TALLAHASSEE — With 25 transfers and freshmen early enrollees, and spread across every position group, Florida State coach Mike Norvell was curious to see how the Seminoles displayed a grasp of the playbook in Thursday’s scrimmage inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
“It was definitely a lot better than what I really expected in the understanding of what to do,” Norvell said. “We’ve got to continue to improve on how to do it.”
With five practices in the books, FSU takes a break for Easter weekend before returning to the field Tuesday. Here are three takeaways from FSU’s scrimmage, which was closed to the media and fans.
QB development on display
Let’s put FSU’s quarterback competition into context: Brock Glenn is going into year 2 but has a year in the offense, while DJ Uiagalelei has played four years of college football but has less than four months in FSU’s offense. They are at varying stages of their development and comprehension of the playbook, but they are showing progress.
“Brock does have a year within the system,” Norvell said. “Right now Brock has probably a little bit more confidence maybe in some of the things that he’s being asked to do.”
There’s a learning curve for Uiagalelei, running a new offense with new personnel against what is expected to be one of the ACC’s top defenses. Norvell appreciates how Uiagalelei has performed, making some mistakes but also soaking up the offense and showing that his experience and skill set are an advantage.
“We’ve thrown a lot in the installations in the first four days,” Norvell said. “DJ has done really well in grasping that, he’s done really well in his overall understanding. But now it’s just the repetition. And he needed a day like today and there were some good moments, there were some plays where it kind of resorted back to maybe not the cleanest in his footwork or in his fundamentals. But that’s what today is all about.”
Fine-tuning younger LBs
The position group on defense with the least experience and depth is linebacker. DJ Lundy entered the portal in mid-December, committed to Colorado but returned to FSU in early January. FSU desperately needed the senior back.
“DJ Lundy looked like we need him to look,” Norvell said. “He was flying all over the field. I saw physical plays. He was working in his communication.”
FSU has options, notably Alabama transfer Shawn Murphy as well as second-year players Blake Nichelson and Justin Cryer. But all of them are short on experience. Norvell called the linebackers one of the “pleasant surprises” of the spring.
Consistent option at WR emerging
Malik Benson said earlier this spring he didn’t pick FSU to be the No. 1 receiver, but instead thinks he can complement a talented room of veterans as well as younger options. The 6-foot-1 Benson won’t have the catch radius of options like Keon Coleman (6-4) and Johnny Wilson (6-6), who are off to the NFL. But Benson appears to be part of the solution.
An Alabama transfer, Benson has been consistently productive in practices, and in FSU’s scrimmage he turned a short pass into a long TD run. Benson had 13 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown at Alabama following his transfer from junior college.
“You see talent and ability, I felt that was something that we could continue to help him and provide opportunities to showcase that in a variety of ways,” Norvell said. “He hasn’t disappointed.”
