Florida State offers local media members a great opportunity each year on the day before it opens preseason camp with a press conference featuring coach Mike Norvell and the chance to interview the rest of his assistants before fall camp begins.

As always, there was plenty that came out of those interviews, which were held Wednesday afternoon. Here are five takeaways:

One major topic entering each preseason camp is the overall health of the team.

FSU was without a number of key contributors during spring camp, a list of names that included starting offensive tackle Robert Scott, defensive back Kevin Knowles II and transfer additions Braden Fiske and Jaden Jones on the defensive line.

While Norvell didn't share specific injury updates on players during his Wednesday press conference, he did indicate the team was in good shape at the onset of preseason camp.

"We feel like we're going to have the vast majority of our guys that are going to be ready to go here starting tomorrow," Norvell said. "We had some guys that were unavailable in the spring that I think have done a great job putting themselves in position to be ready for summer training.

"There are still guys that are working return-to-play protocols that we have full expectations of them being 100% come game one, but we want to make sure that we build them through the process to where they're going."

Scott was arguably the biggest name on that list of players who were sidelined in the spring. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound lineman has started 29 games on the offensive line over the last three seasons, 22 of those at left tackle.

FSU offensive coordinator Alex Atkins shared a promising update on his status Wednesday as well.

"He's getting healthy. Rob has played a lot of football around here. That's never going to be the problem," Atkins said. "I think this is probably the best his body has felt in a long time."

With preseason camp set to begin Thursday, there is still no clarity on the status of defensive tackle Darrell Jackson's eligibility waiver for the upcoming season.

Jackson, who hails from nearby Havana, Fla., has already transferred twice as he enters his third year of college football. After originally enrolling at Maryland out of high school, Jackson used his one-time free transfer last offseason to Miami.

He transferred once again to FSU this offseason, but there was early optimism the Seminoles would get Jackson a waiver for immediate eligibility as a desire to move closer to an ailing direct family member was the main reason behind Jackson's FSU transfer.

However, with just over a month until FSU's season begins Sept. 3 in Orlando, Jackson still doesn't have a waiver. That would be a blow considering Jackson was quite impressive in spring practice for the Seminoles and would definitely factor into the two-deep depth chart.

The fact that Jackson hasn't yet received a waiver doesn't mean he has zero chance of still getting one. After all, FSU quarterback Jordan Travis got his waiver a few weeks into preseason camp back in 2019. However, the odds dwindle with each day closer we get to kickoff.

Norvell said that Jackson's waiver status is something he checks on daily. In the meantime, it doesn't sound like FSU will be treating Jackson any differently on the practice field until the coaching staff knows he won't eligible.

"Darrell is playing until Mike (Norvell) tells me he's not. I'm not going to unravel that," FSU defensive coordinator Adam Fuller said. "I'm going to give him a great opportunity to get better because that's what he needs to do. We'll react if we have to react, but Darrell is playing and we're ready for it."

More from Norvell on Jackson's waiver status

Of the numerous summer weight changes on the FSU roster, none has been nearly as drastic as redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jaylen Early's.

Early dropped 25 pounds from 324 pounds to 299 since spring camp ended for FSU in April. Since last season, when he was listed at 338 pounds, Early has dropped 39 pounds, totally transforming his body.

"Sometimes I try not to get caught up too much in the number because there's times we have guys that have gained one or two or lost one or two pounds but they've totally changed the complexion of their body. In a case like Jaylen Early, I'm really proud of him," Norvell said. "He came in as a freshman, obviously had some of the young freshman weight that needed to be continued to work and develop upon...He is moving great. Now he is going to put himself in a position to continue to grow, to be better in his fundamentals, because he'll be in shape to be able to consistently do that throughout the course of a practice, throughout the course of a season. I'm excited about what he brings."

Another notable body transformation, although not one that showed up in a weight discrepancy was the one made by FSU running back Trey Benson. Benson has added eight pounds from the 215 he played the 2022 season at to the 223 pounds he's now listed at entering the 2023 season.

However, a picture of Benson's physical growth over the last 12 months, which circulated last week on social media, shows that Benson's progress extends far beyond the number on the scale.

"You've got to credit (FSU director of strength and conditioning Josh) Storms. Our strength and conditioning staff, nutrition, they all do a phenomenal job," Atkins said of Benson's growth. "Also, it's the buy-in of the player. You can put the program in front of them, hold them accountable to it, but if they don't buy into it, you don't get the results you're looking for. You're just checking off a box. That's a player (Benson) who ain't just checking off a box."

One of the main storylines entering FSU's preseason will be how an offensive line room that has gradually transformed from one of the worst in the Power Five to one of the best in the ACC settles which five starters will find their way on the field to start the season opener vs. LSU.

While there are questions about every other spot and who emerges on top, it seems clear that there will be no battle for the center position. That has been (and according to Atkins, will continue to be) Maurice Smith's job.

"Maurice Smith, there's no question he's going to be the guy. He's always been the guy. He does a really good job," Atkins said.

Smith, now a redshirt junior, has started 29 games at center over the last four seasons. While the Seminoles have multiple times tried to bring in competitors for his starting job, he's risen to the challenge each time.

Now it seems clear entering fall camp that the days of trying to find someone to take his job appear to be over.

"I tell him every year I try to replace him, but he's always up for the challenge. Every year, I sit him down and say, 'I'm looking for somebody to be better than you,' and he says, 'Bring it,' " Atkins said. "That's the kind of guy he is, that's how he's always been. That's why he's developed into the player he's become. He's the one (starter) I'd say is solidified."

It won't be the most high-profile competition of fall camp, but the place-kicker position battle that is set to go on over the next few weeks between incumbent starter Ryan Fitzgerald and East Tennessee State transfer Tyler Keltner may low-key be one of the more important FSU position battles.

Fitzgerald made just 12 of 20 field goals (60%) in 2022, tied for the second-worst field-goal percentage among ACC kickers. However, he did have a bit more success down the stretch of the season, making 8 of his last 11 field goals (72.7%) over the final eight games after returning to his original step-up approach to kicking.

Keltner, a Tallahassee native out of Chiles High, was a two-time All-Southern Conference kicker at ETSU and has made 56 of his 74 career collegiate field goals (75.7%).

"It's going to be great competition there..." Norvell said. "Both those guys have unique journeys to get to this point. They've seen highs; they've seen lows. They've had to respond to situations."

Another battle to watch on the special teams front will be at both kick returner and punt returner. Benson returns as a kick-return option after he returned one kickoff for a touchdown last season against Boston College, but he may have some competition as the overall talent and athleticism on FSU's roster continues to increase.

"You look at the kick returners that we have. I think they can be special," Norvell said. "Winston Wright showed throughout his career he can be special in that situation, Caziah Holmes, Deuce Spann, seeing this summer what he has done, I'm excited for him just in his game in general. Obviously we all know what Trey can do and being able to be impactful in those moments."

At punt returner, FSU has to replace Mycah Pittman, who transferred to Utah this offseason after only one season with the Seminoles. Similarly, FSU has a few options to replace Pittman at punt returner and it doesn't sound like there's much overlap between the kick returners and the punt returners.

"When it goes to punt returner, that's a big position that we need to have somebody rise up in that. Lawrance Toafili has taken a lot of ownership there, which I think is ideal," Norvell said. "Ja'Khi Douglas, Destyn Hill have really worked hard at that here throughout the course of the summer. We have other guys that are getting a lot of work there as well, but I like that group. I think it's got a chance to be dependable guys, but also guys with the opportunity that can really change the game there in the return game."

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