Spring camp a start in search for new identity
In the three-plus months since Florida State wrapped up the 2020 football season, coach Mike Norvell has seen firsthand tremendous growth from his team. Through winter conditioning drills, weight room sessions and the grueling Tour of Duty workouts, Norvell witnessed the Seminoles become a more confident group.
“How they walk through the door,” Norvell said of the change in his team. “When you know challenges are in front of you, I think the mindset of how you approach those challenges — there’s a sense of excitement in the opportunity to have to work through it.
“The way the guys walk through the door at 6 a.m., when they know it’s going to be a challenging hour ahead, to do it with a smile on their face or with an edge and with an intensity.”
FSU is coming off one of its most challenging seasons, one that saw the Seminoles struggle with the growing pains associated with a young team and the extra burden of playing through a pandemic.
Norvell’s first season was a nightmare as the inexperience coupled with a lack of in-person development due to cancellation of the majority of spring camp and all of the summer workouts, setting back the team. All in all, it led to a disappointing 3-6 campaign, the worst since 1975.
“I’ve never missed spring ball more than I missed it over this last year,” Norvell said. “I truly believe that in spring it’s such a critical part of the year in establishing that identity. We missed out on that.”
So when FSU takes the field to open spring camp Tuesday, the Seminoles do so with the hopes of establishing an identity.
“Every one of these practices is going to be critical — the physical development, the physicality, the understanding of concepts and schemes and to be able to get guys to play together,” Norvell said. “As I said, the identity that’s formed throughout this spring is going to be critical.”
Florida State opened last season with a roster composed mostly of underclassmen and only 13 seniors.
Norvell and his staff turned to the transfer portal to reshape the Seminoles roster, adding valuable experience and much-needed depth at key positions. Of the eight players signed during the offseason, six came from Power Five programs and the group combined for 145 career starts.
Many of those graduate transfers already on campus have made an immediate impact.
“I think all of those guys — we knew what we were getting just through the film that we’ve been able to watch,” Norvell said. “Who they are and the fit that they are for Florida State and what we’re trying to do, it’s been remarkable.”
While there’s some uncertainty whether former UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton can return to form after suffering a horrific knee injury in 2018, his presence in the locker room already has given the Seminoles a boost of confidence.
FSU bolstered its defense with a handful of transfers led by former South Carolina defensive tackle Keir Thomas, along with safety Jammie Robinson (South Carolina), linebacker Jermaine Johnson (Georgia) and cornerbacks Brandon Moore (UCF) and Jarques McClellion (Arkansas).
Norvell also added some much-needed athleticism as part of the 2021 recruiting class, which featured six 4-star prospects headlined by a pair of speedy receivers in Malik McClain and Destyn Hill.
Even though it’s early in the process, Norvell is pleased with where his team is heading into the start of camp.
“Are we a finished product through two months? No. There’s going to be some adversity that’s going to show up here Tuesday on the practice field,” Norvell said. “Their mindset has been good; it’s been a positive approach among the team and the teammates. It’s been great to see.”