and I was just born with that. I hate losing so that has always made me work out harder and everything."
Do you feel like performing at a high level in multiple sports either makes you a better competitor as a result or speaks to your competitiveness to begin with?
"Yeah, it is definitely that. I lost state in football, and I brought it to track. It pushed me. Doing two sports definitely brings the competitiveness out of me."
What kind of teammate do you think you are? What kind of teammate do you want to be?
"I want to lead by example. I'm not very loud on the field, I'm not very talkative, so I want to lead by example. When I'm older, I want to show the youngins how to do right. I especially want to get out there too, like get out of my comfort zone."
How do you deal with adversity?
"I take it head on. I don't try to run from it, because I feel like if I run from it, then that's the worst it is. So I just try to take it head on, and if I lose, then I'll work out and do it again. That's how I take it."
You had a serious injury relatively recently. Do you feel like that experience taught you anything?
"It brought me closer to God. If I waited a little bit longer, then my leg would have been amputated, so I had to really thank him. It definitely got me closer to God. Then also how fast something can go away – that's what it taught me. I'm not taking anything for granted."
How would you describe yourself?
"I'm very energetic. I move around a lot and it's hard to see me sit down. That's part of why I'm good at sports, because they make me concentrate."
