That time Motlow spent with friends and family in the Seminole tribe left a lasting impact.

“It’s an interesting experience,” he said. “Just to see the different lifestyles that so many of my dad’s family had, that I got to hear about and see, driving through his reservation where he grew up. It’s really cool to learn the history and culture of what came before the present day.”

While Motlow has a different background than his teammates at Florida State, he’s found common ground through football.

A Florida State fan who played multiple sports at Tampa Catholic High, the 5-11, 183-pound Motlow competed for a state championship in the 400-meter dash as a freshman and, thanks to a strong junior year with the Crusaders’ football team, drew interest from college recruiters around the country.

That changed, however, when he separated his shoulder before his senior year.

“As soon as he got hurt,” Clarence Motlow said, “everyone kind of slowed down.”

Which isn’t to say that Motlow didn’t bounce back from his injury.

In fact, he might have been even better. As a senior, Motlow caught 68 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns on his way to All-Hillsborough Country honors from the Tampa Tribune.

Motlow was one of four Tampa Catholic representatives on the all-county team (current FSU lineman Corey Martinez was among the others), was named the Crusaders’ offensive player of the year and helped guide them to the Class 3A state semifinals

But it wasn’t enough to get back on the recruiting radar.

“I never really got those big offers I thought I was going to get,” Motlow said. “But I felt like I had talent to at least compete with guys in this level.”

After seeing his film, Florida State receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey felt that way, too.

Motlow and Dawsey share ties to Tampa – Dawsey played with the NFL’s Buccaneers from 1991-95 and began his coaching career at Tampa Catholic in 1998 – and Clarence Motlow and Dawsey share a mutual friend in Barry Smith, a former FSU receiver and member of the school’s athletics hall of fame.

So when Smith told Dawsey that his former stomping grounds had a receiver looking for a place to land, he gave Motlow a look.

Dawsey didn’t have a scholarship to offer – NCAA rules cap total football scholarships at 85 – but he still felt that Motlow would be a good fit in Tallahassee.

“He and Dawsey got together and (Dawsey) said, ‘Hey, if nothing else, come on up and we’ll reserve you a preferred walk-on spot,” Clarence Motlow said. “Since then, he’s worked his tail off to get where he’s at.”