Florida State Head Coach Mike Norvell met with the media after the team’s sixth practice, their first in full pads, which culminated in a scrimmage featuring over 100 plays. The team started in Doak Campbell Stadium, but about 10 plays into the scrimmage, had to be moved indoors due to weather.
Norvell expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting their energy, emotion, and competitiveness throughout the evening. He felt it was a good first scrimmage to find out where they are after the first few days, and it will provide good film to review and learn from. It wasn’t perfect as he cited multiple things that needed to be cleaned up, including foolish penalties, but overall, he was pleased with the outcome.
Quarterbacks
The offense came out of the gates fast, with quarterback Tommy connecting on deep vertical throws and extending plays with his legs. There are some technical things to clean up, but the staff is throwing a lot at the veteran signal caller to see what he excels at before they specialize in the offensive approach. Not everything has been perfect, but he’s liked Castellanos’ response to the bad plays when they showed up. They are getting a clearer picture of what he excels at with the pieces around him.
Brock Glenn was held out for a precautionary reason, leaving more reps for freshman Kevin Sperry and ETSU transfer Jaylen King. Norvell stated it’s good for them to get live reps when the opportunities arise, and he is pleased with the overall direction of the position.
Wide Receivers
Duce Robinson and Randy Pitman were mentioned as being on the receiving end of the big plays. We saw a clip released by FSU of the type of catch you brought Duce Robinson here to make. A jump ball contested catch where he leverages his size and body control. Sure, the pass was a little underthrown, but the catch was a thing of beauty. When Norvell was asked about there being any special plays during the scrimmage, Micahi Danzy was singled out for showing off his speed and elusiveness to create an explosive play.
Running backs
The running backs were complimented for running hard. Norvell was asked if any of the backs had started to separate themselves in a crowded room. The first name he mentioned was OU transfer Gavin Sawchuk for having a few nice runs. Kam Davis was complimented for taking strides this offseason. Norvell said Roydell Williams has been good for us, and there is a belief that he’ll be a big part of this offense this season. They want to ensure Jaylin Lucas gets touches to take advantage of his skill set. Norvell’s face lit up when he mentioned a violent pass protection rep from freshman Ousmane Kromah. He mentioned you can see the bright future he has with the ball in his hands.
Offensive line
Norvell mentioned the protection was solid, but there were some pressures and sacks created by the defense. He mentioned there were times when they were able to create some nice running lanes and pockets for the quarterback. Overall, he was pleased knowing this was the first time the starting 5 had been able to play as a group. They will need to continue to gel, but it’s a promising start.
Defensive line
James Williams and Jaden Jones were noted as two guys who were part of a disruptive front that was flying around. Norvell talked about Jones working his way back from two catastrophic injuries, and that provides a veteran presence and mentality that helps to bring along a young group of defensive linemen that he feels have an opportunity to contribute this season. Jones was also singled out by DC Tony White as someone who performed better than expected, and how he is finally playing free with no hold back from the injury.
Jones’s emergence could be a key development for the defensive line as the redshirt senior has great size at 6-foot-5, 257 pounds, and he has been rumored to excel in run fits. The Desir twins were also mentioned by Tony White as guys who stepped up in the scrimmage. White also mentioned they missed 5-7 sacks with the mobile guys that FSU has at quarterback, and they have a lot of things to clean up. That’s a little concerning offensively, but there is expected to be some give and take.
There was no specific mention of the linebackers in Norvell’s presser, but Tony White mentioned they all did good things and were flying around making plays.
Secondary
Versatility on the back end is a big part of the defense, and Norvell was happy with how the group embraced the challenge that defensive coordinator Tony White has put on them. Cai Bates was credited with making a physical play. Sharmar Arnoux had good coverage but got handsy at the end, which Norvell stated was a learning experience for the young DB. Earl Little continues to progress in the safety spot, and Edwin Joseph had a big pass breakup. Norvell stated there was a missed opportunity by the defense to snag an interception that turned into a tipped pass touchdown.
Ja’Bril Rawls has made some good plays, and Quindarrius Jones is working back to full speed after being limited. Norvell stated that you can see the wave of young guys who are competing for a starting role get a step faster with each day.
Special teams
The specialist got work in as FSU looks to break in a new unit for 2025. The opportunities were somewhat limited after being moved indoors, but there were some missed opportunities on the day. Kicker Jake Weinberg had some of those missed opportunities, but was credited as a guy who has responded well, and they will continue to challenge him throughout camp.
Injury Updates
Norvell said there are some bumps and bruises, but he feels the team is in a good place health-wise. He expects defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins and offensive guard Jacob Rizy to be a full go next week.
This is a big update as Jenkins is a projected starter and Rizy is the sixth man at the guard positions.
Mentality
One of the things Norvell said he’s been most pleased with is how the guys have owned their actions. This edge and desperation to get better were a big part of what Norvell was trying to instill this offseason.
One point I found interesting was coaching communication. This was the first time that FSU has been back in Doak since last year’s Florida game due to construction. With 70% of the staff being new, communication and how things flow on game day are something they need to work on. Norvell brought this up and mentioned that with the weather, they only got about 10 plays to work on it. He said it will be something they need to work through as a staff in scrimmage number two, and when they can get back into Doak.
This was also brought up by Tony White and he said he needed to get better at directing his coaches, but he’s thankful that Norvell wants to treat everything as a game situation, so they will have opportunities to get it corrected.
Looking Ahead
Florida State heads to Jacksonville for week 2 of fall camp in what Tony White described as “identity week.” It will be a critical time to lock in focus on cleaning up the mistakes and working towards preparation for Alabama on August 30th. Norvell stated that he’s been pleased with the progress and competitiveness throughout the first six practices, but the team must continue to come together and clean some things up as they transition into a critical part of camp. Stay tuned for more coverage as camp progresses. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!
Share this Article with other Nole fans!
