Florida State football's speed, aggression on display during fall camp

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Florida State football's speed, aggression on display during fall camp | 7 things to know

Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat · Tallahassee Democrat

Sun, Jul 28, 2024 ·

7 min read

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The first week of Florida State football preseason camp concluded Sunday morning as the Seminoles inch closer to kickoff .

It was a physical fourth practice for the Seminoles , and FSU's defensive backs capped off a strong week with another impressive showing.

Cornerback Azareye'h Thomas led the way with an interception and clean precision in drills.

"The last two days showed me that we are physical and that we got intent coming into practice," Thomas said. "Overall I think we got better as a football team. Each day, especially in the secondary we have gotten better each day. That's something I look forward to and is a great achievement."

As the intensity and physicality ramp up, here are seven things to know after week one of practice, including the standouts.

Azareye'h Thomas shines in strong practice from defensive backs

Florida State football players participate in day two of fall pracice at the Albert J. Dunlap center on Friday, July 26, 2024

The story of the week has been the play of the defensive backs , with the position group showing a strong case as the best on the team.

On Sunday, Thomas stole the show with an interception in the first portion of the 11 vs. 11 team drills early into practice. That set the tone for what was to come as Thomas's confidence was on full display. He followed wide receiver Hykeem Williams stride for stride down the field, undercutting the receiver and snagging the ball away from him to get the pick.

"I feel like the confidence is always there, playing DB you got to have that confidence," Thomas said. "When I see the ball in the air, my mindset is, it's my ball."

In coverage drills, he was beaten only once after a shifty move from Ja'Khi Douglas . Overall, Thomas kept any ball thrown his way out of the receiver's hands and sometimes ended up with the ball. Fentrell Cypress also impressed, showcasing the duo's potential to be one of the top defensive back pairings in the country.

Cypress got an interception in 11 vs. 11 work toward the end of practice, jumping a route and ending the rep with defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain hyping up Cypress.

Between him, Thomas and Shyheim Brown , the trio have been nearly unstoppable to open practice.

Kyle Morlock , Amaree Williams showing potential at tight end

Apr 20, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles tight end Kyle Morlock (84) runs with the ball during the Spring Showcase at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.

Tight end Kyle Morlock's development has arguably been the story of the week, with the former Shorter University player continuing to showcase his improvements. From clean routes and impressive catches, Morlock has been a revelation for a tight end room that had some question marks coming into the season.

On Sunday, Morlock continued his hot streak. He made some impressive catches, including one where he jumped over a defensive back to secure the ball on the sidelines. While the veteran is likely to be the star of the room, freshman Amaree Williams continues to display an advanced skill set for a player who should be entering his senior year at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach.

Working in different sets at tight end on Sunday, Williams made some notable contributions. That included a couple of impressive catches in traffic with defenders hitting him quickly after he secured the football.

While it remains to be seen what his freshman year will look like in regards to playing time, Williams has shown he's not afraid to play physically at the college level, and that could be crucial for him seeing the field this season.

Mike Norvell likes Micahi Danzy has 'game-changing' ability

The Seminoles might have the most offensive talent at running back. While Lawrance Toafili leads the group, the position has promise all the way down to the freshman additions.

For the second straight practice, true freshman Micahi Danzy from Florida High has made some notable plays, both in the backfield and as a pass catcher. While he'll likely be behind veteran players in the running back room to start the season, he's shown flashes of his potential early on.

Danzy has turned heads with his high-class speed . On Sunday he got another chance to show it off after catching a well-placed ball from quarterback Brock Glenn . He secured the football in stride and blew by Omarion Cooper and into the end zone.

"Very excited about him, he's got great size and great speed," FSU head coach Mike Norvell said. "You see the game-changing ability he has, but still a lot to work on... very excited about the potential of what he can be."

He's been one of the stronger freshman performers in the opening week, working well in different groups.

Redshirt freshman Samuel Singleton Jr. has been a notable performer in the last two practices, with impressive long runs in 11 vs. 11 work. He gained praise from Norvell after a touchdown run in scrimmage work on Sunday and his displays show the strong depth of the running back room.

Cam Riley impressing Norvell with his 'quick learning' of the FSU system

Florida State linebacker Cam Riley talks joining FSU program at newcomer availability on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

Joining the Seminoles from Auburn , linebacker Cam Riley has been arguably the most impressive transfer performer this fall.

While Norvell admits he still has a few schematic things to learn, he's been happy with the progress he's made in the linebacker room.

"He's so eager to learn," Norvell said. "He's very, very smart and he's probably further ahead of what I thought he would be at this time."

While his quick learning has been impressive, Norvell said he's got more to learn as he continues to adjust to life with the Seminoles. Riley played well in both team competitions and drills, showing quick reactions and play recognition, but Norvell wants him to be quicker to read plays in certain situations.

Norvell also mentioned Blake Nichelson and Justin Cryer as two other linebackers that have impressed him, saying the linebacker room has a lot of strong competition.

Quarterbacks DJ Uiagalelei , Brock Glenn showing good connection with receivers

Both DJ Uiagalelei and Brock Glenn looked sharp Sunday morning, showing the dual-threat ability the pair has as runners and passers.

Uiagalelei had some strong and commanding throws in passing drills, which translated to team -scrimmage work as he connected in some tight windows. Norvell previously mentioned Uiagalelei working on his timing with wide receivers, it looked like the quarterback was on the same page with his receivers for much of practice.

Placing a high ball into the hands of a leaping Williams, Uiagalelei put the ball where only his receiver could get it and it might have been his most impressive throw and catch of the day. He flashed his deep ball and even spun around a defender in the open field when he took off running.

Glenn was quick in his decisions, making the call to pull the ball from running backs on certain plays and finding some success with downfield passes. He connected well with wide receiver Kentron Poitier and running back Jaylin Lucas on a few plays, and his running ability allowed him to escape pressure on a few occasions.

Patrick Payton making an impression on special teams

Patrick Payton is known for his quick and strong moves to get around offensive linemen and sack quarterbacks, but early in practice, Payton has been one of the top players on special teams.

Blocking a field goal in back-to-back practices, Payton's exploits on special teams have been eye-opening. Norvell stresses the importance of special teams often, and he said Payton's commitment to his special team's responsibilities shows the value that side of the ball has.

"Any of our special teams units, we want our best players to be able to make an impact," Norvell said. "I think we've all seen over the years where blocking a field goal or an extra point has been monumental."