FSU football: Three things learned from 2022 spring camp
By Kelvin Hunt
Defense Has Potential
The FSU football defense finished No. 43 according to advanced metrics last season. Those stats include the first four games where FSU mixed and matched players in the secondary, which resulted in too many broken plays for large gains.
However, the communication and rotation in the secondary have improved immensely. The Noles got an upgrade at linebacker with UCF transfer Tatum Bethune. Bethune didn’t play in the spring game, but his play in the spring spoke for itself.
The duo of Bethune and Kalen DeLoach will be the best FSU has trotted out there in at least the last five years.
The defensive line returns two of the better defensive tackles in the conference, with improved depth from Malcolm Ray, Jarrett Jackson, and some talented freshmen.
Transfer Jared Verse looks the part, and Derrick McLendon should be a player this year. Dennis Briggs moving back to the defensive end position gives another talented and experienced body there.
It won’t be easy to replace Jermaine Johnson and Keir Thomas, but this group could be better as a collective unit.