Florida State University concluded its 10th spring practice on Thursday in preparation for the annual Garnet and Gold Spring Showcase, scheduled for April 20th. The Seminole offense continued to build on its final practice with another day filled with big splash throws. They complemented quarterback DJ Uiagerelei's offense with a dominant rushing attack. Head coach Mike Norvell acknowledged after practice that the offense won the day, pointing out that part of the reason there were so many big plays was due to mistakes by the defense.
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It was a shortened practice as FSU will have another practice on Friday. NoleGameday attended the entire practice. Below are some of his 10th day observations of spring.
— Former FSU players Jarrian Jones, Dmitri Emanuel and Braden Fisk also showed up to practice.
— Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald had a much better day than his last practice. He didn't miss a field goal in three reps during the two-minute drill and was good from 40 and 35 yards.
attack:
—The run game really shined this spring, helped by a cohesive offensive line. The running back effectively ran the ball and caught passes out of the backfield. Alabama running back Roydell Williams started the team off with an incredible 30-yard run, and Indiana running back Jaylin Lucas sealed the deal with a 40-plus yard dash to the end zone. Williams added another point from the red zone early in practice, jumping over a falling defender for an easy score.
— Later in the session, freshman running back Cam Davis was able to complete another long run of 40 yards. The backfield had so much speed that there seemed to be no room for error on defense, and the explosiveness of the running backs was outstanding. Sam Singleton also took a handoff from Luke Kromenhoek in the red zone and scored.
–The passing game also looked sharp. With quarterback Brock Glenn out, Uiagalelei took most of the reps. After practice, Norvell said Glenn would be “out for a few days” with an undisclosed injury.Freshman quarterback Trevor Jackson
— Uiagalelei made two impressive deep shots. One was to wide receiver Jaqui Douglas, who threw for about 40 yards. His arm strength really started to show when he threw his arms across his body while jumping on one leg. Douglas is another player who has begun to have productive practices in the spring.
-The other one was about 40 yards to wide receiver Malik Benson. He found Benson in one-on-one coverage with defensive back Fentrell Cypress and scored with near-perfect timing.
— Uiagalelei's recent surprisingly long bomb score wasn't the only bright moment. He was also effective on intermediate pitches, repeatedly moving the chains with targets on running back Laurence Toafili, wide receiver Kentron Poitier and Benson.
— Williams was the most active running back ever and a threat to catch passes out of the backfield. At one point, he caught Uiagalelei's short throw and took off to the sideline, but edge defender Patrick Payton took a touchdown-saving hit. It was amazing to see Payton so far up the field.
defense:
— The offense mostly won the day, but there were some bright spots for the defense. Redshirt freshman defensive back Jabrill Rawls had two interceptions, both thrown by freshman quarterback Trevor Jackson. The most impressive moment was when he jumped a route and stole the ball from wide receiver VanRevious Jacobs.
— Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller has started beefing up his blitz to prevent cuts in the run game. One linebacker who particularly stood out was Sean Murphy, who transferred from Alabama. He consistently shot up the middle to create pressure and force the quarterback to make quick decisions or hand the ball over.
— On another play, Murphy drove in running back Kaziah Holmes, causing an erroneous throw that flashed Jackson. With linebackers Tatum Bethune and Karen DeLoach out, Murphy will need a strong presence if he wants to be an asset this season.
— Another transfer from Alabama who stood out in practice was defensive back Earl Little Jr. He did a great job of covering Benson running up the middle on a 7-on-7, and had some great pass breakups. The ball was thrown a little slower and a little further than Benson, but it was still an impressive show of athleticism.
— Defensive back Quindarius Jones deflected a nice leaping pass to Benson. The ball was thrown high, the two went into the air, and Jones was in front of him on the sideline. Jones was able to match Benson's jump and caught his hand while brushing the ball away.
— Cypress recovered after allowing a long score to Benson. Uiagalelei appeared to be returning the long ball he scored earlier to Poitier. Cypress was able to get a hand in the end zone and save the score.
— The defense couldn't do anything because of Lucas' quickness out of the backfield. Linebacker Justin Cryer was able to get a few stops, but one that stood out was when Lucas hit a hole and dragged it in for a loss before using his speed to get away.
–It shows the camaraderie within the team. Teammates repeatedly picked each other up and encouraged each other, even if the players were lined up on opposite sides. Little Jr. and Benson's bond at Alabama could be witnessed as it didn't matter who won the varsity or whether they picked each other off the turf.
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