Linebackers making huge strides
Florida State’s Chris Marve has been pleased with what he’s seen out of his linebackers group during preseason camp. It’s been a far cry from what the second-year coach endured during the uncertainty that surrounded last season with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“One thing that I think football players and coaches for that matter benefit from is structure,” said Marve. “Last year, we didn’t have any of that, and because of that. … sometimes you would find yourself still teaching some of the fundamental aspects of the game and the position.
“Whereas this year, you’re on level two and level three and hopefully you continue to grow in that way so guys not only understand what we’re trying to get done from a fundamental standpoint but also understand the bigger picture.”
With the Seminoles able to take advantage of a full winter conditioning program as well as spring and fall camps, the team has found itself in a much better situation heading into this season than it did in 2020. It’s led to a noticeable difference among the coaches and players, particularly at the linebacker position.
“It’s a whole different atmosphere this year,” said redshirt freshman linebacker DJ Lundy. “We’re just so close. … If somebody makes a play, the whole defense celebrates. It’s just that brotherhood that FSU should be.”
Lundy is among 13 linebackers on the FSU roster this season with most of the group (11) comprised of underclassmen. While redshirt senior Emmett Rice and redshirt junior DeCalon Brooks are the only upperclassmen, that doesn’t mean the group is without experience.
Stephen Dix Jr., Kalen DeLoach and Jaleel McCrae were among 23 Seminoles to earn their first career start last season with DeLoach, Lundy and Jaylon McCluster all seeing significant playing time due to depth issues. That experience is paying off as the team works to build its rotation heading into this season.
“We’re playing with some two linebacker systems and three linebacker systems and one linebacker systems. We’re trying to get it all ready,” said defensive coordinator Adam Fuller.
“I think ideally you would like to be able to say everybody in the position room knows how to play every single position flawlessly and can go out and be the perfect quintessential example of a linebacker,” Marve explained. “But that’s not always the case so what you want to do is be smart and be able to supplement the strengths of the guy that you’re playing next to.”
Amari Gainer, who led the team with 65 tackles this season, has impressed the coaching staff with his versatility.
“Amari has come along and we’re trying to put him in the right situations to make sure that he can rush the passer when we need him to rush the passer. He can play man coverage when we needed to do that and he can play inside the box. So, he’s getting those reps there,” Fuller said.
“Amari is a grinder,” Marve added. “Whatever we put in front of him, he will try to figure it out and process and work in the best way he can and reach his full capacity.”
Dix found himself thrown into the mix as a true freshman but the Orlando native is using those growing pains as motivation to improve on a season in which he recorded 44 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in nine games.
“I just use those mistakes that I made and that frustration that I had from last year from just not knowing what I’m supposed to do and just trying to figure it out on the jump,” Dix said. “… I keep
making strides but I know that there’s stuff in the past that I’ve done wrong that I can still learn from it and keep going as a linebacker and as a leader.”
Another player that’s caught the attention of coaches for the steps he’s made this offseason has been DeLoach.
“He’s a young man who’s grown up,” Marve said of the redshirt sophomore. “Being a part of the program now for the second year, he’s matured in a lot of ways not just as a football player and understanding the game but also as a young man away from the field.
“You can see flying around and he’s playing with great confidence, he’s communicating. He’s respected by his teammates and I think it all stemmed from the work that he put in this offseason.”
Lundy is another player who has benefited from a return to normalcy throughout the offseason.
“He played meaningful snaps last year but then got banged up and again miss some practice time,” Fuller said. “It seemed like he was playing more in games than he was in practice which is never good for a freshman.”
“I’m a lot more comfortable than I was last year just knowing the schemes,” added Lundy. “Just knowing the little things and knowing how the defense works together and knowing how I’m supposed to fit in to help my teammate. I would say it’s been a huge, big gain in my development this year over the summer and spring.”
FSU added some more depth with the addition of freshman Jordan Eubanks and transfer Cortez Andrews, a graduate of nearby Amos P. Godby High who arrived after spending two seasons at Maryland.
“He’s been a young man that I’ve been I’ve been impressed with,” Marve said of Andrews. “He’s come in, he’s made a name for himself, just working his behind off, keeping his mouth closed and trying to be the best version of himself.”
“I would say for me I’m a physical linebacker I love contact I love coming down here making plays I love filling gaps,” Andrews said of his style of play.