Game week has arrived for Florida State football.
The final touches are being put on the renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium and the Seminoles’ game plan for No. 8 Alabama, as kickoff is set for Aug. 30. It will be the first game for new coordinators Gus Malzahn and Tony White, and a chance for Mike Norvell to distance this year’s team from the disastrous 2-10 campaign in 2024.
It will be the seventh time FSU opens the season against a current member of the SEC, holding a 4-2 record, and the first meeting with Alabama since 2017. The Seminoles are 1-3-1 all-time against the Crimson Tide, with the lone win coming in 2007.
“What better way to kick it off here at Doak Campbell Stadium, a sold-out crowd. It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere,” Norvell said. “To be able to do it here against a quality opponent, a top-10 ranked team, a lot of excitement around our program. Looking forward to a big week of preparation.”
Spirts are admittedly high within the Seminoles camp, but feelings and expectations are one thing, performing is another. Alabama is a formidable challenge to open the season, but with a first-time starter at quarterback in Ty Simpson, there are some questions to be asked.
Those responsible for asking those questions have been named, with the Seminoles releasing their depth chart for the Alabama game. Among the starters is Tennessee transfer Jayson Jenkins, who recently returned from injury.
One major concern for the Seminoles, however, is the depth of the roster.
The starting unit has a high ceiling, but past that, it’s unknown how the backups will respond should they be called into action. A potentially worrying sign, but one that can only truly be assessed with time.
Here are three key areas to look at on the depth chart for the clash with Alabama:
Mike Norvell drops Shyheim Brown to backup; Ashylnd Barker is set for first start
While the depth chart isn’t the holy grail of playtime, it’s significant when players who are expected to start, or historically have, find themselves in a reserve role.
Safety Shyheim Brown, a solidified starter for the last two seasons, finds himself in that position, backing up Ashlynd Barker. The message from the coaching staff throughout the offseason was that if you don’t perform to expectations in practice, you won’t play.
Brown might become a starter by the end of the season, but there is a clear push for more from him. Barker took advantage of the opportunities presented to him in the offseason, and he’s in line for his first start of his career.
“I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Norvell said on Barker. “He’s got great size, he can run. Definitely a physical presence.”
A healthy Jayson Jenkins earns starting role
Jenkins was injured in the spring, and his recovery was initially thought to keep him out longer than it did, potentially missing some games. However, Jenkins returned to the field quickly, and he’s now listed as a starter at defensive end alongside Darrell Jackson and James Williams.
“He’s a violent player … you feel his presence. We knew that when he was coming in, but unfortunately, it was delayed in person with the injury in the spring,” Norvell said. “He attacked everyday.”
He staked a claim to a position up for grabs on the defensive side of the ball. Williams and Jackson were penciled in as starters since the spring, and now Jenkins, despite having last time, has outperformed the competition and earns a start. He had 15 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble during his Tennessee career, and he played in every game en route to the playoffs.
FSU’s skill positions on offense full of intrigue
The Seminoles’ skill positions (RB, TE, WR) were overhauled in the offseason, with each one featuring a transfer or freshman in the two-deep.
Jayvan Boggs is the lone true freshman to start, but he is one of seven true freshmen listed on the depth chart, both on offense and defense.
“From the spring to fall camp, you saw growth. He’s got a wonderful skillset. When he’s got his opportunities, he’s capitalized on them,” Norvell said. “He’s still got a lot of growth in front of him, but he’s put himself in this position. He’s earned this opportunity.”
Starting quarterback Tommy Castellanos will throw to Duce Robinson, Squirrel White and Boggs as his starting receivers, with starting tight end Randy Pittman a player as well. The skillset that Pittman possesses excited Nrovell, comparing him to another successful tight end transfer for the Seminoles, Jaheim Bell.
“He’s an absolute playmaker, he can do so many different things … he’s got a tremendous versatility of skills,” Norvell said. “He’s grown in his time here … reminds me a lot just from the strength and power of what we saw in Jaheim Bell … he knows his game and he knows his game really well.”
Freshman tight end Chase Loftin is listed as a backup wide receiver behind Boggs, and Norvell said Loftin has earned an opportunity, but the tight end room, which Norvell said might be the best position on the team, was log-jammed with Pittman, Amaree Williams, and Landen Thomas. Norvell called Loftin a “natural route runner,” and he feels like his skill set will fit at the receiver position.
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Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football’s depth chart: Starting jobs shift vs Alabama, plus other things we noticed
Reporting by Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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