Saturday, August 27, 2022 • 5 p.m. • Tallahassee, Fla.
Doak Campbell Stadium (79,560)
No Duquesne notes available:
Florida State Game Notes:
NOTES TO KNOW
Florida State hosts Duquesne in the earliest game in Doak Campbell Stadium history, with the previous earliest home opener being a 41-7 victory over Louisiana Tech on August 28, 1999. This season’s opener is the earliest for the Seminoles since a 38-31 win over Iowa State in Kansas City on August 24, 2002.
Florida State is 11-1 (.917) all-time in the month of August.
FSU is 30-11 (.732) all-time when opening the season at home, including an 18-5 (.783) mark since 1975. Overall, the Seminoles are 54-21 (.720) in season openers.
Florida State is opening its season in Tallahassee for the fifth straight season, its longest stretch of season-opening home contests since 2008-12. The only other time FSU played at least five straight openers in Tallahassee is 1954-62.
Florida State enters year three under head coach Mike Norvell building off the end of last season when the Seminoles won five of their last eight games. FSU continues to grow through development as the 2022 roster features 84 underclassmen with only 12 seniors.
The Seminoles return 86 members of the 2021 team, a group that showed productivity as it continued to gain experience at the college level. FSU is returning 65.4 percent of its all-purpose yards, 60.9 percent of its total offense, 75.0 percent of its passing touchdowns, 63.9 percent of its passing yards, 80.0 percent of its receiving touchdowns, 75.4 percent of its receiving yards, 69.4 percent of its receptions, 57.4 percent of its rushing yards, 57.1 percent of its rushing touchdowns, 85.7 percent of its interceptions, 81.4 percent of its pass breakups, 75.7 percent of its tackles, 55.8 percent of its tackles for loss, 83.3 percent of its fumble recoveries, 50.0 percent of its forced
fumbles, 100 percent of its field goals and PATs, 100 percent of its punting, 100 percent of its punt return yards and 56.0 percent of its kickoff return yards from the 2021 season.
Florida State added 14 transfers for the 2022 season, bringing a wealth of experience and production at the collegiate level. That group has appeared in 306 games with 165 starts prior to their time at FSU and brings 6,091 all-purpose yards, 244 receptions, 2,763 receiving yards, 15 receiving touchdowns, 414 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss, 18.0 sacks, 20 quarterback hurries, six interceptions, 36 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries to Tallahassee.
Florida State enters the 2022 season with active streaks of 32 consecutive successful Red Zone trips and eight straight games with an interception, both of which are the longest active nationally.
FSU’s Red Zone streak is the 5th-longest in the ACC in records dating back to 2004 and the program’s longest Red Zone scoring streak since converting 34 straight in 2014. Among ACC teams since 2004 with at least 31 straight conversions, Florida State’s average of 6.1 points per Red Zone trip during the streak trails only the Seminoles’ 2013 national championship team that averaged 6.3 points per Red Zone trip during a streak of 48 straight conversions.
Florida State’s interception streak is the program’s longest since having at least one interception in 10 consecutive games over the 2003-04 seasons. The Seminoles ranked 4th in the ACC with 14 interceptions and 3rd in the conference with 20 total takeaways in 2021.
