FSU football: Importance and impact of 2022 spring practice
By Kelvin Hunt
Freshman
A few of the early enrollees in 2021 became contributors. Freshmen Malik McClain and Kevin Knowles come to mind immediately, and freshman Joshua Farmer saw some limited minutes on the defensive line.
I expect freshmen defensive backs Sam McCall and Azareyeh Thomas to contribute in 2022. Maybe Rodney Hill, Aaron Hester, and Omar Graham Jr. will contribute in small quantities? However, these young players enrolling will serve several purposes.
The time will allow them to get acclimated to college life before the season begins. It’ll give them a head start on the strength and conditioning program, which many of them need before ever thinking about getting on the field to contribute.
It’ll give them time to build relationships with their teammates and the coaches while providing a headstart on learning the playbooks for their respective positions. I love that five players along the trenches have already enrolled.
I don’t expect them to contribute in 2021, but in the event, they have to play like Joshua Farmer last year, they’ll have some college-related experience and time in the weight room under their belt.
Other than learning the playbook, players being physically ready to play is the biggest hurdle for most young players. There’s a significant gap between the strength of a 21-year-old compared to someone 17-18, even though they may be near the same weight. However, these extra few months of training likely means they can expect to contribute quicker in 2023.