FSU football: New spring 2023 enrollee interviews and quick thoughts

FSU football has 18 newcomers to join the program and enroll in the spring semester. I wrote about the importance of getting players enrolled in the spring semester so they can get acclimated to their surroundings.

It gives them a chance to get a headstart on learning the playbook, their teammates and participating in the strength and conditioning program.

Their involvement provides more time to build rapport with teammates and coaches. The latter is of great importance because it will allow the coaches to learn their strengths and weaknesses in a greater capacity, which will help determine the best position on the team.

A few of the players spoke with the media this week, and those interviews can be found below:

Fentrell Cypress is the transfer defensive back from Virginia and the best in the transfer portal.

Caziah Holmes, a former four-star running back from Penn State,  joined the team last year and will be a factor in the running back room.

Four-star transfer defensive tackle from Miami, Darrell Jackson.

Three-star transfer offensive lineman from Colorado, Casey Roddick.

Three-star freshman defensive back Kenton Kirkland.

The best tight end from the transfer portal from South Carolina, Jaheim Bell.

Quick Thoughts

It’s obvious the transfer players have been through the process before, but one common element was their belief in the coaching staff.

The words family, compete and work were common themes from the players. I almost felt like I could hear the coaches’ recruiting pitches to these guys in their interviews.

All of them believe this program is heading in the right direction with the opportunity to do big things in 2023. However, one thing that stood out the most was how poised freshman KJ Kirkland was at the podium.

That young man is beyond his years in maturity and seemed like he was a transfer guy with the things he communicated.

That’s likely a glimpse into the types of players Mike Norvell and the staff recruited at the high school level.

Talented players with the understanding they have to put in the work, but also mature enough they need to learn from the older players on the roster. That speaks to the culture Mike Norvell has built in Tallahassee.