Only coach in ACC history to defeat a top-5 team in his first season in the conference (31-28 win vs. No. 5 UNC on Oct. 17, 2020)
One of only three FBS head coaches to produce a top-7 rushing offense (4th, 2018) and a top-7 passing offense (7th, 2017) since 2016
One of five FBS head coaches to oversee multiple top-4 total offenses (4th in 2017 and 2018) since 2016
Named Florida State’s 11th full-time head football coach on Dec. 8, 2019
Spent the previous four seasons as the head coach at Memphis, compiling a record of 38-15
Won the 2019 American Athletic Conference championship and a spot in the New Year’s Six Cotton Bowl
His 71.7 winning percentage at Memphis was the highest in program history
Joined Nick Saban as the only two FBS head coaches to score at least 500 points every season from 2016-19
One of 16 head coaches in any conference to appear in three straight conference championship games (2017-19). He is also one of only eight to make three conference championship game appearances in their first four years as a head coach
Finalist for the Eddie Robinson and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year awards in 2019
Has coached 24 NFL Draft picks, six All-Americans, including four first-team selections, four conference Players of the Year and 68 all-conference recognitions
18 of Norvell’s pupils have been selected in the last six NFL Drafts, including first-round pick Jermaine Johnson II who was selected 26th overall by the New York Jets in 2022
In 2021, ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jermaine Johnson II led FSU’s contingent of eight All-ACC honorees for the program’s most all-conference recognitions since 2016
In 2019, led Memphis to a school-record 12 wins and the program’s first outright conference championship since 1969
In 2018, unanimous All-American Darrell Henderson broke the NCAA record with a career average of 8.22 yards per carry, and his 2018 average of 8.92 yards per carry was the highest for a season with a minimum of 200 carries in records dating back to 2000
In 2017, Anthony Miller earned consensus All-America honors after leading the NCAA with 18 touchdowns and ranking 3rd in the country with 96 receptions and 1,462 yards
Four-year letter-winner at Central Arkansas who was inducted into the UCA Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. He broke the school record with 213 career receptions and his 2,611 receiving yards ranked 2nd
GAME NOTES VS. DUQUESNE
QUARTERBACKS
Florida State returns redshirt junior Jordan Travis as its starting quarterback. Travis has played 22 games at FSU and is 200-for-336 passing for 2,674 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 1,317 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns on 254 carries.
Travis ranked 5th in the ACC in completion percentage in 2021. He topped 62.1 percent passing in six of his 10 games and posted better than 80 percent completion percentage twice.
He seized the spotlight in one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of college football, accounting for a career-high 336 yards of total offense behind a career-best 274 passing yards and 62 rushing yards with a career-high-tying two rushing scores in Florida State’s 31-28 victory over Miami.
In the win over Miami, Travis scored the game-winning touchdown and added a two-point conversion with 26 seconds left for the final margin. He began the game-winning drive with a 59-yard completion on the first play and then had a 24-yard completion on 4th-and-14 with 50 seconds remaining that set FSU up on the 1-yard line. The 4th-and-14 completion was the most yards-to-go on a successful 4th-down conversion for the Seminoles since 2003.
In Florida State’s 35-25 victory at North Carolina, Travis was 11-for-13 passing for 145 yards and a career-best three touchdowns while rushing for a career-high 121 yards and career-high-tying two touchdowns on 14 carries.
His performance at UNC made him the first player in Florida State history with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game and the first FSU player to account for five touchdowns since 2013 when Jameis Winston threw for five scores vs. Maryland.
Redshirt sophomore Tate Rodemaker is 18-for-31 passing for 137 yards in seven games played so far in his collegiate career.
True freshman AJ Duffy joined the Seminoles in January. Duffy, a consensus four-star prospect who played his senior season at IMG Academy, was selected for the Under Armour All-America Game and Elite 11 Finals.
RUNNING BACKS
Redshirt sophomore Treshaun Ward leads an eclectic group of running backs. Ward averaged 6.36 yards per carry – the highest average in the ACC among rushers with at least four carries per game in 2021 – and totaled 746 all-purpose yards last season.
Ward rushed for 515 yards and two touchdowns on 81 carries, caught 21 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown and added 46 yards on two kickoff returns.
Ward totaled a career-high 56 receiving yards on two catches in FSU’s 31-28 win vs. Miami and gained a career-best 77 rushing yards on 12 carries in the 35-25 victory at North Carolina.
Lawrance Toafili is the 5th player in Florida State history with a receiving and rushing touchdown of at least 70 yards. After scoring on a 73-yard run vs. Duke his freshman season, he caught a 75-yard touchdown at Clemson in 2021:
Toafili was responsible for 279 all-purpose yards last season, gaining 163 yards on 32 rushing attempts with one touchdown and 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches.
The Seminoles added Trey Benson, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Oregon, and true freshman Rodney Hill to the mix this spring.
Joshua Burrell is listed as an athlete after playing his freshman season as a wide receiver.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Florida State’s tight ends and pass catchers have combined to haul in 545 passes for 6,417 yards and 44 touchdowns in their collegiate careers.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Ontaria Wilson led the team with 382 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season, and tight end Camren McDonald’s 24 receptions were the most among current Seminoles.
