Florida State got its first live look at itself Tuesday night, and Mike Norvell came away encouraged. Six practices into fall camp, the Seminoles held their first scrimmage of the preseason, the first time this group has strapped on full pads and run extended drives against each other in anything resembling a game setting. Norvell met with the media afterward to break down what he saw, and the conversation ranged from quarterback play to a fluid national-eligibility situation that could affect rosters across the sport, including possibly FSU’s.
“It’s really the first time that we’ve been able to have extended drives rolling,” Norvell said, noting the offense and defense combined for somewhere in the 70- to 80-play range, including some work inside the 10-yard line and a couple of extended drives for the first-team offense. He said he saw explosive plays on both sides of the ball and called it a good week one scrimmage, while also acknowledging there’s plenty to clean up with just six practices in the books.
Norvell mentioned, when asked about what he plans to review first on the film, that scrimmages this early in camp are more about alignment and assignment, creating and taking space, and honing in on the fundamentals. He sees an explosive, physical football team and liked the fact that they were able to put them in some unique situations that have yet to come up in practice. Norvell acknowledged that while it is early in camp, their work throughout the spring and summer has allowed them to be aggressive this fall.
Ashton Daniels Keeps Building on Spring Momentum
The most scrutinized position on the roster got another positive review. Ashton Daniels continued to show the command Norvell has praised throughout camp. “You feel his command, his control, where to go with the football,” Norvell said, pointing to several sharp third-down throws and precise ball placement. He said the growth from where Daniels left things in spring to where he is six practices into fall camp has been noticeable, particularly in decision-making.
Behind him, Kevin Sperry connected on a vertical shot connection with Jasen Lopez that adds to the freshman receiver’s camp buzz. Dean DeNobile got some run and, in Norvell’s words, put together a really good drive of his own. Malachi Marshall, the juco transfer who’s been pushing for reps behind Sperry, missed the scrimmage with what Norvell called a slight injury. The staff is hopeful he’ll be back this week and available for the next scrimmage.
Norvell also used the setting to explain why he values scrimmages that aren’t built around a specific game plan. Tuesday wasn’t scripted toward any opponent’s tendencies. It was about trusting fundamentals and forcing the quarterback to work through what he sees live, which matters given FSU opens the season against two teams in their season openers, so they must be prepared to face blind coverages it hasn’t scouted on film. As Norvell acknowledged, SMU has a new defensive coordinator, which adds another variable to the mix. He said these types of scrimmages are more about timing and decision-making being the primary focus for the quarterbacks.
Skill Players Flashing Across the Board
Asked to single out standouts, a few names kept coming up. He singled out Ousmane Kromah for his growth throughout camp, and pointed to depth behind him in Samuel Singleton Jr. and Tre Wisner as reasons the running back room should be one of FSU’s stronger position groups this fall. Duce Robinson got praise as expected, but it was Micahi Danzy who drew the most detailed breakdown. Danzy scored a touchdown in the scrimmage, and Norvell said he’s seeing the receiver grow beyond the athletic, ball-in-space player he was a year ago into a legitimate route runner who’s also embracing the blocking side of the job.
Freshman receivers Jasen Lopez and Devin Carter both had moments as well, with Lopez in particular drawing praise for a big play in the passing game and Teriq Mallory having a nice catch.
Defense Shows Speed, Physicality Up Front
Norvell was clearly pleased with what he saw defensively, repeatedly circling back to team speed and an emphasis on stopping the run. Ashlynd Barker, playing the ROVER role that gives him range across the field rather than the more limited boundary safety spot he played a year ago, had a couple of standout plays and drew praise for his leadership and mentality. Chris Jones, the Southern Miss transfer expected to anchor the linebacker room, showed the physicality that’s been a theme of his camp so far.
The bigger story at linebacker might be Izayia Williams. The former four-star recruit missed his senior year of high school with a torn ACL and all of spring practice rehabbing, so Tuesday marked his first live action in a Florida State uniform. Norvell said he’s been pleased with Williams’ early impact and called his ceiling incredible, while noting the freshman is still working through the finer details of assignments and alignment as he continues to shake off the rust. He credited Williams’ time in the film room during his rehab for helping him catch up. He also acknowledged the growth of Oram Graham, Blake Nichelson and the importance of getting Caleb LaVallee back from injury.
