Miscues slow ’Noles as they push pace

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State’s first scrimmage of spring practice was sloppy at times, littered with false starts and players lining up out of position offensively.

But new Seminoles coach Willie Taggart remains encouraged his team will continue to improve with less than two weeks left during spring practice.

“The tempo is not where I want it at, but it’s getting there,” Taggart said Monday, recapping FSU’s scrimmage Saturday.

“I thought our defense probably got the best of our offense. We had a situational scrimmage to put our guys in some tough situations offensively and defensively, and seeing if they could get themselves out of it.

“I thought really early in the scrimmage, our defense really got after the offense. But it was good to see toward the end, the offense started to pick it up and make some plays.”

As Taggart aims to implement his Gulf Coast offense designed to push the pace offensively, he said the scrimmage was “messy” with typical mistakes he expects from players.

Sophomore quarterback James Blackman threw “a couple of touchdowns,” Taggart said.

Overall, Taggart was most bothered by the offense’s knack for false starts and lining up out of position.

“The key now is to make the improvement from the scrimmage,” Taggart said. “The things you hate as a coach are the false starts, not lining up right – all the things you can control. I want our guys to be better at that. You can’t play this game if you don’t even give yourself a chance to start with false starts and lining up wrong. So, we got to get better than that.”

Offensive lineman Derrick Kelly said the players are still adjusting to Taggart’s preferred tempo.

But both Kelly and sophomore cornerback Stanford Samuels III said the Seminoles were “flying around and moving” during the scrimmage.

“It’s just getting used to going fast all the time,” said Kelly, a redshirt senior who started all 13 games last season and 19 overall before Taggart was hired.

“The tempo has definitely changed. It’s more of a quicker-pace offense.”

During Monday’s practice open to media, Taggart had a watchful eye on his offensive linemen, observing as position coach Greg Frey instructed his group while giving advice to some players when necessary.

Taggart hopes his linemen can continue getting in better physical shape to sustain the pace he wants the Seminoles to play with this season.

“They’re learning, but it’s fast tempo up front. It’s all contact all the time. It’s important that those guys are in shape. And they’re learning to be in football shape,” Taggart said.

“It’s totally different than just going and running laps or running gassers. You have to go out and go fast and then you have to be physical getting off the ball with people. That’s a learning process that those guys have had to do. They’re learning that but also trying to learn the plays, too.”

Taggart shared some praise for Blackman, who led the first team offense with redshirt freshman Bailey Hockman in charge of the second team. Redshirt junior Deondre Francois (left knee) has been limited to individual drills and 7-on-7 play. He is being held out of 11-on-11 action this spring.

“I love the way James competes,” Taggart said of Blackman. “He threw a couple touchdowns in the scrimmage. You always like that. Just managing the offense, making quick, good decisions — James is coming along. He’s such a competitor and a guy that always wants to do it right. He’s become a really good leader and again just continues to be more efficient with the offense and taking what the defense gives us.”

While Taggart knows he was harping about minor issues like false starts and being out of position, the “minor things that cause big problems,” he said.

If all goes well this spring, the Seminoles will be better equipped to play at the pace Taggart expects this summer and fall in preparation for the 2018 season.

“I loved the way our guys compete,” Taggart said. “Even though things wouldn’t necessarily go the way we wanted to at times, they competed and it was real back and forth. They made plays that we needed them to make. Our guys are competing and getting better.”