Florida State’s deep linebacker rotation has Norvell, Shannon enthused

An observer at Florida State football practice this preseason might think that Blake Nichelson and Omar Graham Jr. are the Seminoles’ starting linebackers. Then they might believe it’s Cam Riley and Justin Cryer. Then DeMarco Ward and Shawn Murphy.

And when senior DJ Lundy returns to full speed in the coming days, he undoubtedly will get plenty of work with the starting defense as well.

From play to play and series to series, Florida State linebackers coach Randy Shannon is checking out what seems like an endless number of combinations at his position.

“Nobody can feel like they’ve got a [starting] job,” Shannon said.

That much is certain.

With Florida State’s season opener against Georgia Tech looming in just over three weeks, the Seminoles are still holding open auditions at a number of positions. But it’s unlikely that any position is more open than linebacker.

Multi-year starters Tatum Bethune and Kalen DeLoach have both moved on to the NFL, and with expected starter Lundy “limited” early in camp, the Seminoles are exploring any and all options this preseason.

That means each of the experienced Florida State linebackers are working at multiple positions, and they’re constantly pairing up with different teammates in the middle of the Seminoles’ 4-2-5 defense.

“Guys are getting comfortable with each other,” Shannon said. “The one thing we cannot do is stereotype anybody of just, ‘Hey, this is the position you’re going to play.’”

The approach seems to be working well so far.

Virtually every linebacker in the group has turned in highlight plays during the first eight practices. That even includes Riley, who has only been on campus for a couple of months since transferring in from Auburn, where he was a part-time starter.

“He’s a veteran guy,” Shannon said of the 6-foot-5, 237-pound senior. “Big guy, but athletic. He’s not just a pure run-stopper. He’s a guy that can cover, he can come off the edge, he can do a lot of good things for us. So we’re excited to have him on the team.”

When Lundy is back in the mix, Florida State could boast a pair of senior starters in him and Riley. But redshirt sophomores Graham and Murphy have playing experience as well, as do true sophomores Nichelson and Cryer.

They all appear ready to contribute in one way or another.

“I’ve really been pleased with the linebacking crew of guys that are rolling through,” FSU head coach Mike Norvell said.

Said Shanon: “We feel comfortable with the guys so far. But then tomorrow, we’ll tell a lot more because we’ve got a big scrimmage tomorrow.”

Indeed, Florida State’s first preseason scrimmage will be held Saturday evening inside Doak Campbell Stadium. And all of the Seminoles’ linebackers are eager to prove they can be trusted in games this fall.

For Riley, it’s a matter of showing he has command of the Seminoles’ playbook and terminology. For Graham and Murphy, it’s using their edge in experience to try to create separation from Florida State’s younger linebackers. And for Nichelson and Cryer, it’s continuing to show off their athletic ability and improved knowledge of the defense.

“They don’t make the same mistakes they did last year,” Shannon said of Nichelson and Cryer.

Both players saw some action at linebacker and on special teams last fall as true freshmen, even though both admitted this week that they didn’t always know what they were doing.

Those days seem long gone now.

Shannon credited Cryer and Nichelson with not only having a better understanding of their assignments, but also doing a much better job of communicating on the field.

And both of the sophomores said their improved knowledge is allowing them to play much faster than they did even this past spring.

“I don’t really have to think as much,” Nichelson said. “I’m just able to go — just make plays.”

Florida State linebackers Justin Cryer (left) and Blake Nichelson arrive at a preseason practice. (Gene Williams/Warchant)

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.

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