When the spring began, there was a lot of excitement about the 2023 Florida State football team. <\/p>\n
There still is, obviously. Nothing has changed on that front.<\/p>\n
But from the sounds of things, something needs to change in Adam Fuller\u2019s secondary.<\/p>\n
After Saturday\u2019s scrimmage, in which it sounds like the defense got the better of it again overall \u2014 though Jordan Travis<\/a><\/strong> did lead a TD drive on his lone possession \u2014 the Florida State defensive coordinator was asked about the safety play for the Seminoles.<\/p>\n The veteran assistant coach didn\u2019t mince words, especially when it came to the play of his projected starters, Shyheim Brown<\/a><\/strong> and Akeem Dent<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cAkeem and Shy have played a lot of snaps here, and so that\u2019s got to show up,\u201d Fuller said. \u201cThey\u2019ve got to play with a little bit more anticipation. We\u2019ve got to make more ball plays back there. When the ball is in the air, we\u2019ve got to make sure that ball ends up in our hands.\u201d<\/p>\n That hasn\u2019t happened much through the first three weeks of spring practice. <\/p>\n It\u2019s not as if the secondary has been poor overall. And it\u2019s not as if the safety play has been atrocious. Or even mediocre. But it hasn\u2019t been very good.<\/p>\n And if I\u2019m trying to translate Fuller\u2019s message \u2014 which I\u2019m able to do since I speak bald like he does \u2014 the safety play better get better in a hurry. Or else there might have to be another visit to the transfer portal after the spring is over to see if there is an upgrade out there.<\/p>\n That clearly isn\u2019t what Fuller wants. He wants these two guys, as well as their primary backups, Travis Jay<\/a><\/strong> and Omarion Cooper<\/a><\/strong>, to improve their play to the point where he won\u2019t be lamenting their performance in a post-scrimmage press conference. <\/p>\n But coming into the spring, when you looked at the Florida State defense, you felt OK about the linebacker position, you felt pretty good about the cornerback position, and you felt great about the defensive line. <\/p>\n The biggest question mark, by far, was at safety \u2014 where Jammie Robinson leaves after two All-ACC seasons for the Seminoles. <\/p>\n Dent is a senior who has played a ton of football for Florida State the last two years as a starting safety. I think it\u2019s safe to say, at this point, we know what he is as a college football player: Solid. But not spectacular. <\/p>\n Shyheim Brown is the guy Fuller wants to see take that leap, in my opinion. He\u2019s the one that he expects to make a major jump. <\/p>\n