FSU football quarterback coach Tony Tokarz talks about DJ Uiagalelei, Brock Glenn
FSU football quarterback coach Tony Tokarz talks about DJ Uiagalelei, Brock Glenn
The scout team was on the road as the Florida State football team prepared for kickoff against Georgia Tech during fall practice on Tuesday.
After a slump on Monday, the Seminoles offense had a better day on Tuesday, with the wide receivers performing better. Defensively, the team remained solid, with another strong performance from the defensive backs.
The Seminoles practiced in front of NFL scouts from the Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
Here are six things you should know about the FSU football team’s 14th annual fall training camp.
Malik Benson leads improved performance of the wide receivers
Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell challenged his wide receivers during Monday’s practice after some poor reps early in the morning. The group responded by ending the session, and that response carried over into Tuesday’s practice.
Malik Benson impressed again and showed why he could be quarterback DJ Uiagalelei’s top target this season. In early practices, Benson showed off his speed, gained reps and was a step or two ahead of the defensive backs on every play.
In his team activities, Benson was well positioned on red zone opportunities, winning a try against Azareye’h Thomas after a nice move at the line of scrimmage gave him a step into the defensive back.
He was one of the receivers Norvell directly challenged yesterday, and Benson rose to the challenge.
The receivers had a better morning overall, with Darion Williamson making a couple of acrobatic catches in the middle of the field. Similar to Benson, Kentron Poitier made a nice catch in the back of the end zone in one-on-one drills, setting his body well for a high ball in the back corner of the end zone.
The running backs, especially Roydell Williams and Kam Davis, showed a strong performance.
Davis has had a number of strong practices, with the freshman showing off his speed in the second level of defense. He had a few big runs where he broke through tackles or hit a gap outside, continuing his impressive improvement from the start of training camp.
DJ Uiagalelei with a strong performance
It was a good day for Uiagalelei, who showed good control of the offense in certain red zone situations. He made some nice, well-placed throws to Benson, Williamson and Deuce Spann in the red zone, with the veteran signal-caller looking confident.
There were still some moments of inconsistency from Uiagalelei and the offense, but overall it felt like the group performed well and it was an improvement over Monday’s performance.
In some situations, Uiagalelei was able to show that he has the ability to get out of the pocket. Whether he was throwing on the run or ducking and running himself, the senior showed Tuesday that he is more than capable with his legs.
The offense has appeared more consistent in its execution and appears to be putting together a series of strong practices ahead of the game against Georgia Tech.
Deuce Spann continues to grow and has strong training sessions for the second year in a row
For the second day in a row, Spann was one of the Seminoles’ standout players.
He rarely, if ever, dropped the ball, made some impressive catches in the scrum, and even showed quick feet to get off the line quickly and gain an advantage over the defensive backs.
He defeated Earl Little Jr. in a replay by making a quick move past Little and securing the ball thrown by Uiagalelei.
Benson continues to shine, but Spann’s recent performances could get him more attention in the regular season. He’s had a good fall camp so far, but in recent days he’s taken his game to a new level, and if he can find consistency, he could have a great season ahead.
Marvin Jones Jr. and Darrell Jackson cause chaos
Last season, the Seminoles’ defensive line, led by Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, was one of the best in the country.
While there is no guarantee this season can reach those heights, with players like Patrick Payton, Joshua Farmer, Marvin Jones Jr. and Darrell Jackson, the opportunity exists.
The latter two in particular were very active at the Seminoles’ practice on Tuesday, with Jones showing off his speed off the line, bursting through the line of scrimmage on several occasions and getting into the backfield.
Jackson was a force in the fall and quickly became a problem for the offense during team activities, disrupting the offensive line and intercepting several quarterback passes.
He and Jones Jr. were both very active in team practices on Tuesday, fitting in with the offensive line and not allowing many runs past the first line of defense.
Defensive backs show athleticism and disrupt the offense
It was the theme of the fall, but FSU’s defensive backs continued to be a thorn in the side of the offense and wide receivers.
The play of Fentrell Cypress, Shyheim Brown and Thomas was particularly impressive, with the trio matching the receivers step for step on almost every rep. On Tuesday, the three continued to show their skills by covering the receivers well and rarely getting beat.
The group was strong as a whole, from the experienced players to the rookies, and the defensive backs consistently caused turnovers.
Freshman Cai Bates nearly intercepted a ball on Tuesday when he fought for space in the red zone and intercepted the ball, but his foot ended up out of bounds. The young defensive backs like Bates, Ricky Knight and Edwin Joseph have impressed in recent practices and continue to show the athleticism to keep up with and disrupt the wide receivers in coverage.
Andre’ Otto continues to impress, offensive line has strong day
Redshirt freshman Andre’ Otto has been one of the hottest names in recent weeks, excelling in multiple positions on the Seminoles’ offensive line.
Otto covered the entire line, was reliable in pass defense and was able to open gaps that the running backs could exploit.
Over the past few weeks, Otto has received praise from Norvell, offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and the defensive line, establishing himself as a rising star on the Seminoles’ team.
Overall, the offensive line was impressive and Darius Washington, Richie Leonard and Jeremiah Byers showed some good performances in pass defense.
FSU Football Schedule 2024
- Week 0: vs. Georgia Tech, Saturday, August 24, 12:00 p.m. in Dublin, Ireland
- Week 1: vs. Boston College, Monday, September 2, 7:30 p.m.
- Week 2: Open
- Week 3: vs. Memphis, Saturday, September 14, 12:00 p.m.
- Week 4: vs. California, Saturday, September 21
- Week 5: at SMU, Saturday, September 28
- Week 6: vs. Clemson, Saturday, October 5
- Week 7: Open
- Week 8: at Duke, Friday, October 18, 7 p.m.
- Week 9: in Miami, Saturday, October 26
- Week 10: vs. North Carolina, Saturday, November 2
- Week 11: in Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 9
- Week 12: Open
- Week 13: vs. Charleston Southern, Saturday, November 23
- Week 14: vs. Florida, Saturday, November 30
Liam Rooney covers sports prep for the Tallahassee Democrat. Reach him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @__liamrooney
