The Florida State Seminoles stir up quarterback intrigue as Ashton Daniels and Kevin Sperry battle for the QB1 spot, with no clear leader emerging from spring practice. Is Mike Norvell keeping fans in suspense, or is the offense still searching for answers? The running back room draws national attention as Ousmane Kromah, Amari Thomas, and Quintrevion Wisner showcase explosive talent, while wide receiver depth improves behind Devin Carter and Jasen Lopez.
Host Brian Smith highlights concerns at tight end, questions about linebacker Blake Nicholson’s fit, and the need for Florida State’s secondary to become an ACC leader in interceptions. Offensive line depth marks a turning point for the Seminoles, but questions linger at defensive line and linebacker as spring wraps up. Plus, the new NCAA rule banning the “shadow portal” could tip the balance in the rivalry with Miami. Can Florida State turn these storylines into a championship run?
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It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
I give my takes on all the Florida State Intel right here on Lockdown Seminoles.
You are Lockdown Seminoles, your daily podcast on the Florida State Seminoles.
The Florida of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
Back into Lockdown Seminoles.
I am your host, Brian Smith.
Well done, college football recruiting analyst.
Thank you for making Lockdown Seminoles.
You're first listen each and every day right here on the nation's number one podcasting network locked on.
We're going to be discussing the shadow for a little bit later on in the show.
What is it?
That's what I'm going to explain and why it's not going to be there that will help for the state and it will hurt Miami.
I'm sure that breaks the hearts of all the Florida State fans.
But the number one thing I'm going to talk about is the Intel or lack thereof with Florida State football.
Why and what can we make of it and is there going to be anything that changes in terms of information made available to you, me and everybody else.
Let's just dive in with that.
Here is my first take.
There is no doubt about it.
If there was definitive information that said one quarterback or the other was ahead.
It's common sense for the state like any other school would push that information out there as hard as they could because it's positive.
Everybody wants to have a definitive no doubt about it first team quarterback.
Have you heard anything?
Nobody really has.
Maybe it's asked in Daniels, but Kevin Sparry is still getting reps with the ones.
So it's a competition.
I think Daniels will end up being the star almost by default because of experience.
If it's really close.
But as I've said many times, if it is not definitive in the sense that might norvel walks out to that podium at the end of spring and says.
Ashton Daniels is or number one or Kevin Sparry's or number one.
I don't deem that good.
You need to have a definitive number one quarterbacks.
You get all the number one reps all the way through summer.
There's no doubt about it.
It's hard, especially when this spring.
Maybe you don't know this, but.
Bogs.
Danzy and Robinson.
They've all been out with various injuries and different things getting taken care of, which is common.
But they're not getting any reps now either.
We need to have a number one quarterback.
So maybe they're just being coy and I'm wrong on this.
It's possible, but.
Everybody in the industry knows it.
Number one quarterback.
You drop that dude out there.
You make it obvious.
Daniels did do an interview.
And soon as they got to campus basically.
That's great.
But in spring.
There's been very little information about him.
So I find that interesting.
And maybe that's because Kevin Sparry's pushing to.
Could be, but they're not letting anybody in to really see anything.
So it's very hard to tell.
Running back is a totally different story.
If you have not seen it.
The clip of Usman Kroma.
On the run.
They got blown up.
The D did a really nice job blowing up the play.
But he just.
Made something out of nothing.
Reverse field.
In a lot of ways.
It's a very dangerous way to do it.
Found a hole on the backside.
Completely different.
Holden where he was supposed to be going.
He ran through it and then broke it back to the left.
Like it was just a wild play.
They've got all kinds of talent of running back.
Marta Thomas, the freshman has stood out a little bit.
There's been rumors about that.
And then you got Quinn Travy on a whizner.
Another guy that's done very well so far.
They haven't hid that.
Notice that like that Intel has been out.
For a while.
So when it's really good.
There's something there.
I don't blame them.
I get it.
The first thing to run back room is legit.
It can be as good as any in the country at the top two or two spots.
And depending on how much we hear.
I haven't heard much about singleton, which is a little surprising.
I don't know if he's nicked up.
Or if we just for some reason haven't heard a ton.
But the fact that a Mario true freshman that just enrolled is getting some love.
That's a good sign.
Why receiver again with the guys banged up.
It's really unfortunate because you're not getting number one reps.
You never have enough.
But the good news is Devon Carter's played some.
Jason Lopez is rumored to be a guy that's going to make some noise.
He's the guy that came in and played hoops.
Guys go play football.
We'll see where that goes.
But I think four to states had a better spot at receiver this year than they were last.