Up front, Norvell praised the growth of the defensive line as a group, name-checking Daniel Lyons and Deante McCray for having moments. He also mentioned seeing the physical development of the Desirs in year two as well as being nice to have Tae Diggs back from injury.
Offensive Line Called a Veteran Group That Plays Well Together
The line got a vote of confidence for its first extended live test. Norvell called the group’s communication solid for a first scrimmage and highlighted center Bradyn Welch-Joiner as having done an outstanding job. He also pointed to Nate Pabst’s versatility between guard and tackle, and to left tackle Xavier Chaplin’s veteran presence up front. Given how much responsibility sits on the offensive line and quarterback, Norvell said he liked what he saw, adding that he still needs to watch the film in more detail before drawing final conclusions, but likes the growth they have had as a group from the work they put in during the spring.
Special Teams Ahead of Where Norvell Expected
If there was one area Norvell sounded genuinely excited about beyond the base offense and defense, it was special teams. He credited new coordinator Adam Scheier with getting the unit’s foundational install as far along as any group he’s had at this point in a camp. FSU worked live punt rush and got some live field goal work in, with kicker Gabe Panikowski drawing praise for his showing. Punter Daniel Hughes, brought in from New Mexico, also got a nod for playing to his skill set, with Norvell suggesting he can be a weapon for the Seminoles this season. This is a good development from some criticism he gave the third phase earlier in camp.
On returns, Norvell said he likes the group taking shape at punt returner, pointing to Jasen Lopez’s comfort back there along with Devin Carter, Jayvan Boggs and even Duce Robinson, and how Keon Coleman entered a season with zero career punt returns before becoming the conference’s special teams player of the year as a reminder that this stuff can develop fast. On kickoff returns, he expects Samuel Singleton Jr. and Micahi Danzy to bring explosiveness that should be fun to watch as the season builds.
The Eligibility Ruling Hanging Over Camp
There was one question of the night that had nothing to do with Tuesday’s scrimmage. A federal judge in Colorado issued a preliminary injunction on July 31 granting an extra year of eligibility to college athletes who graduated high school in 2022, began playing college sports that fall, and had exhausted their four seasons under the NCAA’s old rules by the end of the 2025-26 season. The ruling effectively puts that class on the same footing as the “5-for-5” model the NCAA had already planned to roll out for athletes entering college in 2026-27, and it opened the door for players who thought their careers were over to explore a return in 2026. The NCAA has said it plans to appeal, so the situation remains unsettled. It should also be noted that players are not allowed to transfer, so they would have to return to their former team.
Asked whether he’s kept tabs on how it might affect Florida State, Norvell said he’s been in contact with compliance to get a sense of the moving pieces and confirmed some former players have reached out on their own trying to understand what a return might look like. He didn’t name anyone, and stressed how many different layers and unknowns are still in play as the ruling works its way through the appeals process. Not something I’d make a big deal of, but this is a story worth watching closely over the next few weeks.
There’s nothing concrete yet on the Florida State side beyond Norvell acknowledging the conversations are happening. Players who signed any deal with an NFL team are not eligible to return. There are two players from last year’s team reported to be eligible to return: QB Tommy Castellanos (who has already expressed interest) and LB Elijah Herring.
Health Report and the Road Trip Ahead
Norvell confirmed a handful of players were out for the scrimmage at various positions, and said a few more picked up injuries during the night that the staff will evaluate over the coming days. He characterized the team’s overall health as being in a pretty good place, with a clearer picture expected by the time FSU travels.
That trip is the next milestone. The Seminoles head to Jacksonville this week for practice away from Tallahassee, and Norvell said the staff plans to treat it exactly like a true road trip, complete with the discomfort and logistical details that come with playing away from home. This is something they have typically done under Norvell. I view it more as a team-building measure by putting everyone in a different situation than they are used to versus a road game prep because that seems pointless when they haven’t won a road game in two years despite making this trip.
For a team six practices into fall camp, Norvell sounded like a coach who likes the foundation being built, even with the obvious disclaimer that it’s still early and they have a lot to clean up. The margin for improvement between now and the next scrimmage will say a lot about how quickly this group is coming together.
Thanks for reading and Go Noles!