FSU Football To Hold Fall Camp Practices At UNF For Fourth Consecutive Season

The Seminoles have been making the trip over to UNF since 2021 to get out of their comfort zones and build camaraderie.

Apr 20, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Lawrance Toafili (9) runs the ball during the Spring Showcase at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports | Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

According to Rick Ballou of 1010XL, Florida State football is taking its fall camp on the road to the University of North Florida’s campus on August 7-8. This is the fourth year in a row that FSU has ventured to Jacksonville before the start of its season.

Football and its coaches have established a long-standing tradition of team road trips during the preparatory weeks before the season's first game. Similar to a retreat, the purpose of taking these camps on the road is to allow the players to bond, feel a little uncomfortable in a new environment (similar to a road game), and build chemistry.

So, why UNF?

Well, UNF doesn’t have a football team or even a football field for that matter. The recreational field that Florida State uses during the weekend doesn’t have that pristine grass that the players are used to in Tallahassee.

With no nets behind the goalposts, kickers sometimes send the pigskins into the woods where equipment managers have to sift through the brush in order to not lose a ball.

The players don’t stay in a hotel. They go old-school, freshman-year dorm living on campus for a couple nights. If they forget to bring a pillow and a blanket they might be sleeping on a cold, polyester mattress.

It’s not just tough and uncomfortable for the players either. The equipment staff and the athletic training staff have to adapt and improvise and overcome not only the heat but also the lack of creature comforts of hosting a practice at a completely different field.

The experiences that will be had in Jacksonville in early August could shape the 2024 season for the Seminoles.

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the offseason.

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