They have more depth.
The question is.
Is it going to be consistent playing young players.
Means not just catching the ball.
You got a block.
You got to understand concepts after the snap when you play some teams that run complex stuff.
We're not going to know that to the fall.
But it's not a lack of talent in four to states wide receiver.
And they got quite a bit.
By the way, watch out for Tashon.
Gelsie always liked his film.
Big body guy out of the Jacksonville area.
He's pretty good.
Four to state is not hurting at wide receiver.
Tight end is the enigma.
And I'm being kind.
I've got crickets.
We've heard a little bit about riles.
He got banged up some lower body injury ankle or something.
I'm not sure what it was.
But we haven't heard anything like there's nothing.
I've spoken with two different people in the last hour or so before I did this show.
Like I just.
I don't have anything at tight end.
And they got some talent to guys.
Chase Wafton.
Brandon Thomas.
Desario Riles.
That's a really talented room.
It is very unfortunate that there's just nothing to talk about there.
I wish there was.
And.
I'd be shocked if they're not making some plays in practice.
Because physically those are the guy and the guys you want.
But I have not heard very much at all.
So take it for whatever it's worth.
Positive.
It sounds like the O line is at least trending.
For whatever that's worth.
Towards a starting lineup.
Xavier Chapel and looks like he's going to be the left tackle.
Obviously very important.
Andre Otto might be the only guy.
Possibly.
That was recruited by the Noles out of high school to be a starter.
Probably left guard could be could change.
Braden Joyner at center.
They perhaps.
Right tackle.
Chimdean.
No way.
At right tackle.
That.
Tannervally.
And there's a long way to go.
But.
Finding a way to have a little depth in the fact that they've got some.
Players coming off the bench that are at least battling to me.
That's way better than what they had last year.
We all knew.
They'd afford a state lost any of their starters from the transfer portal last season.
It was if he.
This year.
Four to states in a totally different situation because they got two or three guys.
That could probably start.
They're coming off the bench.
This is the deepest they've been at offensive line in a while.
So that's good.
Chimdean the way we was one of those guys.
I think.
Got a chance long term.
He's got multiple years et cetera.
They.
They've got some guys coming up.
I think Otto's got another year after this as well.
So finally.
With the guys they have on campus.
They're going to have some returning starters next year.
It's going to be way easier regardless of the coaching situation.
That matters.
So O one is trending in the right direction.
As for the defense.
The desire twins.
We've talked a lot about that.
There's been a big.
Make about the whole situation in the D one are they big enough.
Are they going to be explosive enough like there's a lot of argument about it.
I'm not going to get into that.
The desire twins are good.
They're going to get better from year one to year two because they're going to be stronger.
There's a lot of film study.
I'm not worried about that.
The only thing.
And the D one in postman very consistent about.
Star is big.
But like who is it.
That steps up when somebody is either a banged up or b needs a blow because you know it's been a long drive.
The other team gets off the field but then you maybe you fumble the kick off.
Then you got to go right back out there.
Do you have the depth against quality competition?
I don't think you can really figure that out in spring.
Because you're not going to go full go.
All the time, especially with the roster limitations and.
Is I'm going to talk about here in a second.
The shadow portal.
But that's something I'm kind of concerned about.
The guys in the middle of the defense.
At least early on haven't heard anything recently, but the linebacker play.
Supposedly a little better leadership a little bit better.
Okay.
That's good news.
But I haven't heard anything in the last week.
I don't know if that's by design or if that's just something that.
It's just kind of working itself out.
We'll see.
The guy most curious about is Blake Nicholson.
What role was he going to play?
Athletically he's never had any problems.
They've got to find a definitive role for him.
That is beyond just going towards the line of scrimmage and attacking.
He's got to be better in space because he's arguably your best athlete in space at linebacker.
That's something they got to figure out.
Young players.
I know that they're trying to get.
Different perspectives and rotating guys in and.
At D line linebacker.
The brothers at linebacker.
Abley.
They're.
They're good athletes.
Terious to see who ends up.
Playing a lot there.
How they use them.
We'll see.
There's been some talk about.
Rowan Kennedy.
Making some steps.
But.
I'm just going to call this now.
I see this all the time with a lot of teams not just for to stay.
What a pass rusher either a transfers in for magico or another school or is a young player.
It's one thing to be good in the pass rush drills.
And spring bowl.
How do you do on first and 10 against a 330 pound offense attack.
That is always the question for everybody.
So I'm curious about that as well.
Just just to add on to the D line.
I know that the Whitway kid out of in Wayne.
I like to spend my high school.
I thought he was underrated by the services.
