Florida State To Be Without At Least Three Starters Against Charleston Southern

The Seminoles will be undermanned on Saturday afternoon with at least four players set to miss the game.

Sep 14, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Marvin Jones Jr. (7) pressures against the Memphis Tigers during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Injuries have decimated the Florida State Seminoles in 2024. A plethora of players on both sides of the ball have suffered season-ending injuries, forcing the coaching staff to go deeper into the roster each weekend.

FSU finds itself shorthanded once again on Saturday afternoon in the Seminole Heritage game against Charleston Southern. According to a program spokesperson, the Seminoles have already ruled out redshirt senior cornerback Fentrell Cypress II, junior defensive end Marvin Jones Jr., redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Jaylen Early, and sophomore safety Conrad Hussey. Cypress II, Jones Jr., and Early were all listed as starters on the depth chart released earlier this week.

NoleGameday Staff Score Predictions: Florida State Seminoles vs. Charleston Southern Buccaneers

Cypress II missed Florida State's loss to Notre Dame earlier this month after being injured the week prior against North Carolina. Despite having two weeks to recover, it appears the veteran defender is still on the mend. Cypress II started in the first nine games of the season and is one of the top-rated defenders on the roster. He's recorded 27 tackles, one tackle for loss, and five pass deflections this year. The Seminoles will likely turn to sophomore Quindarrius Jones, redshirt freshman Ja'Bril Rawls, and redshirt freshman Edwin Joseph to dispel Cypress II's snaps.

Jones Jr. started in his first nine appearances before coming off the bench in the loss to the Fighting Irish, it's unclear if that decision was injury-related or not. He's played a career-high in snaps this season, totaling 23 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble. The Seminoles will likely turn to redshirt senior Sione Lolohea in his absence.

Early's growth has been a nice surprise for the Seminoles as he's the second-highest graded player on offense while playing 309 snaps, top-10 on the unit. He's made eight appearances, with six starts this season. Early has started at right tackle and right guard along with coming off the bench at left tackle. Redshirt junior TJ Ferguson was listed as a co-starter with Early so it's expected he'll step in at right guard this weekend.

Hussey made a trio of starts in September but most of his snaps have come on special teams since then. He's taken a step back during his sophomore season and is among the lowest-graded defenders on the team. Hussey has totaled 18 tackles in ten appearances. The Seminoles will likely continue to rely on the starting combination of Shyheim Brown and KJ Kirkland while sprinkling in Earl Little Jr. and Ashlynd Barker in the back end.

NoleGameday will also be looking out for players such as running back Kam Davis, running back Roydell Williams, offensive tackle Robert Scott, and linebacker Justin Cryer during pregame warmups.

Florida State and Charleston Southern are scheduled to kick off at 1:30 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

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READ MORE: Charleston Southern Embracing 'Us Against The World' Mentality In Road Game At FSU

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