FSU football ramps up for first spring scrimmage

Mike Norvell is ready to “ramp up” Florida State football’s spring practices ahead of the Seminoles first scrimmage of the offseason.

Norvell and the Seminoles returned to the practice fields after a week off for spring break on Tuesday, March 24. The practice was described as “good” by the Seminoles’ head coach, and he said the coaching staff wanted to “stress the mind” in the first practice back.

FSU did more installation and third-down work ahead of the first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, March 28.

“I like where it is. Today, we pushed a heavier install. Probably won’t be as much on Thursday, I want guys to really refine things that we’ve been doing,” Norvell said in his post-practice press conference on Tuesday.

“Come Saturday, it’s your time to go play. I want them to be able to go out there, play smart, and play fast. See the physicality that they have and the relentlessness when they step on that field and go to get the job done. It will definitely ramp up as this week continues to unfold.”

It will be the first of three scrimmages for the program in the offseason. With no spring game, these Saturday intersquad scrimmages are the coaching staff’s first opportunity to evaluate the over 50 new players brought into the program in a game-like setting.

One area that will be key is the quarterback position. Ashton Daniels transferred from Auburn, and he comes in as the likely starter, but promising rising sophomore Kevin Sperry showed flashes in his freshman year that could open doors if Daniels falters.

Early signs from those within the program indicate that Daniels has met, if not exceeded, expectations early in the spring. Norvell said both players have handled things well and he’s “excited about their progress.”

“We grade everything… I want to see the production. As we go through it, you can say that you know it, but is that showing up with confidence, rhythm, ball location, with reads in the run game?” Norvell said. “Both of those guys, you can see the investment of time they are spending from the mental aspect of it, now it’s just the consistency aspect of it with the physical.

We’ve seen some really high output of success. Making sure the ball is where it needs to be, giving guys opportunities… There is still areas where we may be half a second slow.”

How the pair dissects and fares against Tony White’s defense in the scrimmage will be important for both players.

Rylan Kennedy, a defensive edge transfer from Texas A&M, will be one of the challenges the quarterbacks and the Seminoles offense as a whole have to navigate. FSU reworked its defense and feels like the players better fit White’s 3-3-5 scheme this season, with the first test of that coming in the scrimmage.

“No overthinking, not everybody is perfect. I tell myself that, and I tell the young guys that all the time. Just think of it as another day,” Kennedy said of his mindset going into the scrimmage.”During the scrimmage, you are going to see me work hard. Get to the QB, play the run, do everything.”

FSU 2026 football schedule

• vs. New Mexico State | Aug. 29
• vs. SMU* | Sept. 7
• Bye
• at Alabama | Sept. 19
• vs. Central Arkansas | Sept. 26
• vs. Virginia* | Oct. 3
• at Louisville* | Oct. 9
• at Miami* | Oct. 17
• Bye
• vs. Clemson* | Oct. 31
• at Boston College* | Nov. 7
• at Pittsburgh* | Nov. 13
• vs. NC State* | Nov. 21
• vs. Florida | Nov. 27

Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football spring practice ramps up ahead of scrimmage