Five Takeaways From FSU Football's First Scrimmage Of Preseason Camp

The competition has been evident throughout the first two weeks of Florida State’s fall camp. However, the Seminoles ramped up the intensity even more on Sunday night with a scrimmage inside Doak Campbell Stadium.

Following the nearly two-hour exhibition where the team ran through just over 100 plays, head coach Mike Norvell and his three primary coordinators (Adam Fuller, Alex Atkins, John Papuchis) shared their thoughts about the evening. There were promising moments but plenty of things Florida State wants to clean up with the season less than three weeks away.

Here are five takeaways from FSU’s first scrimmage of the preseason.

1. Brock Glenn Showing Maturity Beyond His Years

Everyone knows that starting quarterback Jordan Travis is entrenched in his job. He’s going to be one of the primary leaders of the Seminoles in 2023 and a large slice of the overall success of the team is going to end up falling behind on his shoulders. With that being said, Florida State is going to continue to evalute its other quarterbacks throughout the year as the coaching staff searches for his eventual replacement.

Redshirt junior Tate Rodemaker has the most experience behind Travis but true freshman Brock Glenn is continuing to earn rave reviews. He’s made the most of his reps early in the preseason with Mike Norvell noting that he’s probably further along in his development than the Seminoles thought when he arrived on campus.

"I thought he did a great job throughout the course of the evening. Like I said, I've got to go back and watch all of it to give you a full breakdown of it, but he definitely doesn't act like a freshman,” Norvell said after the scrimmage. “For what we thought we were getting, I mean, he's probably further along. We knew we were getting a really good quarterback, but just his mental maturity and the way that he grasps so many things offensively and just his presence out there is really good."

Glenn was actually one of the quarterbacks that went live during the scrimmage, meaning he was a free target for defenders to bring down. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Alex Atkins believes situations like Sunday night are going to be the most benefical for his development.

“I believe Brock went live in the spring, too. I think it’s good not only for Brock but for everyone on the team. Whether it be pursuing the quarterback, whether it be protecting a live body. Also with Brock making quick decisions,” Atkins added. “He is a duel threat, so he’s using his legs. The good thing about Brock is he is a tough guy, he wants to go live all the time. We have to protect that boy from himself. It’s good to get him in there and see him operate in a live jersey and play some ball.”

It won’t be an easy task to unseat Rodemaker for the No. 2 spot but Glenn is certainly making him work for it.

2. Back And Forth Affair Between Offense And Defense

Competition fuels success and there has certainly been plenty of it on the field for the Seminoles during fall camp. Sunday marked the first true test for the offense and defense in a gamelike scenario while situated under the lights in Doak Campbell Stadium.

It sounds like the coaches came out of the scrimmage encouraged with what they saw on both sides of the ball. This was a back-and-forth affair where the offense and defense each had their moments. Some highlights were a goalline stand by the defense that was answered by the offense on the ensuing drive.

“I thought the defense came out and started extremely strong in the scrimmage, saw guys flying around, playing fast. making plays,” Norvell said. “Offense I thought responded well as it continued to go through, but we have got to continue to push our tempo offensively. That's something that in our first scrimmage, coaches are off the field, playing it like a game, definitely something that we've got to get to get better at.”

The defense didn’t end up generating a turnover on the night but still was able to hold the offense in check. At the same time, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller wants to see his unit tackle better overall while pointing out that Florida State’s depth is evident.

“I thought tonight, you know, we got done a lot of good things. We go in with rep counts for certain groups of people, opportunities to tackle. I thought that showed up, some really good, but some really poor,” Fuller said while taking the podium after Norvell. “I thought the guys that we put out there with certain rep counts went out there and played hard early, and I really liked the sideline energy as some of the other guys rotated in. I think our depth is showing up in camp at this point usually get pretty fit just with banged bodies. I think we've recruited and evaluated really well.”

There’s no reason to panic on the offensive side of the ball. Norvell stated that Jordan Travis didn’t get a ton of work on the night while Florida State continues to test its other quarterbacks. He’ll likely generate more action during the team’s second scrimmage this weekend.

3. Competition Brewing Among The Offensive Line

There has been a lot of intrigue surround Florida State’s offensive line during the preseason and rightfully so with the unit boasting veterans, transfers, and young prospects that have combined for 200+ starts. There are realistically eight to ten different players that could earn starting roles and the battles have been intense.

Mike Norvell is looking for a starting five that works as one. There were some bright moments on Sunday as the Seminoles found some success on the ground. With that being said, there were also too many plays where the team was bogged down with penalties or mistakes.

FSU is going to continue to work different combinations along the offensive line this week. The team is expecting to return a couple of players who have been limited in practice as of late.

"We've got to continue to work the fundamentals and just the finer details vs. different looks. Making sure that we do have five guys playing as one and being able to take as much pressure off of guys around them by just executing our jobs but I have been pleased with that group,” Norvell said. “I thought tonight was some solid work, but there's some details and fundamental things that we're going to have to get better at. We’ll still mix and match this week but I know we’re going to get a couple of guys back that really be able to kind of put on display that full group and then we’ll move forward as we get through that second scrimmage."

Alex Atkins echoed the majority of Norvell’s sentiments. He likes the competition that is ongoing between the unit and thinks it will only continue to trend in the right direction when they are back healthy. Atkins says the amount of installation is about to slow down and that is when the improvements will begin to stand out.

“Overall, I think we have some good rotations and some good work. So, it’ll be interesting to see,” Atkins said. “We have some good battles going on, we have some guys bouncing back and some guys back and feeling good. So, I am excited about that group and seeing how far they come once we start to sharpen and slow the installs down. Now we can see what those guys can do.”

