Florida State vs. Georgia: Thursday Practice Observations For The Seminoles

We've come a very long way since fall camp got started back in August. Through the highs and lows, the excitement and disappointment, the end of the season is right in front of us. Another cold morning in Tallahassee marked the final fully open practice for the media this year.

The energy was up with the Seminoles just over a week out from taking on the Georgia Bulldogs. While the roster looks slightly different at some positions, the attention to detail and continued push to improve is the same as it has always been. It'll be interesting to see what changes when the team releases its game week depth chart on Monday.

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As we did during Florida and Louisville week, the practice reports will be less detailed moving forward to prevent any competitive disadvantages. NoleGameday was in attendance for the entire session and jotted down some observations from the day.

— Ryan Fitzgerald was striking the ball well throughout the week. He connected from attempts from 30 yards, 46 yards, and 48 yards out. He was 'iced' before the 48-yard attempt and still drilled it down the middle with plenty of distance.

OFFENSE:

— Quarterback Tate Rodemaker guided the offense to a successful drive in a two-minute drill scenario. Highlights of the period were a long scramble up the middle to get near midfield and a beautiful throw to Destyn Hill on the sideline over a defender to keep the possession alive on fourth down.

— Wide receiver Darion Williamson is a player with a ton of potential but he's been setback by injuries during his time in Tallahassee. The talent is clearly there for him to develop into something special and I think that's evident by the way that Mike Norvell is constantly pushing him. Williamson responded to the challenge and earned praise for multiple reps on the day, including a tough grab on a strong pass over the middle where the ball was slightly off target.

— I feel like Jackson West has popped up more than any other tight end during the two days we were at practice this week. He was able to create space for a touchdown catch in 1-on-1's and then got wide open down the seam in 7-on-7 for one of the bigger plays of the day.

— Fellow tight end Brian Courtney was also around the football a ton. He had a nice route in 1-on-1's to shake off a defender and come back to the ball for a catch.

— Samuel Singleton and Ja'Khi Douglas got free on the sideline for two big catches.

DEFENSE:

— There are only a couple of days remaining until defensive tackle Darrell Jackson finally makes his debut in garnet and gold. It's easy to tell that he's chomping at the bit to get on the field and show what he can do. There were a couple of moments where he absolutely manhandled his matchup.

— True freshman cornerback Quindarrius Jones has taken as many steps as anyone in his class this season. He had an impressive pass deflection during 1-on-1's where he had to fight back inside and nearly pick the ball off.

— Safety Conrad Hussey capatilized on an underthrown deep ball and came up from his position to pick it off. He's constantly around the ball and making plays.

— Patrick Payton had a strong showing in 1-on-1's. Malcolm Ray also got the best of a veteran offensive lineman.

— Renardo Green deflected a pass while in tight coverage early in practice.

— Jaden Jones had a nice stop in the running game after disengaging from a blocker and plugging up a hole.

— Omar Graham Jr. recognized a screen pass and got in position to shut down the play right as the ball arrived to the running back.

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2023 season.

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