2013 was certainly a great time to be a Seminole. Florida State breezed through the ACC schedule en route to a school-record 14 victories and its third national championship. While the 2013 football season was certainly FSU’s best in more than a decade and arguably ever, it was a frustrating year for a handful of Florida State players relegated to the sideline with season-ending injuries.

The 2014 season is upon us and a number of key pieces to the Seminoles’ run to the national championship are gone. Though Florida State is almost a lock to begin the season ranked in the top 5 nationally and a popular pick to repeat as national champs, the Seminoles may need contributions from some of the guys that missed the 2013 season. Talent is not an issue for Florida State, but depth may be at some positions and to help solve those issues, FSU will need a bounce-back season from players absent a year ago.

Among those returning for Florida State is a pair of pass-catchers in wide receiver Jarred “Scooter” Haggins and tight end Kevin Haplea. Both Haplea and Haggins missed the 2013 season with ligament tears to the knee.

Haggins watched on last season while Rashad Greene, Kelvin Benjamin and Kenny Shaw formed one of the best receiving trios in the country, helping freshman Jameis Winston become the third Florida State quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

After going more than a decade without having a 1,000-yard receiver, both Greene and Benjamin eclipsed that mark in 2013. Greene led Florida State in receiving for a third straight season while Benjamin topped the ACC in touchdown grabs. With Shaw graduating and Benjamin declaring early for the NFL Draft, Haggins could become a critical part of the receiving corps in 2014.

While senior Rashad Greene will have a shot at becoming Florida State’s all-time leading receiver, other returning wide receivers for Florida State combined for just 23 catches a season ago. Florida State brought in some very talented freshmen at the receiver position in Ermon Lane, Travis Rudolph and Javon Harrison, who hails from Haggins’ hometown of Lakeland, but the lack of experience is something that Haggins could make up for.

Aside from Rashad Greene, Christian Green is the only Florida State receiver with more than a year of experience and Green is coming off of a sub-par year, notching just 13 catches. Despite an unfortunate knee injury prior to 2013, a healthy Haggins could put together a career-year as a senior in 2014.

For senior tight end Kevin Haplea, stability has hardly been the story of his career. Haplea transferred to Tallahassee from Penn State amidst the saga surrounding former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, which ultimately led to the firing of legendary head coach Joe Paterno and major sanctions from the NCAA. After catching three passes — one for a touchdown — for the Seminoles in 2012, a knee injury sidelined Haplea for all of 2013.

Though Haplea was unlikely to be a major contributor for head coach Jimbo Fisher’s offense, he would have provided some much needed depth at the tight end position. While starter Nick O’Leary put forward an All-ACC campaign and has become arguably the best Seminole ever to play the position, FSU had no experience whatsoever behind him in 2013. Haplea’s injury along with the transfer of Christo Kourtzidis forced Florida State to move defensive end Giorgio Newberry to the position.

Used mostly as a blocker, Newberry failed to record a single catch last season and has since, moved back to the defensive side of the ball. O’Leary will certainly get the majority of the reps this season, but having experience and a true tight end in Haplea as the team’s number two, should help matters.

Also returning from injury from the skill positions is redshirt sophomore running back Mario Pender. After being ruled academically ineligible as a freshman, Pender missed 2013 with a severe groin injury.

With Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr. each declaring for the NFL Draft after their junior years, converted safety and world-class athlete Karlos Williams will be the headliner at tailback for the Seminoles this season. With highly touted Dalvin Cook incoming and Ryan Green returning as a more experienced back, Pender will have to make the most of his touches in 2014.

As it once did for Pender, the Florida State fan base is itching to see the freshman Cook in action. With two years lost to injury and academics, Pender has become a somewhat forgotten man in the FSU backfield. Pender however, has the tools to be a complete back and has been a part of the program longer than both Green and Cook. If Pender can prove that he is committed, he could serve as a real weapon behind Williams for the Seminoles this year.

After tying for the team lead in interceptions in 2012, Tyler Hunter was off to a stellar start in 2013. Upon moving from cornerback to safety, Hunter recorded eight tackles and a pick in three games before suffering a season-ending neck injury against Bethune-Cookman on September 21st.

While the secondary is likely Florida State’s most talented contingent on the defensive side of the ball, an overly experienced one it is not. With Lamarcus Joyner and Terrence Brooks both gone, Hunter will become the veteran of that unit.

Though juniors P.J. Williams, Ronald Darby and sophomore Jalen Ramsey will garner their fair share of media attention, Hunter’s ability to make plays, experience and versatility could prove invaluable as the Seminoles pursue a third straight ACC title and second consecutive national championship.

Linebacker Matthew Thomas also returns for Florida State on the defensive side of the ball. A 5-star recruit out of South Florida, Thomas initially wanted out of his commitment to FSU before finding his way into the rotation. Thomas recorded four tackles and a sack in four games for the Seminoles last season before a shoulder injury sidelined him in September. With two-thirds of the starters at linebacker gone, the redshirt freshman Thomas will see plenty of the field in 2014.

Although 2013 was a great year for Florida State football, it was bittersweet for several players unable to help their team on the field. Last season may have been lost for guys like Jarred Haggins and Tyler Hunter, but 2014 will provide an opportunity to help Florida State chase back-to-back national championships — something no Florida or ACC school has ever done on the gridiron. While serious injuries are never easy to come back from, full recoveries could be necessary to provide depth and leadership for Florida State at key positions.