Florida State football will take the field at Doak Campbell Stadium for the first time in 2026 with a preseason scrimmage set for Tuesday, Aug. 4.
The Seminoles had weather issues prevent the team from scrimmaging inside Doak last season. Weather permitting, it’s the first of three scrimmages for the program inside Doak, and the first of two scrimmages scheduled for this week.
The Seminoles will scrimmage on Sunday, Aug. 9 after three days of practice in Jacksonville.
Quarterback coach Austin Tucker said getting into Doak helps players prepare for what gameday feels like. It’ll be the first opportunity for the 57 new faces on the roster, 34 prep signees and 23 transfers, to experience the stadium as members of the program, including starting quarterback Ashton Daniels.
“I think it’s huge. It’s an opportunity for our guys to get in there before the season. Just to feel it, be around it, and for the guys to understand the importance of what that stadium is, all the success that’s been in that stadium,” Tucker said. “From that side its huge for our players. For our coaches as well. It’s different going from a practice field to a game field.”
Austin Tucker wants to see “continued leadership” from the QB’s
For Daniels, it will be the first time he gets to operate the offense in a game-like setting. He’s been praised for his development in the earlier portion of preseason camp by both head coach Mike Norvell and Tucker, so his performance will be closely analyzed as the Seminoles continue to build out the offense.
While on-field performance will be crucial to monitor, Tucker said he wants to see Daniels and the other quarterbacks in the room demonstrate leadership capabilities that translate to game-like scenarios.
“Continued leadership,” Tucker said of his expectations for the Qb’s. “When we step into Doak, that’s important to us. To give them a little feel for what a game day feels like, and the preparation behind that… Just going out there and playing the quarterback position the right way. Taking control, from the sideline to the field, doing the things we ask them to do.”
While Daniels is the starter, the competition behind him is still in play. Redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry battled Daniels for the QB1 role in the spring, ultimately losing out, and now JUCO transfer Malachi Marshall is in Tallahassee. He’s earned praise since his arrival and could challenge Sperry for the QB2 role.
The snap count between the two and how they operate the offense could shed light on where the two signal callers stand. Sperry has the edge with his experience in the system, but the raw talent Marshall possesses has turned some heads.
How will the Seminoles’ offense react to a new-look defense
Regardless of who is taking the snaps at quarterback, they’ll have to navigate a new-look defense that the Seminoles hope is optimized for Tony White’s 3-3-5.
The battle between running backs and linebackers has been competitive in the opening five practices, and it will translate to the scrimmage. Running backs coach Kam Martin said one area he wants to see is how well his backs hold up in pass protection during the scrimmage.
“You’ve got to throw the first punch. You watch boxers, Floyd Mayweather and them, they throw the first punch. I feel like pass pro goes hand in hand with boxers,” Martin said.
“You’ve got to be willing. You can’t go in there being soft; you can’t go in there timid. You’ve got to go in there and attack. Sometimes in pass pro, you’re going to take some L’s, but you get your butt back up and keep chopping.”
The linebackers led by Chris Jones and freshman Izayia Williams are part of the remade defense under White, and possess skill sets in the middle of the field that the Seminoles haven’t had in recent seasons.
“They went out and got some guys,” Seminole running back Ousmane Kromah said about the linebackers. “I love it. Realistically, competition is what we need to get better.”
It won’t just be the running backs, of course, who are competing against the defense. What combination the Seminoles put together on the offensive line, and how well that unit operates, could dictate how well the offense progresses throughout the scrimmage.
Questions persist for the defense, especially along the front. It’s an undersized unit that the coaching staff has commended for its “explosiveness.” Just as the offensive line’s success will dictate the offense’s performance, the same can be said for the defensive front.
How the front reacts to the Seminoles’ offense, and competes against a reenergized running back room, could be the defining storyline of the night.
Florida State football schedule 2026
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: What to follow as FSU football holds first scrimmage of preseason
Reporting by Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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By Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat | USA TODAY Network
