FSU football: How Fabien Lovett’s return impacts the 2023 defense
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football received great news Sunday when defensive tackle Fabien Lovett announced he’d return for the 2023 season instead of declaring for the NFL Draft.
Lovett only appeared in seven games this season, and his absence as a run-stopper in the six games he missed got felt big time. Lovett and Robert Cooper paired together were two of the better defensive tackle tandems in the ACC.
However, when Lovett went down with an injury in the LSU game, FSU had to tap more into their depth at the position.
Plus, Robert Cooper is a large human and isn’t capable of playing 50+ snaps in a game. Players like Joshua Farmer, Jarrett Jackson, and Malcolm Ray had to play extended minutes, and when they went down freshmen like Daniel Lyons had to play meaningful snaps.
FSU moved former defensive tackle, Dennis Briggs, from defensive end back to defensive tackle for more depth after he spent the offseason looking to help provide depth at end.
FSU wasn’t the same defense without Lovett and Cooper on the field, and that’s why the coaching staff emphasized the defensive tackle position in the transfer portal.
FSU has added two four-star transfers, Darrell Jackson and Brandon Fiske. Let’s look at how Fabien Lovett’s return impacts the defense in 2023.