New quarterback faces limited weapons as star receivers chase track and basketball championships this spring.
Monday signaled the start of spring practice for the Florida State football team, and this version is going to be different.
First, coach Mike Norvell will be the play-caller, taking over those duties from Gus Malzahn, who retired from football.
Secondly, the Seminoles coaching staff will be working with a new quarterback class, led by Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels. It was only the first day, but Norvell is already smitten with Daniels and praised the gunslinger’s performance in the first of 15 practices this spring.
And thirdly, Daniels and the other quarterbacks competing for the starting job will have fewer weapons on the perimeter with which to build chemistry. Two of their receivers have other pressing business in other sports on the FSU campus: Sophomore receiver Micahi Danzy and freshman receiver Jasen Lopez.
Champion on the Track
Danzy is the reigning ACC 400-meters champion, and is about to gear up for the outdoor track season. Norvell and his staff will bring him along slowly during these practices. The last thing they want is for Danzy to get injured in some way, and hopefully that mindset comes from the track side of things as well.
As the Seminoles' No. 2 receiver last season, Danzy caught 27 passes for 571 yards and three scores. He averaged over 21 yards per catch, which ranked fourth in the FBS. In addition, Danzy gained 216 yards rushing and scored three more touchdowns.
Paired with Duce Robinson, these two create a formidable duo that opponents will have problems game planning for.
Hardwood Hoops Hero
As a true freshman and early enrollee, Lopez arrived on campus in Tallahassee and went straight to Tucker Civic Center to suit up for the Seminoles basketball team.
In high school, Lopez averaged 24.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, four steals and 3.6 assists, and was ranked as the No. 12 point guard in the country by 247 Sports. He will be on the bench on Wednesday when Florida State takes on Cal in the first round of the ACC basketball tournament. But on the gridiron, he was even better.
Lopez was a top-30 prospect at receiver, according to 247 Sports. As a senior, Lopez caught 56 passes for 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns for Chaminade-Madonna High School in South Florida. For his prep career, Lopez scored 41 touchdowns, gained 3,527 yards and caught 216 passes.
Lopez signed with the Seminoles over offers from such schools as Miami, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Ohio State, Florida and Penn State, among others.
Missing valuable reps in spring practice could be a concern, and while Danzy and Lopez are participating in sports that are demanding in their own right, it is not football. Not to mention, learning the playbook, which in Lopez’s case, is critical to his development as football player on scholarship.
Danzy is in his second year in the program, but Norvell is calling the plays now, so there could be the aspect of scheme and terminology he would have to learn that is different than what Malzahn coached last season.
Make no mistake, Danzy and Lopez are elite athletes. But it would be nice to display those elite skills on the gridiron on a more consistent basis this spring. Not only for the Seminoles sake, but for Norvel’s survival as well.
ㅤ
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!