Full Comments From Mike Norvell Following Florida State's First Preseason Scrimmage

Norvell details his thoughts on the team's first scrimmage of the preseason.

Florida State held its first scrimmage of the preseason on Sunday night inside Doak Campbell Stadium. After eight promising practices, the exhibition allowed the Seminoles to work under the lights in a more competitive setting as the coaching staff tries to learn more about the roster ahead of the 2023 season.

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Following the scrimmage, head coach Mike Norvell and coordinators addressed the media for roughly an hour. Check out everything Norvell had to say about the scrimmage below.

Opening Statement:

"Good evening, everybody. Back on zoom, the gift that just keeps on giving but it was a good scrimmage tonight. Got probably a little over 100 plays, a lot of different guys, personnel groupings offensively, defensively. I thought the defense came out and started extremely strong in the scrimmage, saw guys flying around, playing fast. making plays. Offense I thought responded well as it continued to go through, but we have got to continue to push our tempo offensively. That's something that in our first scrimmage, coaches are off the field, playing it like a game, definitely something that we've got to get to get better at. Being able to see a lot of different guys, some guys getting their first reps here at Florida State."

"I thought it was a really good evaluation. We had some good plays with guys breaking tackles. Jaheim Bell had a really, really impressive kind of sequence, making guys miss. You've seen it on film, but to be able to see him live and in person was definitely impressive. I thought defensively, the defensive front did a really good job of working to create pressure. I thought our fits in the run game were good for the most part. Did have a couple of missed tackles out on the perimeter. Just things that we've got to get to get better at. I thought we got some really good special teams work and that evaluation. We made that transition a year ago to really get more live work in our scrimmages just to see all four units."

"There were some things that were really good and obviously some things that we'll have to clean up. But it kind of gives a good baseline of where we are at this moment. Heading into this week, there's always gonna be movement after a scrimmage. It was our ninth practice, guys are showing up and the thing that we're looking for is just the consistency. A lot of talented players, newcomers, guys that are pushing for spots and opportunities, but we've got to see the consistency in the execution. All in all, it was a good day. I was really proud of the defense. I can't remember if it was the first or second group got down to the one-yard line, had a big fourth-down stand on the goal line. It was something that we really emphasize, just the mentality if we ever find ourselves down in that situation. I thought they rose up to the occasion and the next drive, the offense got back down there and was able to punch it in. Need to do that each time, but to see the give and take on both sides of the ball."

"Quarterbacks, got to go back and really watch more of it any time you're repping multiple guys. I thought there were some good things from each one of them. Had a couple of them go live for a handful of series and it was good to see them have to go out and operate."

"All in all, I thought it was a productive night. A lot of good film to be able to correct on tomorrow and work to get better here this week."

Competition level in scrimmage compared to practice:

Norvell: "It has to. Ultimately, now you want to see the application of situation. We'll work some series during practice, try to force that, but understanding the situation that you're in throughout the course of the series. Rather than saying, 'Hey, we're working third downs here.' Now, it's as a drive is going on, you've got to be able to play the game throughout in those situations. That was something that I thought was good for our guys."

"That's part of the urgency of what we need to improve on just in our tempo of understanding situations and then obviously being able to tackle. We had everybody rolling and didn't have many guys that were in tag mode. I thought it was good to see, running backs were running hard. They were trying to try to fight for the extra yard, seeing guys have to go to the ground and then some guys that were very difficult to get to the ground. I thought that was a good part of what we were able to do. It's a good foundational level of seeing the first live action for some of these guys, just where they are and things they need to improve on. It was definitely a raised intensity. It needs to be any time, especially anytime we go inside Doak Campbell."

Brock Glenn's performance and progress since getting to campus:

Norvell: "He's a very impressive freshman, just his maturity, I know we talked about it in the spring, the moment never seems too big for him. He was live for some series tonight and did some good things. I thought he handled the good and responded to the negative plays because he had some of those, too. He's always listening, always trying to learn, trying to apply. He's an instinctual player."

"I thought he did a great job throughout the course of the evening. Like I said, I've got to go back and watch all of it to give you a full breakdown of it, but he definitely doesn't act like a freshman. For what we thought we were getting, I mean, he's probably further along. We knew we were getting a really good quarterback, but just his mental maturity and the way that he grasps so many things offensively and just his presence out there is really good."

True freshman DBs in their first scrimmage:

Norvell: "It was good. Those guys, it's a very competitive group. They're talented, they've got great athleticism, playmaking skills. Tonight, I don't believe we had any takeaways tonight as a defense, which is something that offensively we've been harping on so it's a good thing for the offense. But it's something defensively we want to make those impactful plays. Our guys, they were sticky in their coverage. I think you see those guys trying to communicate better."

"They were in the right position for most of the night. There were some opportunities on tackles that we've got to be a little cleaner on, which is what we needed to see from exactly where those guys are. But it's an impressive group. I think they're continuing to play at a high level, especially for being young freshmen. I think a lot of those guys have an opportunity to contribute here this year at some point."

