Biggest question mark for Florida State on each side of the ball entering the fall
Fall camp is slowly approaching and just like every team in the country, there are question marks heading into the season. I will take a dive into one key question mark on both sides of the ball heading into the season while we inch closer to the start of camp.
Backup quarterback position
We all know who the starting quarterback will be for this upcoming season and what Jordan Travis can bring to the table. His steady improvement each year and ability to grow as a QB has been fun to watch.
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His dynamic playmaking ability is the best part of his game but at times it can be costly due to his injury history. This brings us to our first key question mark, who will take control of the backup QB duties? Florida State has redshirt sophomore Tate Rodemaker and freshman AJ Duffy battling it out for QB2 duties. Rodemaker appeared in three games last season and only attempted two passes.
Whoever wins this job will not have much experience playing at this level of football. It's tough to be comfortable with either option if Travis is forced to miss time.
Outside corner spot opposite Omarion Cooper
While the defensive back room is filled with talent, many believe the corner position opposite Omarion Cooper is still up for grabs. With starting corner Jarvis Brownlee transferring to Louisville, it freed up a spot in the lineup. The two safety positions are solidified with Akeem Dent and Jammie Robinson. Slot corner will be manned by sophomore Kevin Knowles who had a solid freshman season.
Some potential candidates to start are Jarrian Jones, Travis Jay, freshman Azareye’h Thomas, and my sleeper Demorie Tate. Tate has had his fair share of ups and downs since arriving at FSU, but the redshirt sophomore is fully healthy and ready to compete for the starting job. Last season Jarrian Jones received a decent amount of playing time and had games where he played well. And others where he didn't.
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Travis Jay is one of the most gifted athletes that many have seen but he hasn’t been able to put it together yet. Is this the season where everything starts to align for Jay and we see more consistent play on the field like Akeem Dent last season? Lastly, we have freshman Azareye’h Thomas, who has raised some eyebrows with a solid spring. With his frame, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him making noise during camp and on the field early for the Seminoles.
FSU should have a solid defensive line, along with linebackers that are expected to make the next jump this season. It will be interesting to see who separates themselves from the others in fall camp for the outside cornerback position.
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