Florida State put a bow on Miami week in terms of open practices Wednesday with the second and final practice availability of the week before Saturday night's game at Hard Rock Stadium. Once again, the Hurricane flag was waving over the practice field and once again, crowd noise was blaring inside FSU's practice facility to simulate the expected hostile atmosphere the Seminoles are walking into this weekend.
Here are the Osceola observations from Wednesday morning's day of work:
- As always, Wednesday’s practice saw a bunch of situational work during team periods. The first of those periods was a one-minute drill. Brock Glenn’s drive was derailed by a strong effort from the defensive line. On third and short, Glenn’s pass was tipped at the line and nearly intercepted by KJ Sampson. On fourth and short, a handoff to try and convert was blown up in the backfield by Byron Turner Jr.
- Luke Kromenhoek’s one-minute drill, on the other hand, was quite successful. After gaining just one yard on the first two plays, he got the offense out to midfield on third and long with a quick anticipatory sideline pass to Elijah Moore which the true freshman ran down and caught for a first down. The very next play, a pass over the middle was a bit high and tipped into the air by a defensive back but Amaree Williams made quite the heads-up play to see the ball in the air and run it down, making a diving catch on a ball that wasn't intended for him. The very next play, Kromenhoek again connected with Moore down the sideline for a 25-yard touchdown. The offense went 74 yards in three plays with all production from true freshmen with Moore amassing 49 yards and a touchdown on a pair of catches. Moore was did fumble in the next team period so he continues to have some freshman moments. But the upside continues to make it tempting to put him on the field and see what happens.
- Glenn and Kromenhoek each made some nice throws later in team periods as well as the practice progressed. Glenn stood in the pocket and aired out an exceptional deep ball to Williams in stride during the next 11-on-11 period and had a great pass down the seam to Kyle Morlock during 7-on-7 pass skelly. Kromenhoek had a dart of a touchdown to BJ Gibson in red-zone work while Glenn had a great throw down the sideline to freshman running back Micahi Danzy during the same period.
- In 1-on-1s, Hykeem Williams and Jalen Brown each had great catches in the back corner of the end zone where they created enough separation and high-pointed passes thrown their. Another freshman wideout, Lawayne McCoy, had a drop during pass skelly on a pass that hit him right in the hands but redeemed himself the very next play with an impressive diving catch over the middle.
- While the "sacks' weren't always whistled dead when they probably should have been Wednesday morning, the defense got quite a bit of pressure on the offense, especially during the middle period of 11-on-11 work Wednesday. Omar Graham Jr. and Justin Cryer each had "sacks" when blitzing from the linebacker spot while Edwin Joseph had one blitzing from the cornerback spot. Pat Payton had a sack during red-zone work
- Redshirt freshman DB Ja'Bril Rawls had a forced fumble during 11-on-11 work, ripping the ball out after Moore caught it. Charles Lester III had a nice pass breakup on a pass into the end zone and Payton had one during red-zone work, reading the quarterback's eyes and drifting back enough to knock a pass over the middle out of the air. Blake Nichelson also had a PBU during the pass-skelly period.
