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FSU football emphasizing practice intensity, team comradery in Jacksonville | The NoleBook

jack williams, tallahassee democrat
·5 min read

JACKSONVILLE - The morning heat and different field conditions are a few reasons why Florida State football has scheduled practices here Thursday and Friday.

It's a trip that the Seminoles make every year as head coach Mike Norvell and staff push their team a little harder mentally and physically in a secluded location at the University of North Florida.

"I wouldn't say I look forward to coming here, but these are the dog days of fall camp," defensive back Akeem Dent said. "We're pushing through and making sure we're having a good Jacksonville stretch. We want to be elite and excellent. It's the standard."

Thursday's first practice offered just about everything Norvell was looking for in making the drive from Tallahassee here on I-10. The heat, a different field condition than at FSU's facility and a physical practice.

Norvell said alongside physicality, he wants to throw all different situations at his players during their time at UNF.

"We want to force them to use their minds when they're tired," Norvell said. "It was what we were looking for and there were some explosive plays on both sides of the ball, and missed opportunities on both sides of the ball. That's where we need to be consistent in our execution."

Building a bond

While Norvell is pushing a high tempo on the field, he's also encouraging players to get to know each other a little better on this trip. The team is staying in a dormitory next to the practice field, bringing everyone together from newcomers to veterans.

Dent said many on the team "chill" with each other in the common area outside of their dorm rooms.

"We just chill in the middle," Dent said. "Once you walk out of a room you've already got teammates in the middle. All of us are packed in together, but it's pretty fun though after we gain our energy back from practice."

It may seem like just team bonding, but Norvell said the relationships and comradery are something that he believes his team has that others don't. It's what he dished back when asked what he believes his team's "bread and butter" is.

"I really believe in the relationships these guys have," Norvell said. "The willingness to work, to put themselves in uncomfortable situations and continue to push. Everyone in the country is talking about achieving great things, but you've got to work for great things."

For a few players, the trip out to the First Coast is a homecoming of sorts.

Seven Seminoles, most of them freshmen, are from the Jacksonville area: Aaron Hester (Jacksonville Fletcher), Ashton Bracewell (Palm Coast Flagler), Mac Chiumento (Daytona Beach Seabreeze), Harold Stubbs IV (Jacksonville Oakleaf), Jeremiah Giedrys (Fernandina Beach), Samuel Singleton Jr. (Fleming Island) and K.J. Kirkland (Jacksonville Raines).

For Kirkland, a true freshman defensive back, coming back home as a Seminole was a whole different feeling.

"Coming across the bridge it felt real," Kirkland said.

"You've got a statement to make, a name to make for yourself and that's my mentality. I gotta put Jacksonville back on the map and show that they have a good DB, athlete and kid coming out of the city."

Observations from day 7 of FSU fall camp

  • Players are in full pads. No longer in shorts, but in game pants.

  • A Handoff to Solomon Lowery Jr. allows him to make some moves up the field for a big rushing gain on the ground in early 7on7.

  • Tyler Keltner is good from 27 yards out.

  • Ryan Fitzgerald is good from 27 yards out.

  • Ryan Fitzgerald is good from 33 yards out.

  • Renardo Green had great coverage on Hykeem Williams, tearing out the ball after Williams made the grab to start 1-on-1 drills.

  • Greedy Vance, Jr. was all over Destyn Hill during 1-on-1s. Gave Hill no room to get open. Great coverage.

  • Joshua Burrell made a great adjustment to make a reception off of coverage from Azareye’h Thomas. Thomas knocked Burrell off the route and Burrell came back to find the ball.

  • Shyheim Brown got his hand on a pass intended for Goldie Lawrence.

  • Deuce Spann made an adjustment off a low pass from AJ Duffy to make the reception. Norvell was very excited about the play.

  • Destyn Hill makes a good grab off heavy coverage from Christian White pass from Jordan Travis.

  • Greedy Vance had a big pass breakup on the receiver Keon Coleman and a big celebration after

  • Kyle Morlock made a great reaching grab out in front off a pass from Jordan Travis. It was a great use of his 6 foot 6 inch length and speed.

  • Jordan Travis lands a pass to Hykeem Williams just outside of traffic. Norvell gives Williams a high-5 after.

  • Jordan Travis finds Kyle Morlock for another strong reception during 7-on-7. Kyle Morlock had a great first day in Jacksonville.

  • These last few practices Norvell has been calling for the defense to get hyped for third down or "money down". He told them to get pumped up a few times on Thursday.

  • Patrick Payton picks off AJ Duffy.

  • Brian Courtney put pressure on Brock Glenn forcing him to pass during 11-on-11.

  • Dwayne Wells Jr. picks off an underthrown pass from AJ Duffy. That's Duffy's second interception of the day.

  • Conrad Hussey picks off Brock Glenn on a missed pass. The defense had three to four interceptions on Thursday.

Jack Williams covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at jwilliams@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @jackgwilliams.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State football focused on high intensity practices in Jacksonville | The NoleBook