FSU football: Injuries beginning to pile up for the Seminoles

FSU football defeated the North Alabama Lions on Senior Night in a packed-out Doak Campbell Stadium by a score of 58-13 this past Saturday.

The Seminoles unfortunately had redshirt senior quarterback Jordan Travis go down with a season-ending injury, which generated a ton of discussion in terms of Florida State’s path to the College Football Playoff.

However, this football team had its fair share of injuries where center Maurice Smith, cornerback Renardo Green, and linebacker Kalen DeLoach were injured.

Maurice Smith

These are all three starters that are pivotal in the Seminoles’ success thus far this season. As it relates to importance, I believe that center Maurice Smith is pivotal to have out on the football field.

While redshirt junior Darius Washington is capable of stepping into that role of snapping the football, it takes his ability to play other positions. The coaching staff values his versatility of being able to play center, interior offensive lineman, and offensive tackle.

Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins has eight offensive linemen that he utilizes in his rotation with Robert Scott Jr., Casey Roddick, Maurice Smith, D’Mitri Emmanuel, Jeremiah Byers, Bless Harris, Keiondre Jones, and Darius Washington.

Offensive tackles Robert Scott Jr. and Bless Harris have not been 100% healthy this season, which has forced Washington to play at offensive tackle at times. But with Smith coming out with an injury, it has to force FSU to play an injured Scott Jr. or Harris at the tackle spot.

Renardo Green

As it relates to redshirt senior cornerback Renardo Green, he has played phenomenal this season where he is considered one of the top fifteen defensive backs in the country. However, sophomore Azareye’h Thomas has performed admirably in his absence.

Redshirt senior Jarrian Jones was given the honors of breaking the rock after Saturday’s victory versus North Alabama. You can really tell that Jones is taking his game to the next level. As the season has progressed, the entire defensive backfield under the guidance of first-year defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr. has gotten better with their play and communication.

Kalen DeLoach

The linebacker position room has played well this season, especially redshirt senior Kalen DeLoach. The veteran defender has spent the entirety of his career in the garnet and gold, and I’m glad to see his hard work and dedication pay off. He is currently leading the team in total tackles (59) and sacks (7). The Savannah (GA) native has emerged as a leader in the defense.

Thoughts

Overall, FSU has to continue to battle adversity and respond in a positive manner. The good news is that this football team is very resilient and continues to fight no matter the circumstance.

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