Dose of Optimism: A deeper look at Florida State WR play in ‘Spring Showcase’

After Florida State’s “Spring Showcase” concluded last month, just about everyone on the Warchant staff — myself included — listed one position group as in need of help in the transfer portal.

The Seminoles, we said, would do well to grab a proven wide receiver.

And it wasn’t about one bad afternoon in the half-deconstructed bowl of Doak Campbell Stadium. Rather, it was about a full camp of less-than-consistent play.

Barring an unforeseen development, no outside help is coming. The receivers DJ Uiagalelei and company worked with this spring are the ones Florida State will roll with come kickoff in Dublin and beyond.

But today’s deep dive could provide some optimism.

Since there isn’t an incoming portal prospect to break down, we circled back to the “Showcase” to more critically assess the receiver room. Today’s feature will take aim at the narrative that FSU’s receivers had a hard time getting open.

Florida State Spring Showcase: WR separation

This section has less to do with where the football goes — who Uiagalelei targeted — and is more about watching the receivers operate. Let’s get to it:

Third-down completion to Malik Benson

This was one of the “prettier” moments of the game as Uiagalelei hit Benson with a back-shoulder one-on-one throw. But to the left slot (look toward the midfield logo), Ja’Khi Douglas cuts on a dime to beat slot coverage. And to Uiagalelei’s right, Kentron Poitier avoids an Azareye’h Thomas jam and breaks off his own clean comeback route.

Deep Shot to Benson, incomplete

Uiagalelei throws the deep ball, looking to spring Benson behind coverage from Quindarrius Jones. Checking away from the ball to the offense’s left, Poitier again comes free on an in-breaking route.

Here’s another look from the tight angle. The receiver will emerge to the bottom right of the frame. Open and room to run.

Red Zone incompletion

Uiagalelei is caught holding the ball on a third-and-long in the red zone. This usually means all receivers are covered, but both receivers who run past the sticks do well enough to gain separation out of their breaks. Douglas is covered to the right by a safety who is shading underneath.

This incompletion is more about cutting the ball loose (and some good edge pressure) than receivers not winning.

Incomplete along left sideline

Uiagalelei likes his matchup to the near boundary and predetermines he’s heading that way. To the slot right, Deuce Spann is isolated in one-on-one and explodes to win leverage between the hashmarks. Looks like there may be a win down the right sideline off camera too after the re-route.

Pitch and catch 1 — Benson

An easy route combination that, in full contact, may have been a chunk play.

Pitch and catch 2 — Williamson

Good time afforded Uiagalelei to spot Darion Williamson. Douglas looks to have won his matchup as well.

Pitch and catch – er, drop

This is arguably Uiagalelei’s finest moment in the showcase. The Florida State defense shows all-out pressure pre-snap. After checking into a new play or protection, Uiagalelei fires to an open Williamson over the middle.

Either a straight drop or a heck of a recovery by corner Edwin Joseph. Whatever the case, you want that touchdown.

Bonus Clip — Jalen Brown‘s wheels

Working with the second-team offense, Brown had a nice play on a designed jet sweep at a different point in the scrimmage. But here is a great example of his explosive speed; watch the bottom of the frame below. After Brown accepts the outside lane, the jets come on.

Conclusion

There are more clips like the above that involve tight ends or screens. We’ll roll those out in another feature.

The point of this breakdown is not to bring “everything is fine and solved” energy. If a proven, reasonably-priced wide receiver was available in the portal, that player would have been aggressively pursued. Especially since Destyn Hill will miss the whole season. Drops have been an issue at practice and showed up a couple of times in front of fans, too.

But it’s not like Florida State’s receivers were blanketed all day in the “Spring Showcase” either. This is not the same situation as quarterback Jordan Travis‘ first year on campus, where a lack of talent meant running backs were routinely split out wide.

In limited reps and during a truncated game setting, there’s enough to feel good about.

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

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