Fall camp is finally here. Mike Norvell met with reporters the day before report day, and with New Mexico State now less than five weeks away, the questions ranged from injury updates to a defensive line that looks different than a year ago. Here are the top storylines that came out of it.
Where Things Stand Physically
Norvell said defensive lineman Jordan Sanders will be full-go once camp opens, which is good news for a defensive front that needs his size and the added depth. A couple of other players, namely Jayvan Boggs and Mikai Gbayor, who missed all or part of spring practice, are still working their way back, and Norvell was careful not to put a hard timeline on it, saying both have “an open door of opportunity” to be ready for the opener, but that camp will tell the real story.
On the freshman side, Isaiah Williams is fully cleared, and Norvell sounded genuinely excited to get him on the practice field for the first time. Cam Brooks is also expected back this season, though he’ll likely be limited to start the year as he continues working back from injury. Norvell praised the urgency Brooks has shown even in a limited role this offseason.
Guys About to Have Bigger Roles
Every fall camp presser produces a list of names a coach wants you to remember, and this one was no different. Daniel Lyons stood out to Norvell as a defensive front leader. Lyons started all 12 games at defensive tackle a season ago, racking up 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble, numbers that earned him praise as a potential all-conference caliber piece up front this fall.
Deante McCray is another name Norvell brought up unprompted. McCray transferred in from Western Kentucky last year and won FSU’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year award after posting 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack in just two starts. Norvell said he’s “really had a great offseason,” and if that holds up in camp, McCray could be in line for a much bigger role in year two.
Ashlynd Barker was another name mentioned as a guy who dealt with an injury last year, but has stepped up this offseason and really progressed. Norvell described Barker’s daily routine almost play by play: extra reps on the jug machine, extra film study, holding teammates accountable to a standard rather than waiting on a coach to do it. It’s the kind of answer that tracks with what strength coach Josh Storms said recently about Barker operating “like a pro since day one” as Barker also broke the rock at the end of summer workouts.
Norvell also mentioned tight end Landen Thomas, who dealt with an early success, but then dealt with injury and is now “finding positional fit” after limited action last season (three catches for 35 yards, down from 14 catches and 173 yards as a true freshman), and offensive lineman Andre Otto, who Norvell said has taken another step forward after already playing meaningful snaps.
In the backfield, Norvell couldn’t hide his excitement. He called Sam Singleton’s summer “unbelievable,” and grouped him with Ousmane Kromah and Texas transfer Tre Wisner as a trio he thinks will make for “a fun backfield to watch.” Kromah averaged 5.7 yards per carry as a true freshman last year, Singleton averaged 7.1 yards per carry in a smaller sample, and Wisner arrives having racked up 1,661 rushing yards and eight touchdowns over his final two seasons at Texas. That’s about as much proven juice as FSU has had in one backfield room in years.
When asked about freshmen receivers Jasen Lopez and Devin Carter getting playing time this season, Mike Norvell mentioned that if you had asked him that question in the spring, it would have been an immediate yes, and that hasn’t changed. He said they still have to go do it, and how much they play will be determined by their continued growth over the next month.
Building the Offense Around Ashton Daniels
Norvell was asked how his process differs when installing an offense around a new quarterback, and he leaned on experience here. He said the goal with Ashton Daniels, same as with every quarterback he’s brought in, is to understand how that player sees and processes the game before building the scheme around him, rather than the other way around.
New addition Tom Herman was brought up in this context as well, giving Norvell and offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. another experienced voice in that quarterback room, which also includes developmental pieces, Kevin Sperry and Malachi Marshall. He nodded to Daniels’ journey to FSU and how he has shown confidence and leadership and being able to do what they are asking him to do.
A Leaner, Faster Defensive Front
One of the more interesting exchanges was about the defensive line’s build. Norvell was upfront that this group isn’t as heavy as last year’s, but he framed it as a feature, not a bug. He wants fast, explosive, and powerful over simply big, and pointed to continued development from players like Mandrell Desir as an example of how the room is trending. Desir, for what it’s worth, was a Freshman All-American a year ago with 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, so there’s real talent to build a scheme around. Norvell believes this build fits what defensive coordinator Tony White wants to do schematically, prioritizing attacking, disruption and penetration over just occupying blockers. However, he did mention that guys like Juju Wynn and Deante McCray give them size along with Jordan Sanders, who all clock in around 300 pounds.
Offensive Line Feels Further Along
After a full offseason together, Norvell said he feels considerably better about the offensive line’s cohesion than he did heading into last fall camp. Last year’s group was still learning each other during the season after missing most of spring and summer due to various injuries. This year’s group has a full spring and summer of communication and technique work behind it, and Norvell was direct that the next month of camp is about sharpening execution against live, varied looks rather than still building a foundation from scratch.
Player Led, Coach Inspired
Norvell circled back more than once to the program’s culture, a philosophy he’s described as coach-inspired and player-led. He pointed to Duce Robinson as someone who embodies it, and it’s easy to see why. Robinson is coming off a First-Team All-ACC season, was a Third-Team All-American, and enters the fall as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist after catching 56 passes for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns. Norvell called him one of the best young men he’s had the chance to coach, and said that kind of leadership has spread throughout the roster regardless of whether a guy has been at FSU for four years or four months.
Beyond the Field
Norvell was also asked about offensive lineman Jayden Todd, who helped save a boater’s life in Citrus County earlier this summer. Norvell didn’t sound surprised at all. He talked about Todd’s willingness to act in the moment, the emotional weight of what Todd went through afterward, and how proud he is of the way Todd handled the attention that followed a genuinely serious situation.
How the 5-for-5 Rule Changes the Calculus
Asked about the NCAA’s newly approved age-based eligibility model, which gives athletes five years to play five seasons, Norvell said he thinks it’s going to help programs be more patient with younger players. Under the old redshirt rules, playing a freshman in a fifth game to plug an injury could cost that player a season of development. That pressure eases under the new model. Norvell was clear he’s not walking into this season with a four-game leash on any young player’s opportunity, saying guys simply need to be ready whenever their moment comes, whether that’s game one or game ten.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to like about where this team says it is heading into camp, more continuity up front, a defensive front built for what Tony White likes to do, a backfield with real proven production, and a locker room that keeps pointing back to the same leadership names. None of that means anything until pads come on and New Mexico State shows up on August 29, but Norvell sounded like a coach who feels good about the foundation his team has built since January. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!