With the first day of spring football practice scheduled for Wednesday, Florida State will be missing some notable players.
During his press conference Monday, FSU coach Mike Norvell announced defensive tackle Jayson Jenkins and safeties Conrad Hussey and Shyheim Brown will miss spring practice due to injuries.
Hussey and Brown are returning starters, while Jenkins is one of the new additions from the transfer portal.
“It’s unfortunate,” Norvell said. “Obviously, those guys are guys we’re looking for to count on, but I am expecting them to be ready to go in the beginning of the season.”
Norvell also said that Hussey and Brown could return in the final week of spring football.
Brown will be entering his fifth season with the Seminoles. The three-year starter led the Seminoles last year with 70 tackles, two pass deflections, and two blocked kicks. Hussey started three game and recorded 18 total tackles.
With those two safeties out leaves an opportunity for some of the young players and unproven players to get reps in the secondary in Tony White’s 3-3-5 scheme.
K.J. Kirkland, Edwin Joseph Earl Little Jr. and Ashtyn Barker are returning players and likely to take significant snaps at the safety spots.
Freshmen Max Redmon and Shamar Arnoux are incoming freshmen that could see looks in the position as well.
Jenkins played his first three seasons at Tennessee before transferring to FSU earlier this year. In his career, he recorded 16 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble.
Jenkins, a 6-foot-6, 285-pound defensive tackle, was one of the three defensive linemen who joined the Seminoles from the transfer portal. James Williams and Deamontae Diggs are the other notable players FSU signed from the portal.
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FSU football offensive linemen will miss part of spring practice
On the offensive side, FSU will be without offensive linemen Gunnar Hansen and Jaylen Early for the first part of the spring football, according to Norvell.
” As we’re going through, we have some guys that might be limited. It’s just probably that first week.” Norvell said.
After playing his first four years at Vanderbilt, Hansen is expected to be FSU’s left tackle. He was one of the four linemen who came from the transfer portal and expected to upgrade the front five, with O-line coach Herb Hand and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn coaching the offense.
Hansen started 35 games for the Commandores. Early, a returning player from last season started six of the eight games in his sophomore year at right tackle and right guard.
More: FSU strength and conditioning coach Josh Storms impressed by newcomers’ first Tour of Duty
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football spring football: Mike Norvell on key defensive injuries
