Florida State football releases first depth chart for matchup against Tigers

Florida State football released its initial depth chart of the season Monday in preparation for its season-opener against LSU at 7:30 p.m. Sunday

The No. 8 Seminoles had a few competitions for open positions in the starting lineup and two-deep depth chart heading into fall camp.

In total, there are 22 returning starters for FSU compared to last year's season finale against the Gators.

Transfers make up six new starts: receiver Keon Coleman, tight ends Jahiem Bell and Kyle Morlock, offensive tackle Casey Roddick, cornerback Fentrell Cypress II and defensive tackle Braden Fiske. Freshman Destyn Hill is listed as a starter at receiver.

Winston Wright is the lone returner listed as a starter who did not start last year. He missed all of last season due to a leg injury sustained in a serious car accident.

Here's a look at the notable notes from each position and what head coach Mike Norvell, as well as offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and special teams coordinator John Papuchis said about the depth chart.

"We talk a lot about the identity of a team. I see one that, like I said, has a great work ethic, and really cares about each other, Norvell said. "They pushed and competed throughout. We still need every rep and every minute leading up to kickoff to continue to get better and to be ready for Sunday night. But so excited to be on this stage, an opportunity to showcase our players, obviously this wonderful institution."

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Quarterbacks and running backs

The biggest news from the depth chart is Tate Rodemaker is listed as the backup to starting quarterback Jordan Travis. Travis, who is a Heisman Trophy candidate, enters his second straight year as the man in the position.

Rodemaker beat out freshman Brock Glenn for the backup role.

Trey Benson and Lawrance Toafili are the two starting running backs, with Caziah Holmes and Rodney Hill backing up Benson, while CJ Campbell is listed as the backup to Toafili.

Wide receivers

Johnny Wilson and Coleman were two locks for starting at wide receiver. Hill had a great fall camp after enrolling after two years away from football.

He and Wright are listed as two starters at the inside receiver position.

"Destyn came in and went right to work. Winston has been working all he can since he got here. He just had the unfortunate accident and had to get his body back prepared," Atkins said. "At this last scrimmage, he really showed us that he's really feeling better and moving better. I think there's an interesting dynamic between the two because they're two good football players.

"So I'm glad we do have that situation, but also depending on what personnel package you start with, things like that. Both of those guys, I have trust and belief will go out there and execute at a high level. Fat (Destyn), he's a freshman but not really a freshman and then you have Winston who has played a lot of football. Just like with the offensive line, I like the experience and the ownership. The depth at that position is really, really quality."

Norvell announced receiver Ja'Khi Douglas is out for the first game, and probably two games with an undisclosed injury.

"Ja'Khi Douglas will miss a few games here early in the season," Norvell said. "Fully expect him back relatively soon. He will miss for sure this first contest, probably the first couple as we head into this season."

Tight ends

Transfers Kyle Morlock and Jaheim Bell are listed as starters at the two tight end positions.

Returners Markeston Douglas and Preston Daniel are listed as the backups to Morlock and Bell, respectively.

Offensive line

Robert Scott earns the nod as the starter at right guard, while Roddick is the starter at left guard and Maurice Smith is the center.

D'Mitiri Emmanuel and Darius Washington are listed as co-starters at right guard, while Jeremiah Byers and Bless Harris are co-starters at right tackle. Washington is also listed as the backup to Smith.

Keiondre Jones is the backup left guard and Harris provides the backup at left tackle.

"We've got some experienced guys that put in a lot of time and reps, but also they're understanding of the little nuances that you can't quite show in practice," Atkins said. "Something that might come up in a scheme, they've shown the ability to process that information and execute.

"Not to discredit the young guys, they just don't have the rep count yet. It's a benefit for them, when I talk to Rob, Darius and Mo (Maurice Smith), they said, 'Man, we wish we had a group like us when we got here to be able to not put our bodies in tough situations before they were built to withstand a game.'"

Defensive line

Jared Verse and Patrick Payton earn the starts at defensive end, with Gilber Edmund and Byron Turner Jr. listed as the backups.