One player on the offensive line that has stood out is offensive tackle Bless Harris. Working his way back from a season-ending injury in 2022, Harris has continued to make leaps from the spring to the fall. He’s becoming more and more consistent according to Atkins.

“He sustained an injury that kept him out all season and he jumps right back in and he’s rolling good. He’s rolling with the 1s and getting a lot of good work. I’ve been proud of his progress,” Atkins said. “There are some things we have to clean up with him, ownership of his position, there are too many times I’m seeing him lapse a little bit. I’m seeing 30 good flashes and two negatives. We have to get rid of the negatives. But I am pleased overall with Bless’ approach, the way he’s coming out to work. Bless is blue-collar, doesn’t say much, just comes out to work. I appreciate his approach and keeping his body ready.”

4. Multiple Young Defenders Continue To Flash

Adam Fuller talked about Florida State’s depth at length on Sunday night. There has been no example of the talent surging on the roster than some of the young defenders that have flashed during preseason camp. Whether it’s in the defensive backfield or on the edge, there are plenty of young prospects with potential to keep an eye on.

The freshmen defensive backs have taken most of the spotlight early in camp. The freshly arrived 2023 class of safety KJ Kirkland, safety Ashlynd Barker, safety Conrad Hussey, cornerback Quindarrius Jones, cornerback Edwin Joseph, and cornerback Ja’Bril Rawls have already proven they have the talent to play the FBS level.

That carried over into Sunday’s scrimmage but there were a couple of youthful mistakes.

"They were in the right position for most of the night. There were some opportunities on tackles that we've got to be a little cleaner on, which is what we needed to see from exactly where those guys are,” Norvell said. “But it's an impressive group. I think they're continuing to play at a high level, especially for being young freshmen. I think a lot of those guys have an opportunity to contribute here this year at some point."

Fuller went as far as to single out a trio of the newcomers in KJ Kirkland, Ashlynd Barker, and Conrad Hussey. All three defensive backs have impressed the coaching staff and will have a chance to make an impact on the team early in their careers.

"I'm really excited about what KJ Kirkland, Aslynd Barker and Conrad Hussey have done here through this first week and a half," Fuller said. "I think they all have chance to help us in some role, whether it's through depth, whether it's through rotations, whether it's through special teams. I think there's thumbs up on all three of those guys."

Another relatively youthful prospect who turned heads on Sunday night was redshirt sophomore defensive end Byron Turner Jr. Entering his third year with the program, the light has really begun to turn on for the Louisiana native during preseason camp.

Fuller said that Turner Jr. is sitting fourth on the depth chart behind the percieved trio of Jared Verse, Patrick Payton, and Gilber Edmond. He's going to have a chance to play important snaps in 2023.

"I thought Byron Turner showed up tonight. He's always been somebody that I knew, he's got a high level of toughness. He can flat out run, he's finally been consistent with his bodyweight. He's healthy, he's stronger. He's somebody that we got to continue to push, put in that situation. Right now he's our fourth guy, battling for reps with the third guy and you know, I think he's got a chance."

Special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach John Papuchis was also impressed with Turner Jr.'s performance during the scrimmage. After the action wrapped up, some of his teammates came up to the position coach to offer positive remarks. That's something that Papuchis thinks can increase Turner Jr.'s confidence.

"I think a night like tonight can build some confidence and help. You know, there were several of his teammates that came up to me after the scrimmage and made comments about how well they thought he played," Papuchis said. "And that's always good for a player when when you're being recognized by your peers, because I think that, especially in that position group where you have a couple guys that are kind of veteran in that group as well, to how your peers recognize that you played well can be a huge boost to his confidence."

"If he can just keep stacking day after day and just, you know sounds cliche, but it's just a reality what it is, let's get a little bit better each day," Papuchis continued. "He's gonna be exactly where he needs to be when we need him there come this fall, really here in three weeks."

There's no doubt that the Seminoles have a talented defense that is filled with veteran experience in 2023. The trickledown effect on the roster will pay off in practice with increased skill on the scout team and young prospects that are motivated to reach their potential.

5. Kicking Battle Continues To Bring Best Out Of Ryan Fitzgerald And Tyler Keltner

Though it may not be the most flashy position on the team, Florida State fans are very familiar with how reliable kicking can derail promising seasons. That's exactly what the Seminoles are trying to avoid this upcoming year with redshirt junior kicker Ryan Fitzgerald coming off an up-and-down season that he concluded on a high note.

The coaching staff brought in graduate transfer Tyler Keltner to compete with Fitzgerald. Through eight practices and a scrimmage, it appears that the battle is bringing out the best in both players. The majority of their live reps have been successful, something that continued to ring true on Sunday.

"They were good. We did a good job on the majority of our kicks. We had a couple long-yardage kicks, I know we missed one that was over 50. Those guys have competed. And I think the competition is making both of them better," Norvell said. "I think they're continuing to push each other and we're charting all things and so I think we're in a really good situation at kicker and obviously with our kickoffs. I think they're very talented with that, too. So just how they're operating and working together."

The competition has been neck and neck with neither of the two separating themselves by a wide margin to this point. That's not necessarily a bad thing with the high level of play that each kicker has brought to the table. The coaching staff is going to continue letting things play out.

"Those guys have competed. They've worked hard. I think they're they're competing well with each other and not necessarily against each other. I do see as a supportive camaraderie there," Papuchis said. "We're lucky that right now we have two guys that are both kicking the ball well. So their job is to make it a tough decision for us. And we're gonna let this battle kind of play itself out a little bit and then see what the numbers say. Then obviously trusting your instincts and your gut, in terms of ball-striking and just the look of everything."

The consistency and focus have been encouraging signs that the kicking game will bounce back in 2023.

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