Heading into Year 7 of his already too-long tenure in Tallahassee, Mike Norvell has decided not to release a depth chart all season. He made the announcement during his first game-week press conference on Monday as the Seminoles prepare to host New Mexico State in Week 0 on Saturday.
Considering he’s refusing to release a depth chart, you better believe that Norvell refused to reveal how the fall camp battle along the offensive line shook out after he and offensive line coach Herb Hand were tasked with replacing all five starters from last year’s unit. In fact, according to Norvell, they’re “still evaluating” that group.
He did say, however, that he is “confident in the guys that we have.” And really, what else is he going to say? Still, as much as he may want to project confidence, if they’re still evaluating the group this late into the preseason process, that’s not a good sign. He simply can’t have it both ways.
If Norvell is so confident in his guys, why hasn’t he settled on a starting offensive line?
Florida State begins the year with a glorified preseason game against New Mexico State in Week 0. The Seminoles are a 30.5-point favorite and should have plenty of opportunities to evaluate multiple different groups along the offensive line and everywhere else in a live-game situation.
There’s real value to that, especially with SMU lingering as the Week 1 opponent. Norvell and his staff can hold off on making major decisions and continue to tinker throughout the next week and into Saturday.
There are difficult decisions to make when building the line around left tackle Xavier Chaplin and center Bradyn Welch-Joiner, the only two obvious starters. Andre Otto, Paul Bowling, Nate Pabst, and Chimdia Nwaiwu are left competing for the three remaining spots, with Otto, Bowling, and Pabst all options at both guard spots and Nwaiwu and Pabst both potential starting right tackles.
It seems Pabst will be in the group one way or another, and Bowling has been pushing to start at guard with a strong fall camp. It’s better that the group is unsettled, at least ostensibly, because a young player is forcing his way into the conversation rather than the entire group looking shaky. Still, how confident can you actually be in a group that hasn’t had much time to work together as a cohesive unit?
The offensive line is the most difficult position group to shuffle throughout the season. Players need to know how the guy next to them will react to a blitz, pass off a stunt, and work to the next level off a double-team. They need to be comfortable with all the little intricacies of the position, and if you’ve ever listened to any offensive linemen talk about playing in the trenches, that can only come with reps.
Those are reps Florida State is missing out on if Norvell and Hand continue to shuffle the group throughout this week and up to Week 1. Yes, injuries will happen. Attrition will force new players to emerge, move spots, or even flip sides of the line.
But for the start of the season, this group needs to be settled for outside evaluations to be as “confident” in their success as Norvell seems to be.
Add us as a preferred source on Google