As Deuce Spann returned a kickoff on Oct. 21 against Duke, all he saw was green grass and scoring a touchdown consumed his mind.

But after the Florida State football crossed the endzone and was mobbed by teammates, the sense of joy and excitement was replaced with grief and sadness. His childhood friend - Keshawn Fuller - came to his mind.

"My close friend, who recently passed away, introduced me to football and wanted us to play together," Spann told the Democrat. "He was my QB and a great athlete. We won multiple championships together. This season makes me think of him more.

"I dedicated my first FSU kickoff return TD to him. Our last text message, he told me that he was proud of me. That will always mean something to me."

Fuller died from suicide a couple of months ago. Both of them grew up together in the St. Petersburgh area.

"He shot himself at a park where I used to work out with him all the time," Spann said. "That's where I used to train with him."

Because Spann was at FSU at the time and in the middle of football practices, he could not make it down for the funeral, according to his mother Kim Spann.

"Because Deuce was at school, at the time they were having games and stuff, so he wasn't able to come home," Kim told the Democrat. "He wanted to come home. Then he would ask me to send him all the pictures of them that I had.

"But I didn't really want to send them because I didn't want to make him sad."

Spann will continue to play a big role for the No. 4 Seminoles (11-0) when they take on rival Florida (5-6) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. (Broadcast: ESPN).

Convincing Deuce's parents to let him play football

FSU fans can thank Fuller for allowing Deuce to begin his football career around the fifth grade. His mother was not keen on having her son play.

But Fuller did a good job of convincing her she should. Spann played wide receiver, while Fuller was the QB.

"We grew up together, he was my best friend," Deuce said. "We went to the same elementary school, all the way up. Then we went to the same middle school too. But then we went to different high schools.

"But we always were together. He really got me into football. He told my parents to let me play football. My mom was willing to let me play football, but like not like an early age."

Kim said Fuller was convincing as a fifth grader, assuring his mother he would not let Deuce get hurt.

Once Deuce started playing football, his athleticism made him look like a natural.

"They used to hang out and play and everything together," Kim said. "But Keshawn was a quarterback and he played football. So he wanted us to come and play football. So I guess they could hang out more in the afternoon because of practices in the evenings.

"Keshawn was the quarterback and Deuce was his receiver. All the seasons that they played together, they won a championship."

Deuce Spann's path to FSU and position change

Deuce attended Lakewood High, while Fuller went to Canterbury School of Florida, where he played basketball.

Eventually, Deuce became a 3-star prospect in the 247Sports Rankings in the 2020 class. Although head coach Mike Norvell and FSU did pursue him, he decided to attend Illinois and play under head coach Lovie Smith, as Smith believed in Deuce as a QB.

He started his career at Illinois as a QB but then the 6-foot-4 athlete was moved to wide receiver before the 2021 season after the dismissal of Smith.

In his redshirt freshman season, he caught five passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, proving he could thrive his new position. His cousin - former NFL player - Tom Carter, was not shocked.

"He definitely had different aspirations as far as being a quarterback," Carter told the Democrat. "Making his transition to receiver, he had to be patient. As he learns his craft, the sky is definitely the limit. He has few peers in the nation of what he can do physically."

Following the 2021 season, Deuce transferred to Tallahassee. In his time at FSU, Deuce has nine receptions for 87 yards, also adding eight rushes for 45 yards rushing.

He also completed a pass as a trick play in the opener against LSU, an 8-yard pass to Johnny Wilson on a double-pass. He evaded a couple of pass rushers to find an open pocket to make the throw.

"We got a lot of trickery," Deuce said with a smile.

He added he's happy as a pass catcher and doesn't ask to throw the ball.

Carter - who also hails from the St. Petersburg area - also played at Lakewood as a QB. He then played at Notre Dame as a three-year starter at cornerback before being drafted 17th overall in the 1993 draft.