Keyshawn Helton and Malik McClain each added two receiving touchdowns last season, with Helton gaining 285 yards on 19 catches and McClain catching 16 passes for 190 yards. Wilson and Helton are tied among active Seminoles with eight career touchdown catches.
Among the additions from the transfer portal were receivers Mycah Pittman, from Oregon; Deuce Spann, from Illinois; Johnny Wilson, from Arizona State; and Winston Wright Jr., from West Virginia. Led by Wright’s 129 catches, 1,338 yards and seven touchdowns, the four have combined for 2,252 receiving yards on 190 catches and 12 touchdowns.
Mike Roussos – a redshirt senior transfer from Columbia – caught 54 passes with three touchdowns for the Lions.
Ja’Khi Douglas, Kentron Poitier and Darion Williamson – all in their third year at Florida State – add a combined 42 catches and 557 yards.
At tight end, McDonald has 53 career catches, 549 yards and four touchdowns while making 20 starts. » FSU’s tight end room also returns Wyatt Rector, Jackson West, Preston Daniel and Markeston Douglas while adding freshmen Brian Courtney and Jerrale Powers.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Offensive line coach Alex Atkins – now in his third season on the Florida State staff – was promoted to offensive coordinator in the offseason.
Florida State returns honorable mention All-ACC left guard Dillan Gibbons among its five student-athletes with at least one start at Florida State, and that group has recorded 67 total starts at FSU.
Gibbons started 11 of 12 games last season after transferring from Notre Dame and was FSU’s first ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week winner since 2016.
Gibbons, Darius Washington (20), Robert Scott Jr. (18) and Maurice Smith (17) have all started over the past two seasons. Thomas Shrader started in 2020 against NC State.
Over the last two seasons, Florida State’s offensive line has blocked for 10 games of at least 200 rushing yards and nine games with at least 400 yards of total offense, including three with more than 500 yards.
In 2021, the offensive line blocked for six 200-yard rushing games and seven 100-yard individual performances.
Bless Harris and Kayden Lyles both transferred to Florida State before spring practice. Harris made seven starts at Lamar, while Lyles made 16 at Wisconsin. Lyles – a sixth-year senior – will miss the 2022 season due to injury.
FSU also added D’Mitri Emmanuel and Jazston Turnetine prior to fall camp. Emmanuel started 25 games at Charlotte, playing under Atkins in 2019. Turnetine started 10 games for South Carolina in 2020-21.
Julian Armella highlights FSU’s freshmen offensive linemen. The five-star prospect was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Florida, No. 2 offensive tackle nationally and No. 16 overall by Rivals. He is the son of Enzo Armella, a nose guard on FSU’s 1993 national championship team.
LINEBACKERS
Florida State returns each starting linebacker from 2021.
Kalen DeLoach recorded 69 tackles, with 6.5 for loss and 1.0 sack. He had three QB hurries, two pass breakups, an interception at Florida and a safety at Boston College.
DJ Lundy also had 69 tackles – 2nd-most on the team – with 5.0 TFL and 1.0 sack. He added two pass breakups, one QB hurry and one forced fumble. His career-best 11 tackles came at Clemson.
Amari Gainer registered 59 stops, including a season-high eight tackles and career-high-tying 2.5 for loss at Wake Forest. He finished the season with 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Gainer is FSU’s active leader in career tackles (193), tackles for loss (17.5), sacks (5.0), forced fumbles (4) and fumble recoveries (3).
In addition to the returning production, Florida State added transfer Tatum Bethune, who brings 35 games of collegiate experience and ranked second in the AAC with an average of 9.0 tackles per game last season, making 108 tackles in 12 games played. Bethune started 17 games at UCF over the past two seasons.
Stephen Dix Jr. and Brendan Gant have combined for 11 career starts. Gant transitioned to a linebacker this year after previously playing as a defensive back.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Florida State returns redshirt senior Robert Cooper, redshirt junior Fabien Lovett, redshirt junior Dennis Briggs Jr., redshirt junior Jarrett Jackson and redshirt sophomore Malcolm Ray. Those five combined to start 24 games in 2021 and 62 for their careers.
Cooper, an honorable mention All-ACC selection last season, led all returning defensive linemen with 39 tackles, including 4.5 for loss with 0.5 sack, and also recorded three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup.
