FSU showcases depth, explosive playmakers in spring football showcase

Florida State wrapped up its annual spring football showcase at Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday, with fans getting an early look at the 2023 Seminoles.

The two-hour event began with practice drills before moving into a live-action game that featured three 10-minute quarters, with a final session highlighted by former players Charlie Ward and Karlos Williams acting as guest coaches. It was an opportunity to showcase some of the depth and talent returning this season.

Running backs Rodney Hill and CJ Campbell Jr. saw significant snaps, with starters Trey Benson and Lawrance Toafili seeing limited action.

Hill scored two touchdowns, including one on a pass from quarterback Tate Rodemaker and the other on a short run.

When asked about his impressions of the growth of the redshirt freshman, coach Mike Norvell pointed to his confidence as a significant factor.

FILE: Florida State coach Mike Norvell showcased some of the depth and talent of his team as the Seminoles took part in a 2-hour scrimmage during its annual Garnet and Gold Showcase Saturday. (Joshua Bessex/AP)

“He’s letting his playmaking ability take over,” said Norvell. “He’s very young — a redshirt freshman — and he’s still got a lot in front of him, but when you approach each rep as he does and take ownership, it’s not all going to be perfect. Good and bad will appear throughout the journey, but he’s a remarkable young man.”

Campbell made a few big catches, showcasing the talent of the redshirt sophomore.

FSU coaches have spent much of this spring camp singing the praises of Kentron Poitier and the redshirt junior receiver showed why he’s being considered one of the top offensive threats for the Seminoles in 2023.

With Johnny Wilson and Mycah Pittman held out, the 6-foot-3 Poitier became a top target Saturday, making several catches, including a pair of touchdowns in the first two quarters. His one-handed grab on a high pass by quarterback Jordan Travis drew a lot of attention.

“He’s a special player and always makes big plays like that,” said Travis. “He’s a young guy that just came in the first day ready to work. He reminds me of [former FSU receiver] DJ Matthews.”

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“He’s made big plays in big games, so he’s done that,” said Norvell. “What I like is the consistency that I’m seeing from him. We knew when he got here that he was very talented. It was a unique situation where he only played one year [in high school]. He had to come into his own and you see the development, the growth. I was excited to see where Kentron would go with that moment and he did not disappoint.”

Poitier appeared in 13 games, finishing with a career-high 14 catches for 283 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Linebacker Kalen DeLoach made his presence known early on with an interception of Travis on the first offensive drive that would have been a Pick 6 in a regular game. DeLoach stepped up again in the third quarter when he forced a fumble by Hill on a fourth and short, scooping up the football before racing to the end zone.

“Kalen’s played a good amount of football,” said defensive coordinator Adam Fuller. “His improvement from the last scrimmage to this one was impactful. I didn’t think he was at his best because I had high expectations for Kalen. He’s played some really important football and he has a lot of leadership capabilities to him too. He’s constantly building his body to be bigger and stronger, but seeing him having that impact was great.”

DeLoach finished third in tackles (65) after starting every game in 2023.

Another player to emerge on the defensive side was redshirt sophomore edge rusher Byron Turner, who had back-to-back sacks late in the game.

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“He’s just a freak of nature,” said edge rusher Jared Verse. “You can see it on the kickoffs when you see how fast he’s running downfield; he’s not disrupted by anybody getting in his way. He was a good player last year, but now it’s just like, Wow, Byron. It’s like a whole different thing.”

Added Fuller: “Byron has made strides. We’ve invested a lot of reps in Byron and saw some of that impact today. Through 14 practices, we can trust that he will do his job and be in the right position. It’s just the fundamentals and consistency for him to be an outstanding player.”

Turner’s development could be critical with the departure of starter Derrick McLendon II, who entered the transfer portal last month.

FSU wraps up its spring camp with a final practice Monday, followed by exit interviews by the coaching staff before players depart for the offseason.

“I’ll have my head coach exit meetings with each player,” said Norvell. “It’s always good to be able to get an understanding of where your guys are and the things that need to be improved on. It’s always great to get feedback from the player’s perspective and your perspective for them as well.”

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.