Sweat enters season with relaxed mindset Testaverde transferring from Miami

TALLAHASSEE — Defensive end Josh Sweat was once considered the No. 1 player in the country before he dislocated his left knee and tore his ACL during his senior season at Oscar F. Smith High School in Virginia.

After joining Florida State in 2015, recovering from his injuries in less than a year to play and start in 13 games of his freshman season, Sweat had minor surgery to trim his meniscus in the same knee in September of his sophomore season with the Seminoles.

While Sweat could not practice as much and his conditioning slightly suffered due to the surgery, he regrouped to end last season with seven sacks in his final eight games, showing the potential he could offer the Seminoles’ defense during his college career.

As No. 3 Florida State prepares for its highly anticipated 2017 season opener against No. 1 Alabama in Atlanta on Sept. 2, Sweat is entering his junior season with a better mindset.

“I think he just started relaxing more,” said Sweat’s father, William Washington.

“There’s been a lot of pressure on him since he walked through that door — which nobody put on him, but him. He was afraid to make mistakes. He wasn’t playing comfortably. …

“I think when he got toward the end [of last season], he was just like, ‘I’m going to play.’ And when he does that, he doesn’t even know what he’s capable of doing when he just relaxes and plays. He started having more fun toward the end — that’s what I saw. He seemed a little happier.”

As FSU strives for its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship and College Football Playoff semifinals berth since 2014, the Seminoles hope Sweat can continue maturing into the player that earned top billing as a high school recruit.

Sweat will anchor FSU’s defensive line alongside fourth-year tackles Derrick Nnadi and Demarcus Christmas while trying to race sophomore defensive end Brian Burns to opposing quarterbacks this season.

Ideally, Sweat would have entered his junior season with aspirations of putting the final touches on a standout career with eyes on the 2018 NFL draft.

But Sweat’s focus, at this point in his career, should be centered squarely being healthy, taking care of his body and mind and competing, FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said earlier this preseason.

“I think he’s just maturing,” Washington said. “He was 17 when he went to Florida State. Just because he’s huge, everybody sees him and [says,] ‘You’re an adult.’ Now, he’s coming into his own body. He understands what [the coaches] want from him, and what the team wants from him.”

Washington said: “He’s been working hard all summer, getting bigger and stronger. He’s excited about getting started. He’s really looking forward to get the games going.”

CORAL GABLES — He arrived at Miami hoping to create his own path as a Hurricane even while wearing his father’s retired No. 14.

But after never playing a down as a Hurricane and falling in the depth chart during camp, QB Vincent Testaverde has decided to transfer from Miami, the school announced on Thursday.

“Vincent approached me this morning and indicated that he felt like he would have more opportunities for playing time at another program,” Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said in a statement. “We wish him all the best in his future plans.” Testaverde, the son of Miami legend and Heisman winner Vinny Testaverde, is the second Hurricanes quarterback to transfer in the last eight months. Jack Allison left the team after spring practice. Last season, he battled for the Hurricanes’ backup QB job behind starter Brad Kaaya, a job that eventually went to Malik Rosier.

This year, Testaverde was almost an afterthought in Miami’s quarterback race, rarely earning time with the first-team offense while Rosier, redshirt sophomore Evan Shirreffs, freshmen N’Kosi Perry and Cade Weldon battled for the starting job.

On Tuesday, Richt named Rosier the starter, Shirreffs set to take the No. 2 spot on the depth ahead of Perry and Weldon.

Next game: No. 18 Miami vs. Bethune-Cookman, Sept.2, 12:30 p.m., ACC Regional Sports Network

Christy Cabrera Chirinos with chart