Lovett, also an honorable mention All-ACC performer, registered 4.5 tackles for loss with 2.0 sacks among his 28 tackles and added two quarterback hurries.
Ray had his first solo sack against NC State for a nine-yard loss. Over two games against Clemson and NC State, Ray had 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Ray set a career-high with 2.0 tackles for loss at Boston College.
Redshirt sophomore Derrick McLendon II returns after recording 3.5 sacks, 4.5 for tackles for loss, 16 total tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hurry in 2021.
FSU also added 2021 FCS Freshman All-American Jared Verse, who transferred from Albany after registering 53 tackles, 11.5 for loss with 10.5 sacks, and 13 quarterback hurries in 2021. Verse was one of the most sought-after players in this year’s transfer portal after starting 12 games for the Great Danes.
Second-year Seminoles Joshua Farmer, Byron Turner Jr. and Patrick Payton should play an increased role in 2022. Sixth-year defensive end Leonard Warner III returns after a season-long injury in 2021.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Florida State’s defensive backfield returns every starter from 2021 and 12 of 14 interceptions, led by first-team All-ACC performer Jammie Robinson who recorded a team-high 85 tackles, including 7.0 for loss, and a team-best four interceptions with three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
FSU ended the season with an interception in eight straight games, the longest active streak in the country, tied for the longest by any team in 2021 and FSU’s longest since a 10-game stretch in 2003-04.
Robinson had a hand in six takeaways, including one in four straight games courtesy of an interception vs. UMass, a forced fumble at Clemson and one interception each vs. NC State and vs. Miami.
Robinson enters 2022 as a preseason second team All-American and on watch lists for the Bednarik, Nagurski and Thorpe Awards.
Akeem Dent made eight starts and grabbed his first collegiate interception to end Boston College’s final drive and clinch FSU’s 26-23 victory. He made a career-best nine tackles at Clemson as part of a 44-tackle season.
Omarion Cooper started three games, including his first career start in FSU’s 31-28 win over Miami, where he had an interception and four pass breakups, the first true freshman nationally with those numbers since 2013. At Clemson, he became the first FSU freshman to make an interception since 2018.
Kevin Knowles II started seven games as a true freshman last season, while Jarrian Jones made six starts, Sidney Williams started four games, Renardo Green made two starts and Travis Jay started one game. Those five combined to record 127 tackles, six interceptions and 16 pass breakups.
Williams recorded a season-high 10 tackles with one pass breakup in FSU’s 35-25 win at North Carolina, and Jones made his first collegiate interception at the end of the first half at UNC that kept FSU ahead by 11 heading into halftime.
Jay and Green both registered season-high tackles totals vs. Louisville, while Knowles had his season-best tackles game at Boston College.
The Seminoles added a pair of transfer DBs – Greedy Vance Jr. from Louisville and Malik Feaster from Jacksonville State. The two combined to make 14 starts in 2021 and 30 in their careers.
Two of Florida State’s highest-profile freshmen are also defensive backs. Sam McCall was a composite five-star out of Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland who was ranked No. 29 nationally by 247Sports. Azareye’h Thomas was a four-star recruit from Niceville High School ranked No. 67
overall by Rivals.
SPECIALISTS
The Seminoles return their primary kicker, punter and long snapper in 2021.
Alex Mastromanno’s average of 42.7 yards per punt ranked 6th in the ACC last season. He enters 2022 with a streak of 93 consecutive punts without a touchback, a streak that extends back to the 2020 season opener, his first collegiate game.
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald returns after scoring 67 points in 2021, including a careerhigh 11 points in FSU’s 31-28 victory vs. Miami and in the 59-3 win vs. UMass.
Fitzgerald’s walk-off 34-yard field goal in the 33-30 win against Syracuse was FSU’s first walk-off field goal since Dustin Hopkins’ 55-yarder against the Tigers in 2010.
James Rosenberry Jr. earned primary long snapper duties for PATs, field goals and punts in 2021 and returns for his fourth collegiate season in 2022. Fitzgerald was 87.5 percent on field goals with Rosenberry as his snapper, and Mastromanno forced a fair catch on 54.1 percent of his
punts.
Florida State has not allowed a kickoff return touchdown since Sept. 25, 2004, the longest active streak in the country (228 games).
