Sweat urges ’Noles to push themselves
TALLAHASSEE — Josh Sweat is not looking far for motivation this spring.
While the Florida State football team was able to turn a poor start into a 10-win season in 2016, Sweat is using the shortcomings he and his teammates suffered last season to fuel his performance.
During the first spring practice on March 8, Sweat insisted on running as hard as he could to send a distinct message.
“We lost by a little bit, [and] sometimes a lot, but when it really mattered, we didn’t pull through,” Sweat said of FSU’s 10-3 campaign last season. “Some of the bad habits started in practice. It’s easier to say it, but we need to work on some of those things.”
Without defensive end Demarcus Walker, who ranked second in the nation with 16.5 sacks as a senior last season, Sweat is taking the onus on himself to lead FSU’s group of defensive ends.
The Seminoles boast a talented group of players in former five-star prospects Sweat, sophomore Brian Burns and newcomer Joshua Kaindoh. Redshirt sophomore Jalen Wilkerson and redshirt freshman Janarius Robinson are also in the mix for playing time next season.
“To be honest, if it doesn’t go well in our group, I don’t think we can get it done this year,” Sweat said succinctly. “[I’ve] got to move up to that leadership role.”
Sweat is often reminded of the bad habit he exhibited during FSU’s loss to North Carolina last season.
As former North Carolina walk-on Thomas Jackson scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Sweat and linebacker Matthew Thomas were lackadaisically running behind the play.
The “loafing,” as Jimbo Fisher referred to it, led to the Seminoles signing promise letters to give more effort for the program after FSU started last season with two losses in its first five games.
Sweat did not want the same poor habits to carry over to his teammates this spring.
“I came out here the first day and started to run out to the ball and everybody just followed,” he said.
“Everybody wasn’t doing it at first, and I made sure I was the one doing it. That’s the reason we lost — I’m just going to flat out say it. But everybody gets on the same page when they see it.”
Sweat was hampered by a meniscus injury last season, but finished with 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in his last three games.
He had 7.0 sacks and 41 tackles in 10 starts.
This spring, Sweat is nursing a surgically repaired finger treated for torn ligaments.
While Sweat admits he is not the most vocal player, he is taking on a greater role by counseling teammates privately and pushing himself on the practice field.
He hopes his effort will spark better performances by the Seminoles next season. The Seminoles returned to practice Monday after a 10-day spring break, participating in its fourth of 15 practices before their annual spring game on April 8 in Doak Campbell Stadium.
Fisher said FSU will have its first spring scrimmage on March 27.
Kaindoh returned to practice after suffering a hamstring injury during the first day of spring practice on March 6.
Several Seminoles who missed the first week of spring practice in some capacity were still out, including receiver
(ankle), cornerback
(shoulder), safety (foot), offensive linemen (knee) and redshirt junior (hip), and sophomore safety (hip). Four-star quarterback
(Orlando Olympia), four-star offensive tackle
(Apopka) and three-star offensive tackles
(Orlando Dr. Phillips) were among several Central Florida high school prospects on FSU’s campus watching the Seminoles practice during unofficial visits.
Gainesville three-star running back
who is committed to Florida State’s 2018 recruiting class, reportedly visited the Florida Gators’ spring football practice on Monday.