Wednesday Practice Observations For Florida State Prior To Memphis

Another good day from Hykeem Williams as preparations continue for FSU's game against Memphis.

Florida State football players take part in drills during an FSU spring football practice of the 2023 season on Thursday, April 6, 2023 in Doak Campbell Stadium. Hykeem Williams / Ehsan Kassim/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK

Florida State was back at practice on a rainy Wednesday morning as preparations continued for a non-conference clash against Memphis on Saturday. For the second straight day, the energy seemed to be rising following a well-timed BYE week that could help the Seminoles find their groove.

Head coach Mike Norvell said earlier this week that he wanted his team to enjoy the game and players have echoed as much as far as getting back to having fun on the field. I think the best way to describe it is that the Seminoles practiced like they were playing freely whether than letting the pressure of starting 0-2 affect them more than it already has.

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Following the day, Norvell noted that he liked the ownership and investment he saw on the field from Florida State.

NoleGameday was in attendance for the entire session and we jotted down some observations from multiple position groups. The Seminoles won't hold another open practice before their next game on Saturday afternoon.

— I was sweating bullets walking into practice this morning, worried that I'd potentially thrown Ryan Fitzgerald off his groove after my proclomation in Tuesday's practice report. That wasn't the case as Fitzgerald was perfect in live kicks once again, making field goals from 28 yards (x2) and 43 yards. Jake Weinberg connected from 43 yards out.

— Clean reps from the kick return and punt return units despite dealing with wet conditions and wind. FSU hasn't muffed many kicks in recent memory (knock on wood).

OFFENSE:

— I thought DJ Uiagalelei was reading the field well and you could recognize his eyes searching for the right decision throughout the day. He connected on consecutive passes to Lawrance Toafili and Kyle Morlock early on. Morlock made a tough catch on the play, snagging a pass despite contested and tight coverage.

— Brock Glenn got loose a few different times on the ground. He found a wide-open Samuel Singleton out of the backfield for a touchdown in the red zone. In general, it felt like an inconsistent day as far as ball placement.

— Once again, Luke Kromenhoek found his stride at times on Wednesday. He seemed to settle in after a throw on the move to Brian Courtney where he out the ball in a really good spot. Kromenhoek followed that up with a short completion before a deep shot to Lawayne McCoy that hit the true freshman in stride. Probably the pass of the day in my opinion. Kromenhoek finished off the day by finding McCoy with another accurate pass that allowed the wide receiver to make a play after the catch.

— Roydell Williams pulled off a shifty move early in practice that helped him create extra room on a long run. The move drew some oohs and aahs from the offense.

— Another good practice for Hykeem Williams before his expected season debut on Saturday. He ran a polished route for a catch against Azareye'h Thomas in 1-on-1's. Williams fought off a press for a reception on the sideline earlier in the drill. His athleticism and catch radius were on full display with a grab above his head later in the day. I'm interested to see what he can do on game day.

— In general, the wide receivers showed up in a big way and there weren't many balls that hit the ground. Deuce Spann had a pair of plays that stood out, one which resulted in catch over the middle after a nice route and the other being a vertical grab in the end zone that led to a celebration by the offense. Jalen Brown, Darion Williamson, Kentron Poitier, and Malik Benson all had grabs in 1-on-1's.

— Jalen Brown was among the wide receivers who rose above the pack. He came up with a tough diving grab in the middle of practice. His speed and athleticism were evident throughout the day.

— BJ Gibson flashed as well with a tough catch in 7-on-7 where he turned back to snag a pass in traffic. He's stood out on the scout team for the last couple of weeks.

DEFENSE:

— Note from our man Tommy Mire, who was observing a different portion of practice than me. Linebacker Justin Cryer picked off a pass and recovered a fumble. Ashlynd Barker ended up with an interception in the same period. Ricky Knight III also forced a turnover, getting in the right spot for a pick.

— Patrick Payton and Darrell Jackson flashed along the defensive line. Payton was playing with violence and had multiple sacks. Jackson stimmied up a run in the red zone after swiftly getting to a running back.

— Byron Turner Jr. also was consistently putting pressure on the quarterback. He forced Luke Kromenhoek to throw a ball into the dirt after quickly working around an offensive tackle.

— Ja'Bril Rawls came away with an athletic pass deflection in the end zone.

— An early deflection by Earl Little Jr. prevented a touchdown in a last-minute situation.

— DeMarco Ward deflected a pass over the middle that had a chance at resulting in a score if he didn't get his hands on it.

— Walk-on linebacker AJ Cottrill brought down DJ Uiagalelei for a tackle for loss.

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