Florida State football is set to open fall camp this week, kicking off the just-over-a-month journey to the Seminoles' season opener against New Mexico State.
Coach Mike Norvell met with the media Monday, addressing everything from the health of the team to what he's seen from starting quarterback Ashton Daniels to the looming five-for-five eligibility changes to freshman receivers Jasen Lopez and Devin Carter.
He opened the news conference by sharing the impressions he's had from his squad since spring camp wrapped up, saying he's impressed by the work put in to prep for the start of the season.
"It's been, it's been really an enjoyable process for us seeing the guys that have been here, the guys that have grown, developed, guys that have poured years of service into this program," Norvell said. "As they have matured through it and the work that they've poured in, as well as the newcomers, whether it was the over 20 freshmen that joined in January, to the same with the transfers that have come in, I think we really have added a great group of young men, the right mindset, the right approach, you put in an incredible amount of work to put ourselves in position to get started here in fall camp."
Norvell said his vision for this year's squad is for it to be player-led and coach-inspired, something star wide receiver Duce Robinson has seen in action already.
"That's my job is to be here to provide them with structure, to provide them with a standard and inspire them to go be the best that they can be. But at the end of the day, they got to be the ones that are willing to take that, are willing to lead that, are willing to challenge each other. But I mean, that's what I want. I want a coach-inspired football team that's player-led.
"It takes everything around the program, on the field, off the field, and we all have our journey and there's different challenges for a freshman than there is for a fifth-year senior. There's different challenges for guys that are battling wherever they are in their collegiate career, but being able to have guys who will help them along that are going to be side by side with them as they step on the field. That's what I think can help define a great team and something that's necessary."
Daniels drew praise for his approach to the offseason work, carrying a chip on his shoulder after a career that's seen plenty of ups and downs.
"I've been really pleased with just his mindset and seeing his confidence of what we're asking him to do," Norvell said of the Auburn transfer. "Seeing his confidence in what he knows he can do and how that's really spread throughout just our football team. You can talk about an individual, you can say, 'Hey, I think he's going to be this, I think he's going to be that' to a team, to guys in a locker room, but when he shows up and he goes and he does it. That's where it becomes his. He is a tremendous leader in pouring in and building those relationships and then his performance throughout what he was able to do through spring, through the winter workouts building up to it, and then obviously what he's done throughout the summer. He definitely has the right edge and the things that I want to see from him, and really all players on our team, just to go prove and show all of who they are. He doesn't need to come and work to be anything different, but I truly believe if he'll just continue to grow, he's going to put himself in a position to have a tremendous year."
The head coach spoke on the trenches on both sides of the ball, first talking about the difference in the cohesiveness of the offensive line in contrast to last season.
"Going into this, this fall camp, I feel a lot better now than where maybe I felt a year ago just within the cohesiveness of a group because of the reps," Norvell said. "I think going into last year, Luke might have been one of the few guys that actually had a full spring of work and we had all those guys that came in as well as the guys that were returning. You've seen the 15 practices, how they were able to really just merge together in the communication, understanding the techniques and some of the finer details of what Coach Hand and what this offense is going to ask of them. I thought they did a really nice job in that, and then you carry that into the summer where even though you're not getting to go against somebody, you're still, it's the technique, the fundamentals, making sure that the efficiency of how we operate, what we do, probably a greater grasp of understanding what the play calls and the different options, but now we got a month of just continuing to clean that up. The execution when you're facing a variety of different looks when you whenever you have to make those snap decisions, and that's what fall camp's going to continue to build upon."
On the defensive line, he said he's excited about the "fast, explosive, powerful" talent in the room.
"This would be a group that we want to attack," he said. "We want to be able to create disruption up front. We feel like we've got a really good group of guys that not only can penetrate but also have the playmaking ability to enforce that on the opposing line of scrimmage. It really fits well and the versatility of where guys can line up, what they can do, and the things that Tony's going to be able to do with them is going to be a, is going to be a really good, a really good fit for this defense."
Lopez and Carter had major springs, setting them up for the chance to earn playing time this season, with Norvell saying just how much time will be determined by their continued growth.
"These are guys that have potential and ability, they are steadily learning, continuing to, to put in, they are, they are on the fast track to be able to play," Norvell said. "Just how much that is goes down to, comes down to, their continued growth over the next month."
As for the health of the team heading into fall, he said wide receiver Jayvan Boggs and linebacker Mikai Gbayor are still working back toward full participation, while true freshman Izayia Williams is fully cleared. Defensive lineman Jordan Sanders, who also missed spring work, will be available without restriction, and defensive lineman Cam Brooks is expected back this season but will be limited early in the year.
Norvell, asked about the potential changes to the eligibility process that would give players five years to play five seasons, said the program is already factoring it into decisions, most specifically lowering the hesitation on putting young players on the field without the burning of a redshirt looming over the decision to do so.
"It's going to help so much with the roster, as the rosters have trimmed," he said. "Now all of a sudden, we're looking at a young man that he might only play four games or you only, maybe it's not in a position where, hey, playing them in a fifth game and really not have an opportunity for another year could be extremely costly. Well, now having, knowing that you can go and you have that year, as you put yourself in position to go help impact this team, well, you're going to get your opportunity."
Later in the same answer, Norvell said he is not approaching this season with a four-game framework in mind.
"Guys, you go get ready to play and you put yourself in that position and, definitely, whatever point in the year that the moment calls for, the guy just has to go be ready," he said.
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