Florida State football participated in its second and final scrimmage of the spring season on Saturday.
While the scrimmage concluded, FSU head coach Mike Norvell spoke to the media after detailing the scrimmage and his overall thoughts.
Norvell said the Seminoles ran 115 to 120 plays and continued a “more game-like sequence.” Here are the biggest takeaways from Nobel's thoughts on the second scrimmage.
DJ Uiagalelei leads the attack.
In the Seminoles' first scrimmage, the quarterback's play was lackluster, and Norvell talked about how many missed opportunities the offense had.
But he had some good things to say about freshman Luke Kromenhook.
Another rookie took center stage Saturday, and his strong performance gave some meaning heading into the regular season.
Norvell said DJ Uiagalelei really took command of the offense, calling it “one of his best days.”
“He had some good days in spring practice, but he played at a very high level today,” Norvell said. “You could see the confidence behind the ball. You could tell he was in control of what he wanted to do today.”
Implementing the playbook is a major focus and, at times, a concern for FSU's offense.
Uiagalelei said he relies on sophomore quarterback Brock Glenn to help him learn the Seminoles' offense.
Saturday's performance showed that the likely starting quarterback at FSU is beginning to settle into his role in the backfield.
“We've been very aggressive with our equipment, so we're throwing a lot at him,” Norvell said. “We like his responses and reactions, and it’s exciting to see his progress.”
We are confident in our offensive line, but there is still work to be done.
Throughout spring practice, the defense had the upper hand.
It's not unusual for the defense to jump early, but the constant pressure and coverage forced the offense to catch up.
Coach Norvell said that while the offensive line still needs improvement, he likes this group.
In the scrimmage, the O-line played a key role in producing big plays on the ground and giving the quarterback enough time to make decisions.
“I thought the O-line could create some explosive run opportunities, especially in the run game,” Norvell said. “Obviously the quarterback had time to distribute the ball and was able to put together some good drives.”
“We have a good group up front. Every day is a challenge, with good times and good times, but there are still some things we have to improve on.”
One of the biggest contributors to the offensive line's success at the line of scrimmage was running back Lawrence Toafili. Norvell said he has had some big runs and has really grown as a player since his performance in the ACC Championship Game in December.
At a time when FSU's offense was sluggish in the ACC Championship Game, Toafili had a breakout performance, rushing for 118 yards and scoring the only touchdown of the game.
“We limited him today in the scrimmage, but he made his point,” Norvell said on Tuafiri. “He made some good runs, plays and caught the ball. He's much better than he was at any point last season.”
Norvell wants his receivers to step up to the challenge.
FSU's wide receiver play hasn't been all that remarkable this spring.
The introduction of the playbook resulted in several drops during practice, which is one of the biggest reasons why the offense was slower to take off compared to the defense.
The room underwent major changes in the offseason, with Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson departing for the NFL Draft. Therefore, Nobel was left with the question, “Who will step up?”
“I tell them what you see is what you want,” Nobel said. “If you miss an opportunity, you won’t be consistent.” [play] That means you have to seize the moment and seize the opportunity. ”
“There's an open door and an opportunity, but what are you going to do with it?”
Norvell still likes the “talent and ability” in the wide receiver room, but it's all about who steps up.
Young players like LaWayne McCoy and Camdon Fryer made big plays, but Norvell said nothing is easy in FSU's wide receiver room.
Jack Williams covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at jwilliams@tallahassee.com or his X @jackgwilliams.
