Monday Practice Observations For Florida State Prior To Duke

The Noles took to the Dunlap Practice Facility on Monday for an energetic practice.

Apr 20, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Kam Davis (3) during the Spring Showcase at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Florida State Seminoles are set to take on Duke this Friday after an unfavorable 1-5 start to the season. 2024 has been an eye-opener, to say the least, as the 'Noles look to get back on track. While their record has been tarnished, there are still bright spots for a team that had ACC championship repeat expectations entering the year.

What felt different about the team on Monday? The offense was actually clicking at times. Forms of leadership from veterans like running back Lawrance Toafili and wide receiver Ja'Khi Douglas flashed and the freshmen movement that has been slowly trickling in on the depth chart showed promise.

READ MORE: Florida State Releases Depth Chart For Friday Night Game At Duke

But let's be honest. This is a team that has only won a single game all season, so I can't sit here and tell you that everything is fixed. There are issues on both sides of the ball that still need to be corrected; however, the morale and heartbeat of the team showed up on Monday for perhaps one of the better practices all year.

NoleGameday was in attendance for the entire session and we took some notes and observations from multiple position groups. The Seminoles return to practice on Tuesday morning.

OFFENSE:

— The blend of underclassmen and seniors became apparent when Toafili corrected wide receiver Elijah Moore on his footing before a play that would've resulted in a penalty. After he told him to move to the correct part of the line of scrimmage, quarterback Brock Glenn found him for a big first-down gain during team drills.

— Glenn was also able to breath life into the offense during their two minute drill. While the defense stood tall, there was one play in particular that stood out. Defensive lineman Darrell Jackson batted down a pass but Glenn was able to catch it and find running back Sam Singleton coming out of the flat for a first down.

— Freshman kicker Jake Weinberg was perfect on the day making attempts from 28, 44, and the 20-yard line.

— Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jalen Brown had an up-and-down day, starting with big gains from passes by Luke Kromenhoek but at times seemed inconsistent, dropping catchable throws against the scout team. A lot of the chemistry building from Kromenhoek could be seen and the former 4-star had great ball placement at times as he continues to grow into his potential.

— Wide receiver Hykeem Williams had a few big receptions, and Moore, alongside Amaree Williams, seems to be picking up the offense and proving to be a reliable target. BJ Gibson was also another player who stood out as a sure-handed receiver making big plays in one-on-ones against some of the older defensive backs.

— Running back Kam Davis flashed and showed his grit in team drills. Safety Shyheim Brown came down out of coverage in run support, and Davis bulldozed him up the middle for around a 10-yard gain, leaving Brown on his back. Davis has all the tools physically as a freshman to start and make an impact; it’s a matter of getting things right up front before you start to see his explosiveness.

— Some of the chirpiness on offense came from wide receiver Malik Benson in one-on-ones. After getting pressed off the line of scrimmage, he was able to get into a crossing route against Azareye'h Thomas for an easy completion. The skill position players on offense as a whole stood out the most in that portion of practice, as the quarterbacks and receivers seemed to be on the same page. The young quarterbacks' continued progression in ball placement was promising, but not without their flaws.

DEFENSE:

— Going back to the two-minute drill, Kevin Knowles II added another batted pass near the line of scrimmage. He also was able to snag a one handed interception from Glenn on an intermediate pass to Ja'khi Douglas.

— While transfer linebacker Shawn Murphy is "coming along", according to Mike Norvell and Adam Fuller, he did stand out during teams. He had a tackle for loss on Singleton, which was a good play, but it looked more like the lineman was double-teamed up front and was unaware or unable to pick up the blitz on the outside.

— Another interception on the day came from defensive back Fentrell Cypress II in the red zone. Douglas was coming across the middle and Cypress was able to hone in, close the throwing window, and make the play.

— Defensive back Edwin Joseph came down with an interception and some of the quarterback's decision making, although at practice, was questionable. Defensive back Ashlynd Barker had a nice pass breakup from Kromenhoek thrown into triple coverage. Those types of mistakes usually end up in turnovers during the game and will be something that needs to be ironed out.

— Byron Turner Jr. and Omar Graham Jr. had a big tackle for loss during team but, as the day progressed, would let the speedy freshman Michai Danzy get past for big gains.

— Transfer DB Davonte Brown had a near interception in team drills and had he not tripped over wide receiver Darion Williamson, it likely would've gone the other way.

To summarize the practice, there are young players stepping up and older guys proving why they are where they are on the team. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad, to say the least. There were plays being made on both sides of the ball, along with teamwork and leadership. There are still some things that need to be cleaned up before this weekend's matchup against Duke, but I'm feeling better about where the team is now than I did two weeks ago.

---

READ MORE: Florida State Releases 12 'Notes To Know' For Road Game Against Duke

Stick with NoleGameday for more FREE coverage of Florida State Football Throughout the 2024 Season

Follow NoleGameday on and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

More Florida State News

•  Florida State's Alex Atkins Discusses Offensive Ineptitude

•  Adam Fuller Takes Full Responsibility for FSU's Defensive Struggles

• FSU Football Drops Out Of Top 50 In ESPN SP+ Rankings

• FSU Football's Mike Norvell Recaps Brock Glenn's Performance Against Clemson