Newcomers like Keon Coleman and Kyle Morlock earning time in the scrimmage:

Norvell: It was good. We've got a pretty good sense before this in the last eight practices of who those guys are. Obviously, Kyle was here in the spring. I thought Kyle had a great night tonight, made some tough catches, really did some good things for us. I think he's going to be a great weapon."

"I think that whole newcomer group, especially some of the offensive skill guys, really are going to help what we're able to do. We've got a lot of playmakers, guys that are learning the offense that are very smart players. It's going to be able to give us quite a bit of versatility in how we want to attack. They're continuing to get better. This is going to be a huge week ahead for our football team and especially for all those guys. To be able to look back at the last nine practices and then we've got to have a great week in our progression as we continue to move forward."

Thoughts on the offensive line and beginning to figure out the starters:

Norvell: "As we get through this next week, we're still going to probably work to mix and match. I usually like getting two weeks to have a pretty good sense of what that first five is going to be. We got a lot of competition. We've had a couple guys that have been out or have been very limited in what we're doing. They practice early, got some good work in. You're trying to do a little bit of maintenance with them, and then we'll get them back here this week. I think the O-line did a solid job tonight. Once again, I got to go and watch the film, but I thought their overall understanding of what we're asking them to do is really good." 

"We've got to continue to work the fundamentals and just the finer details vs. different looks. Making sure that we do have five guys playing as one and being able to take as much pressure off of guys around them by just executing our jobs but I have been pleased with that group. I thought tonight was some solid work, but there's some details and fundamental things that we're going to have to get better at. We’ll still mix and match this week but I know we’re going to get a couple of guys back that really be able to kind of put on display that full group and then we’ll move forward as we get through that second scrimmage."

Thoughts on the running backs:

Norvell: "They [Benson, Toafili] were limited in their rep count because of just their overall experience. But I thought Rodney Hill did some really good things. Caziah Holmes had a couple of really big plays. He got an open field, you see his speed, his toughness, physicality, caught the ball out of the backfield as well. I thought he really showed up well today. CJ Campbell had a really couple of nice plays as well. I feel good about that running back room. We've got five guys that I feel are very, very capable. Bringing along Sam Singleton, he was limited tonight. Got to get him back rolling and be able to keep evaluating to see where he's going to be. A very talented young man. I feel good about that running back room and we wanted to get them some good work tonight and I thought they showed up well."

Defensive line flashes during the scrimmage:

Norvell: "Joshua Farmer, I think, has had a really good camp. Had a couple of really nice plays there early. I think Pat Payton, we had him on a number count today because we really wanted to see Gilber (Edmond) and Byron (Turner) get out there and play. I thought those guys both flashed. Really solid. I think that interior defensive tackle group, has got a chance to be a great strength. As they get out there and roll, I think we're going to be able to keep guys fresh. I think that we have some very impactful players. Once again, when you get down in the core of the trenches, you want to go back and watch film and see the consistency but definitely some great flashes."

Thoughts on punt return and health of the team:

Norvell: "It was good. There were a couple of guys that I don't think anything serious. Couple things that showed up but I don't think those will be very extensive. Definitely a much better night tonight than we were a year ago. And so I thought it was good overall health. And then with the punt returner, really Keon Coleman is getting a lot of work back there. I think there's one ball just a judgment that you got to continue to emphasize the work. Destyn Hill got good work. I think he was pretty clean tonight. Vandrevius (Jacobs) got back there a little bit. LT (Lawrance Tofili) was clean in what he did. Continue to work a lot of those guys, some guys that are explosive players but also have really good hands and just working the decision-making process as we continue to roll through it. But I felt very confident in what that group is going to be."

Ryan Fitzgerald and Tyler Keltner continuing to compete:

Norvell: "They were good. We did a good job on the majority of our kicks. We had a couple long-yardage kicks, I know we missed one that was over 50. Those guys have competed. And I think the competition is making both of them better. I think they're continuing to push each other and we're charting all things and so I think we're in a really good situation at kicker and obviously with our kickoffs. I think they're very talented with that, too. So just how they're operating and working together."

Which guys who scrimmaged in Doak for the first time stood out:

Norvell: "I thought they all came and worked. There was excitement before, throughout the course of the day. You always want there to be energy. One of things I really liked throughout the scrimmage was the sidelines whether you’re working three different groups getting reps. And even when it was the 2s or the 3s, you look at the defensive sideline, you got Kalen DeLoach out there, and there’s so many guys defensively, guys encouraging."

"You listen on the offensive sideline, even when there was maybe a negative play, just the guys are trying to pick up each other, trying to help understand what that needs to be on game day. But anytime you step in Doak Campbell at night, it's pretty special. It's good for guys to be able to get that moment. I know there were probably some nerves for some of them. But once you get out there, you start playing ball, those have to go away. And then it comes down to the execution. It was a needed first scrimmage."

"It was time. Our guys have been practicing their butt off for eight practices and we needed tonight to see really where we are and the big area of focus of improvement. And we know that with our tempo, with the details of execution, those things are big factors that we’re going to have to get better at here this week. Our guys will take note and work to improve that and we’ll be back out there on the field on Tuesday."

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