FSU Football Spring Special Teams Preview: Kicking To Be A Strength For 'Noles In 2024
It's Tuesday and that means Florida State will begin spring camp later this afternoon. With plenty of position battles set to get underway on offense and defense, the Seminoles are relatively set on special teams with a pair of entrenched starters back in the fold along with a ton of speed on the return units.
The focus on an underrated portion of the sport has paid off in Tallahassee over the last couple of years. FSU has routinely found a way to make game-changing plays on special teams whether it be through its kicking, returning, or coverage units. That isn't expected to be any different in 2024 as the program enters its fifth season under the tutelage of head coach Mike Norvell and special teams coordinator John Papuchis.
The Seminoles will be replacing standout punt returner Keon Coleman along with kick returner Trey Benson. However, with kicker Ryan Fitzgerald and punter Alex Mastromanno back in the fold alongside All-American kick return transfer Jaylin Lucas, there's a lot of potential across the unit to be a bright spot once again.
Departures:
LS James Rosenberry Jr. (graduation), PR Keon Coleman (NFL), and KR Trey Benson (NFL)
Rosenberry served as Florida State's primary long-snapper for much of the last three seasons, developing chemistry with Fitzgerald and Mastromanno. Most fans don't consider the impact of a snapper but Rosenberry was as good as they come. That's a big reason why the coaching staff had him on scholarship in 2023.
Coleman had never returned a punt before he got to Tallahassee. You certainly couldn't tell that last fall though as he earned all-conference honors after returning 25 punts for 300 yards.
Benson didn't contribute to the return game last year. However, his kick return for a touchdown against Boston College in 2022 was the first by a Seminole since the final BCS National Championship game.
Returners:
Redshirt senior K Ryan Fitzgerald, redshirt senior P Alex Mastromanno, redshirt senior KR Deuce Spann, redshirt senior PR Ja'Khi Douglas, redshirt senior PR Lawrance Toafili, sophomore PR Destyn Hill, redshirt freshman PR Vandrevius Jacobs, and redshirt freshman KR Samuel Singleton
Florida State returns its starting kicker, punter, and kickoff returner but will have to replace its starting long snapper and punt returner.
New Additions:
Indiana transfer Jaylin Lucas
Lucas joins the Seminoles after beginning his career at Indiana. He's expected to contribute in the backfield while playing a massive role on the return units. Lucas returned 43 kickoffs for 1,163 yards and three touchdowns with the Hoosiers. That included two special teams touchdowns in 2022 when he was tabbed as an All-American returner as a true freshman by a number of media publications.
The brother of current Seminole Ja'Khi Douglas, Lucas will jump into the mix immediately as a kick returner. He's only returned nine punts during his career so it remains to be seen if he locks down that spot as well.
Projected Depth Chart:
Kicker:
1. Ryan Fitzgerald, RS Sr.
Punter:
1. Alex Mastromanno, RS Sr.
2. Mac Chiumento, RS So.
Long snapper:
1. Mason Arnold, RS Jr.
2. Peyton Naylor, RS Fr.
Punt Returner:
1. Ja'Khi Douglas, RS Sr.
2. Destyn Hill, So./Lawrance Toafili, RS Sr./Vandrevius Jacobs, RS Fr.
Kick Returner:
1. Jaylin Lucas, Jr.
2. Deuce Spann, RS Sr.
3. Samuel Singleton, RS Fr.
Spring Outlook:
Florida State's special teams unit should be a strength for the team in 2024 but there are a couple of things to iron out. Fitzgerald and Mastromanno are locked in as starters but there will be a competition at long snapper to replace Rosenberry. The frontrunner is redshirt junior Mason Arnold, who began his career at Ohio State and transferred to the Seminoles last year. He started for the Buckeyes in six games in 2022, including in a College Football Playoff semi-final loss to Georgia at the Peach Bowl.
The return units are where this gets interesting as the Seminoles have to find a new starting punt return for the fourth straight year. Coleman and Mycah Pittman were extremely solid over the last two seasons, providing consistency when it came to preventing muffed punts and creating explosive returns when available. The job is up for grabs and we expect Ja'Khi Douglas, Destyn Hill, Lawrance Toafili, Vandrevius Jacobs, and Lucas to be some of the names in the running for the spot during the spring.
Deuce Spann is back at kick returner after returning nine kicks for 277 yards and a touchdown last season. He flipped the momentum and helped the Seminoles climb out of a double-digit deficit against Duke with a 99-yard touchdown in the second quarter. However, Spann also had moments of inconsistency such as the lost fumble in the Orange Bowl.
This is a pivotal spring for him on special teams and offense to prevent being passed up in the rotation. Spann will have to be up for the challenge while sharing reps with an All-American in Lucas. A smaller athlete with plenty of speed, if Lucas gets into the open field, he's gone.
Previous Spring Position Previews:
— Safeties
READ MORE: FSU Football's Mike Norvell Talks Spring Camp, Looks Ahead to 2024 Season
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the spring.
