Transfer Emmanuel brings experience to offensive line

As a sixth-year senior D’Mitri Emmanuel has seen it all when it comes to college football.

That includes a multitude of coaching changes during his five seasons at Charlotte, where the 6-foot-2, 300-pound offensive lineman played for six different offensive line coaches. As challenging as it may have been, , Emmanuel eventually understood it was nothing personal.

“It’s the business of college football,” he said. “When I was young, I didn’t understand why coaches would come in and just leave. They have a job to do, and they have goals and aspirations themselves.

“It was definitely challenging early in my career, but it was something I got adjusted to.”

With each new coach, Emmanuel learned something new and took that with him.

“I love all the coaches I’ve had a chance to play for, and they have all ... taught me a lot of good things about the game,” Emmanuel said.

One of those coaches was Alex Atkins, who spent the 2019 season with Emmanuel and the 49ers before moving to Florida State, where he would become offensive line coach and eventually co-offensive coordinator.

That connection convinced the North Carolina native to reunite with his former coach as a graduate transfer with the Seminoles.

“I was just looking to be challenged and come to a program with a lot of tradition, especially this being my last year,” Emmanuel said. “I felt like it was the right decision for me to come here and be with a coach that I’ve ended up playing with before and do whatever I can to make this team better.

“He’s the guy who will push you on the field and off the field. He really cares for you.”

Emmanuel becomes the third offensive line transfer to join the program this season, along with Kayden Lyles (Wisconsin) and Bless Harris (Lamar). He joins a group that features returning starters Dillan Gibbons, Darius Washington and Maurice Smith, promising backups in Thomas Shrader, Zane Herring, Bryson Estes and newcomers Kanaya Charlton and Daughtry Richardson.

The offensive line has been a point of emphasis for FSU, particularly under thirdyear coach Mike Norvell and Atkins. The Seminoles were one of the worst pass-protection teams from 2018-20.

Emmanuel knew about Florida State as a casual fan, but he learned much more by visiting the campus.

“Florida State is a program that’s been winning for a long time,” Emmanuel said. “You see it on TV. I wasn’t too familiar with a lot of the stuff that goes on here, but when you just come to the Florida State campus, you feel they love football here.

“It has a lot of tradition and a lot of great players have played here, gone to NFL and done a lot of good things. You see the family type of vibe here.”

Experience and leadership are what Seminoles fans can expect to see out of Emmanuel, who started 24 consecutive games at tackle and guard between 201921. While he isn’t sure what position he’ll wind up playing, he is looking forward to helping the team out.

“I feel like offensive line is a developmental position,” Emmanuel said. “When I was a young player, you made mistakes and stuff, but you have to make those mistakes to grow. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career and I’ve learned from them.

“I love offensive line. It’s a skill and a craft, and I love playing the position.”