FSU football: Best explanation on why youth movement took so long

FSU football coaches released their latest depth chart on Monday morning in preparation for the Duke game on Friday night. The depth chart had some notable changes on the offensive line, tight end, wide receiver, and other positions.

FSU signed some talented freshmen over the past two years. FSU fans have seen some freshmen playing at other schools across the country.

The question many FSU fans have is why it has taken so long for many of the young players to get on the field in the starting lineup when veteran players haven't played well.

The largest reason is freshmen playing, especially true freshmen, is a rarity in college sports. Certain positions require more than others. For instance, it's not rare for a running back to play as a true freshman. We've seen it at FSU with Dalvin Cook, Cam Akers, and others. We've seen freshman defensive backs get on the field early. However, other positions like quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, tight end, and receiver often have many variables that determine how quickly they can get on the field.

Quarterbacks must learn the playbook, protections, and checks and build rapport with receivers and tight ends. They often need to get bigger and stronger, adjust to the speed of the game, and improve their processing time, which comes with repetition.