Freshman TE Brandon Warren surprised his coaches by participating in 18 full periods in pads Tuesday evening. Warren missed the last game with a pulled hamstring coaches feared could keep him out for several weeks. But his progress this week heading into Saturday’s game at Maryland appears to confirm he’ll be back in the lineup.
“I felt good, and I’m just going to continue through my treatment and taking care of my body,” Warren said. “I’ve been working hard at trying to get back to 100 percent as fast I can.”
Warren said the hamstring still nags him while making dramatic cuts but otherwise feels healthy. Another up-and-coming true freshman, Caz Piurowski, started in Warren’s place this past weekend. Still, Warren’s play-making ability was sorely missed in the loss to Boston College when FSU’s offense was never able to fully jump-start a comeback.
Andrews encouraged
Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews was pleased with the play of his four true freshmen in the defensive starting lineup against BC, especially considering two of them, DT Budd Thacker and LB Dekoda Watson, were likely candidates to redshirt only a few weeks ago. Both also barely had been on FSU’s recruiting radar a year ago.
“We knew about them,” Andrews said, “but we were not totally convinced they would fit into what we were trying to do defensively.”
Thaxton back at practice
LB Jae Thaxton, who was presumed out for the season after sustaining a severe concussion the third game against Clemson, dressed out for practice Tuesday for the first time. He hasn’t been cleared yet by the medical staff to resume most drills, but he said he was feeling better than he has at any point since the concussion.
He likely won’t make it back on the field as early as this weekend. But Thaxton was optimistic about a return at some point this season, giving the beleaguered linebacker corps another badly needed body.
