Florida State vs. Louisville: Tuesday Practice Observations For The Seminoles

Conference championship week is underway in Tallahassee for the first time in nine years.

This week brings something new to head coach Mike Norvell and Florida State as the program is preparing for its first appearance in the ACC Championship game in nine years. Coming off a physical rivalry game against the Gators where the Seminoles had to fight for a victory, there was plenty of energy and enthusiasm as the team returned to practice on Tuesday morning.

Head coach Mike Norvell seemed happy with the effort that FSU brought to the field despite chilly temperatures in Tallahassee. With the importance of these games late in the season, the practice reports will be slightly less detailed moving forward to prevent any competitive disadvantages.

Former Gators Defensive Back Outraged After Florida State Adds Florida to 'Sod Cemetery'

NoleGameday was in attendance for the entire session and jotted down some observations from the day.

— Ryan Fitzgerald had a perfect start to the week, connecting on all three of his live attempts from 32, 44, and 45 yards out.

— No NFL teams were spotted at the practice. FSU is limiting the number of eyes around the program this week, similar to how they operated during the practices leading up to Miami and Florida.

OFFENSE:

— Tate Rodemaker was sharp during 1-on-1's as he connected on a tight pass to Joshua Burrell before hitting Darion Williamson near the sideline. He came back with a contested throw over the middle that was pulled in by Destyn Hill as the defensive back in coverage fell down.

— I thought the most consistent quarterback of the day was probably redshirt freshman AJ Duffy. He had a nice connection with running back CJ Campbell, finding him twice on passes downfield. Late in the day, Duffy tossed a deep shot for Destyn Hill and the wide receiver made a tough catch downfield.

— Brock Glenn consistently drew praise from Norvell for having his eyes in the right spot. It was fun watching him go through his reads and make the right decisions time and time again. There are still true freshman mistakes but the potential is clear as day.

— Wide receiver Johnny Wilson reeled in a pass on the sideline with a toe-tap. Excellent concentration from the big wideout.

— It felt like CJ Campbell had some explosive moments. I mentioned his success through the air but he also had a run up the middle where he hit a hole created by Darius Washington and got up into the secondary.

— Kentron Poitier had a fun vertical catch on the sideline, utilizing his frame and athleticism to come down with the pass.

DEFENSE:

— After flying under the radar throughout the recruiting process, true freshman Quindarrius Jones has consistently popped up during practice early in his career. That's a positive sign for his future with Norvell praising the young cornerback after the session. He pulled down an interception off a pass that was bobbled by a wide receiver and had an athletic pass deflection that had the defense celebrating.

— Coming off a brilliant performance against the Gators, Jared Verse appears to have some momentum moving into conference championship week. He was extra loud from the get-go and had a couple of dominant reps where he was keen to let the offense know about it following the play.

— Shyheim Brown nearly had an interception on Saturday. He made up for the drop with what felt like an easy read and react for a pick while defending a tight end. Brown tossed the ball back at the offensive player in jest while celebrating.

— DJ Lundy had a tackle for loss early in the day.

— The defense put pressure on AJ Duffy and forced him to step up into the pocket. That turned out to be a bad move as Darrell Jackson found him for a sack.

---

READ MORE: Former Florida State Running Back Plans To Enter Transfer Portal For Second Time

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2023 season.

Follow NoleGameday on Twitter and Facebook