TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Any football coach will tell you that you get your first real glimpse of your team that first day in full pads, and Tuesday was that day for both Florida State and Florida A&M. Both teams suited up completely for the first time this fall camp, and that intensity was taken up another notch.
The Seminoles scrimmage for the first time this weekend, and head coach Mike Norvell said Tuesday that this game is played a certain way, so practicing in full pads is a necessity.
For day one, coach said the physical play they've had over the past few days carried right over, but Norvell was not happy with the specialists, and he noted some mistakes across the board, meaning this team has to work hard to fix that.
"We still have to make sure the execution and finishing plays," he said, but did point out the Seminoles run game looked good. "We had a couple drops there to end the series in critical times and missed opportunities there. Couple of times with missed interceptions where we have to finish on those type of plays, but I do like the physicality."
Like the Seminoles, Florida A&M also scrimmages for the first time this weekend. getting in full pads today. Head coach Willie Simmons said the intensity at practice cranked up to an all time high Tuesday, and it lasted from the start of practice until the last whistle, and coach was happy to see it.
With a ramped up practice come mistakes that come with playing full speed, now it's about identifying those and making sure they don't happen again.
"Things are moving a lot quicker, so you can really see who is retaining information, who can get the signal from the sideline, who can communicate it, and then who can go out there and execute the play," he said. "It gives us a better indication of how far along we are. Those first couple days in shorts, even when you put shells on, sometimes you get a false sense of reality because it's not all the way full speed tempo. Today was that first day, and now we have a better indication of how far along we truly are."
Both Florida A&M and Florida State have Wednesday off of practice before returning to work on Thursday.