Fiske is a starter at defensive tackle, while Fabien Lovett and Joshua Farmer are co-starters at the other DT spot.

"We have more depth this year," Fuller said. "Graduated a few guys, but we brought some in and I think we've gotten progressively better and deeper. They've kind of coincided right. I think we've started, we've had some elite players there, and we're deeper, we're better.

"What that's going to look like week 1-2-3 because the season takes its toll, but we've recruited that way to make sure that we've, as the season goes on, as the game goes on, we've got enough pieces. So it's important that we take advantage of those pieces early so that we can keep those pieces healthy throughout the year and we can play our best late in the games and late in the season."

Linebackers

Tatum Bethune is listed as a starter at one linebacker spot while DJ Lundy and Kalen DeLoach are listed as co-starters at the other.

Redshirt freshman Omar Graham Jr. is listed as a backup for Bethune, along with freshman Blake Nichelson.

Norvell and Fuller had high praise for Lundy, who has jumped into a larger role with hard work in practice.

“I think he's our most improved linebacker, that's not to knock anybody else," Fuller said. "That's just his own growth. And different people develop at different rates he's played every year since he's walked on campus. Obviously, he's been in more of a limited role, special teams role, base linebacker. But he was kind of one of our top three last year, but it's, it's a new year. And he's really made a lot of strides. I mean, he's definitely our most physically imposing backer from just size, strength power."

Defensive backs

Cypress and Renardo Green are listed as the two boundary starters at cornerback, while Jarrian Jones and Greedy Vance are co-starters at nickel.

Shyheim Brown is the starter at buck safety and Akeem Dent and Kevin Knowles II are the co-starters at free safety. Azareye'h Thomas is listed as a backup to Cypress at corner.

Freshmen are heavily featured in the two-deep rotations. Edwin Joseph is a backup at nickel and Quindarrius Jones is listed as a backup at CB.

Ashylnd Barker, KJ Kirkland and Conrad Hussey are all backups at safety.

"Probably both,' Fuller said of whether the freshmen have earned playing time or if the position is lacking older depth.

"But we try to play guys at multiple spots, you guys know that. And so if those three couldn't play there, you'd see another guy there. You know, I think we've had enough at some of the corner spots that you would have seen in one of those movements."

Special teams

Ryan Fitzgerald is listed as the starter at kicker, beating out Tyler Keltner. He will also handle kick-off duties.

“I thought it was a really good competition," Papuchis said. "I thought both Ryan and Tyler competed well in terms of how they approached it, but I thought they also competed well together in terms of support, working together and trying to make each other better. I thought the competition was good. At the end of the day, Ryan was a little bit more consistent in terms of how we evaluate and what we're looking for in the charting and the team reps."

Deuce Spann and Benson, as well as Holmes, are listed as kick returners.

Benson was the primary kick returner last season and returned a kick for a touchdown last year against Boston College.

Spann and Holmes could provide Benson a break since he is expected to carry a heavier load as the bellcow back.

"Now they're obviously a little bit different in terms of running style," Papuchis said. "Deuce is extremely explosive. He has the ability to stick his foot on the ground and get vertical. He really has an opportunity to make big plays and the return game. Trey returns the ball like a running back would you know except he has elite top-end speed. So I think they both bring a little bit different strengths to it. We’ve been really pleased with the depth that we have in that spot and I think that has a chance to be really explosive."

Coleman earns the nod as the punt returner.

At 6-foot-4, seeing him as a punt returner will provide teams a different look than they may be used to.

"He was just he was a guy obviously that was unknown to us in terms of the return game until the summer," Papuchis said. "He's done a really, really great job, he tracks the ball well, and he has that great ability to judge the ball in the air. He's confident and I think all those things together, along with his explosive playmaking ability to push us in that direction that he was the best suited for that position.”

GAME INFORMATION

Who: AP No. 8 FSU (0-0) vs. No. 5 LSU (0-0)

When/where: Sunday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m.; Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.

TV/Radio: ABC/94.9 FM

Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @JackGWilliams on Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY on Twitter

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Seminoles release depth chart for LSU game in Orlando