He showed out a little bit.
Maybe he gets a little run.
But it's the same guys that you would expect.
I don't think there's anything new up front and linebacker or D line.
I want to hear more about depth.
That's that's probably my only concern.
And then.
Secondary.
I haven't heard anything in the last week.
Again, the last two people I spoke to two day before this pod going up on Friday.
This Thursday night when I do this, Bob.
Nothing.
Very surprised by that at DB.
It's again.
Just like with receiver running back four to state is not void of talent.
In the least.
At the skill spots.
It's a trench thing with them.
The depth, etc.
That's the difference.
And then quarterback.
Everywhere else.
They're a pretty good spot for the most part.
Maybe linebacker.
We'll see.
But I haven't heard anything.
Is that good?
Is that bad?
I mean, like literally nothing.
So I find that very odd.
And maybe again, they're just trying to hide something.
Maybe they're trying to.
It's new guys in the lineup.
They don't want anybody to know it.
I couldn't tell you.
But I'm not going to say here and why and say that I've got something.
I do not.
And it's very unusual to be at this point with that many talented players.
And not have anything.
Concrete.
Nothing about picks and practice.
Nothing.
We shall see.
Very soon.
But four to state needs to figure that out.
And get that secondary to a high level because they've got a lot of guys that are really physically gifted.
They need to be one of the leaders in the ACC this year at minimum in interceptions with the experience.
The length and the athleticism they have.
That's just the way I feel about it.
When we come back, I'm going to explain why four to state.
And not Miami is going to gain.
From the NCAA's new ruling because there will be no shadow portal.
Nothing for crystal ball and them to do after spring if they need to steal somebody.
That's not going to happen.
That is next right here on a walk.
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All right.
What is the shadow portal?
It's something I've talked about a little bit before and if you haven't seen, I'll give the basic concept of it.
And then we'll talk about why four to state and a lot of other schools can probably show a little bit more now in spring than what they're going to admit they were trying to avoid prior to this.
But this is again, the 32nd overview shadow portal means a school tries to recruit somebody when there isn't another portal window.
In case you didn't know, there is no more spring transfer portal window.
But a lot of colleges don't like that, especially ones that end up having an injury in spring and they're in really tough spot.
It is what it is.
There's nobody that's a wild to play.
Here is the caveat.
Players can still transfer.
But as soon as they do in me, football activity, and I mean any.
That's when not the player.
Players still want to go to school.
Go ahead.
But the head coach at that school six game suspension.
Boom.
Done.
No ifs.
No ends.
No bugs.
Is that going to be enforceable?
I don't know.
Just reporting the news.
The NCAA.
They voted on this.
They do not want a spring window at all.
And I know the coaches don't want it either at all.
They need a break from players being basically recruited off the roster and a bunch of mercenary people trying to get kids to transfer so they can make a buck off of them.
It's dirty business.
To that end, you are where you are with your roster at the end of spring.
There's no additions for the state or anybody else.
Smile at Miami.
The whole Xavier Lucas thing last year.
Come on.
We know what's going on there.
He unenrolled from Wisconsin magically went on to Miami.
Okay.
Those things will not happen.
That same scenario happened.
Mario, first of all, would be suspended for six games.
Or any other coach in that same kind of scenario.
Will hold.
I don't know.
But here's the other part.
It's not.
Not just a six game suspension for the coach.
He would also not be allowed to do anything in the office.
Not recruit anything.
And on top of that, you lose 20% of your budget, like the NIL money that you get from all the hand-me-downs from the networks and all that.
20%. It's like four million dollars give or take.
That's a lot of money over one player.
Yeah.
We'll see who tries to fight this.
We'll go through that at another date.
But I wanted to share it.
Also, just as a note, speaking of recruiting and transfers and roster management and all that stuff.
Fort estate is going to get Frederick arts on campus for an OB on June 19.
He's at a Jones High School in Orlando.
This has been reported by multiple Fort estate sites.
Really good player.
This is the kind of past rusher you need to get if you're for the state.
Really talented.
It's not that good you need to go to the final awards as a kid.
They're doing really well with as well.
He's a Flex sign in from Brooks County.
Always talk about Georgia.
Specifically South Georgia.
Getting players from those areas.
This kid fits to bill.
He can play in Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, wherever.
I've heard a lot of different schools with him.
But Fort estate's doing pretty well with him as well.
That would be a great player to get learning care if they play on defense or office.
He's just a really good athlete.
63 over 200 pounds that he can move.
get him to campus. So with that, thank you very much for checking out Lockdowns.
Symmonels enjoy your weekend. We will see you again soon.
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