"He is somebody who is keeping motivated, telling me like to keep working hard and stuff and I'm going to be good," Deuce said of Carter.

"He just told me good things like that somebody who says what I need to work on it."

Over his NFL career (1993-01), Carter recorded 361 tackles, 27 interceptions and one touchdown with the then-Washington Redskins (1993-96), Chicago Bears (1997-99) and Cincinnati Bengals (1999-01.)

Despite playing a different position, Carter can offer tidbits on how Deuce can play better.

"The opposite [of what I did]," Carter said. "So as I studied my whole professional career, studying receivers, you can pass the information along to him. And as far as what things to do, to how to read coverage, how to get off press coverage, how to get off and how to get off the line of scrimmage.

"His coach is Ron Dugans, who is my former teammate. So I know he's getting superior coaching from a guy who played the position at the NFL level at the highest level."

New skill

Playing in a deep, talented receiver room that includes stars like Wilson and Keon Coleman, there aren't always enough balls and playing time to go around.

Following the departure of Winston Wright Jr., Spann was moved to starting kickoff returner. He has thrived in the role with five returns for 205 yards and is averaging 25.6 yards per return.

He had never returned kicks before that in his collegiate career.

"It's an opportunity to touch the ball," Deuce said. "I like touching the ball. It's a good opportunity for me to help the team out."

Helping the team out is something Deuce has done. He returned a 99-yard kickoff return against Duke with the Seminoles trailing 17-7 at the time, following a pick-six off the hands of Jordan Travis.

The score sparked the Seminoles to win that game.

"When he hit the seam, I knew nobody was going to catch him," Norvell said after the game. "That was the momentum we needed. It was a huge boost to our team."

FSU provides a unique special teams unit than most teams in the country or even the pros.

Someone of Deuce's size of 6-4 rarely returns kicks. Then on the punt return unit, FSU has Coleman, who stands at the same height.

And neither of them had done their roles before this season, at least in a game.

"It's just a special talent," Carter said. "Now, I don't want to get too geeky on football technology stuff but you see a kid move like that and the dexterity it takes. I admire Florida State, the two skill positions of kickoff returner and punt returner are usually dominated by 5'10 guys.

"They have two 6'4 kids returning kicks and punts. It's crazy. I challenge you to find one college or pro team with one."

Relationship with mother

Every morning at 6 a.m., Kim expects a FaceTime call. It comes for Deuce. They speak about five to six times a day.

"I think I'm his best friend," Kim said with a laugh. "It's always been like that. Always, he tells me everything. Even some stuff he tells me I'd rather not have him tell me.

"So we have a good relationship where he's not afraid to tell me anything that's going on in his life."

Kim added she was the one who taught him how to ride a bike.

Before every game, Kim has the same message for Deuce.

"I tell him before every game to tell him how proud I am of him and no matter what happens in the game that I'm still here for him, no matter what," Kim said.

Kim, who said she attends as many games as possible, as Deuce makes sure she's on the guest list, could not stop screaming when Deuce returned the kick for a TD.

"She's the first person I call in the morning when I'm walking to the stadium," Deuce said. "I call her after practice. I talk to her at nighttime, too."

Not many people knew what that moment meant for Deuce, but Kim did, as Deuce shared Keshawn's final text to him with Kim.

"He sent me the text, saying [Keshawn] was proud of him and to keep 'pushing to accomplish the dream' [Keshawn] always wanted them to [accomplish]," Kim said.

The dream, per Deuce, was to play in the National Football League.

GAME INFORMATION

Who: No. 4 FSU (11-0) vs. Florida (5-6)

When/where: 7 p.m., Saturday, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

TV/Radio: ESPN/94.9 FM

Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @Ehsan_Kassim, @jackgwilliams and @JimHenryTALLY on X, formerly Twitter

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports), Instagram (tlhnolesports) and YouTube channel (NoleSportsTD).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football has Deuce Spann's childhood best friend to thank