Florida State Fall Camp Observations: Practice Ten
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The Seminoles returned to the practice field on Monday morning for practice ten of fall camp. The session marked the halfway point for Florida State as the team gears up for a week zero game against Duquesne. Later this week, the 'Noles will head to Jacksonville for two practices at the University of North Florida.
NoleGameday was in attendance for the session and we've listed some observations from different position groups and players below.
READ MORE: Mike Norvell, coordinators discuss FSU's first preseason scrimmage
— It felt like the defense won the overall day on Monday. The offense was inconsistent throughout practice. There weren't a ton of turnovers or missed snaps but the defense was flying around making plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. The offensive line allowed a fair amount of pressure as the session went on.
— Quarterback Jordan Travis is such a dynamic athlete on the ground. The Seminoles are going to have to find the balance between limiting Travis from taking shots and letting him run to create easy yardage. It's a tough predictament. As improved as Travis is with his arm, his legs can open up space when nothing else is available. Late in practice, Travis kept the ball on an option and walked into the end zone with ease. A great block from Mycah Pittman on a defensive back helped free Travis for the score.
— Wide receiver Deuce Spann was one of the standouts for the offense to begin the week. The positive signs come after a scrimmage where head coach Mike Norvell mentioned Spann had his best day. The inconsistencies still pop up from time to time, for instance, Spann made a fantastic catch in the end zone but then had a bad drop on back-to-back reps in one on ones, but the former quarterback is becoming more well-rounded by the practice. The coaching staff is figuring out how to get him the ball in multiple ways.
— The most consistent wide receiver on Monday was probably fifth-year senior Keyshawn Helton. He had an extra step to his burst off the line of scrimmage which helped Helton find some space downfield. He connected with AJ Duffy on two beautiful passes during team drills. On one, Helton made a move to get wide-open on the sideline. On the other, Duffy let a pass fly and Helton made a leaping effort to come down with it. Very impressive day from him.
— Wide receiver Johnny Wilson had a pretty good day. He went to work against a few defensive backs in one on ones. Wilson had one of the most impressive catches of the practice when he was able to reel in a pass from Jordan Travis with one hand. Pressure forced Travis to throw high but Wilson didn't have any issues with it.
— Wide receiver Mycah Pittman came down with a pass in the corner of the end zone on a ball that was perfectly placed by Jordan Travis. Pittman and the offense had some energy following the play.
— Moving over to the defense, defensive end Patrick Payton might've had his best session of the preseason. He was simply everywhere on Monday, whether it was picking up sacks or dropping running backs for negative yardage. Early in practice, Payton exploded off the edge to bring down Ja'Khi Douglas at the line of scrimmage. A play later, he combined with true freshman Daniel Lyons for a sack. Payton is looking more confident by the day.
— True freshman defensive tackle Daniel Lyons popped up a few times throughout practice. He's been quiet for much of the preseason but Lyons showed up with some effort to begin the week. He combined with Payton for two stops in the backfield and was consistent when it came to creating pressure.
— Defensive tackle Fabien Lovett made it tough for the offensive line throughout practice. He came away with at least one sack on the day and his ability to clog up running lanes resulted in some other defensive players making timely plays. Alongside Lovett, Robert Cooper was a menace in the middle as well.
— Defensive tackle Joshua Farmer was a force to be reckoned with on Monday. Farmer and defensive end Jared Verse created a lot of pressure throughout the practice. On one play, Farmer exploded through the offensive line and slammed running back Trey Benson to the turf for a loss. He's finally figuring out how to use his increased size to his advantage and it can get scary.
— Linebacker Brendan Gant had a powerful tackle for loss early in practice. He's a player that Norvell has been impressed with as of late. Sticking with the linebackers, veteran Amari Gainer came through with a sack in team drills.
— True freshman linebacker Omar Graham Jr. had one of his more noticeable practices to date. It felt like he was everywhere on Monday morning. Graham has the size and athleticism to be a contributor but what stands out are his instincts. The offense tried to get tricky with misdirection on a screen pass but Graham sniffed it out and was in position for the tackle. He might not play a large role this year but Graham is playing some promising football.
— True freshman defensive back Azareye'h Thomas turned in another good session for Florida State. He was able to get to the quarterback on a blitz in team drills while also making a few pass-breakups down the field. Thomas continues to put himself in a good position to make an impact on the defense this fall.
— Defensive backs Kevin Knowles, Omarion Cooper, and Jarrian Jones all had their moments in coverage on Monday. Each player had a deflection in coverage on a play the offense was in a position to make. Good recovery by three players who are primed to play big roles for Florida State.
READ MORE: Florida State quarterback target decommits from Purdue
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout fall camp.
