Thursday’s return to Florida State football practice proved to be an oppressive challenge.

After what FSU head coach Mike Norvell referred to as a productive off day of film review and meetings, the Seminoles were greeted by a stifling August heat on the practice field Thursday morning for their second straight practice in full pads.

There was no reprieve for the Seminoles, who held one of their more physically intense practices of the young preseason, working through two lengthy 11-on-11 sessions and plenty of contact in other settings as well.

Norvell himself even got in on the action, throwing passes to wide receivers during one early drill in practice.

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It was a day where much of FSU’s success came on the ground. Freshman running back Rodney Hill broke a big run in the first 11-on-11 period and had a few other plays which drew praise from the head coach.

It wasn’t the quarterbacks’ best day of fall camp, but it was a very strong day for Mycah Pittman, who had a number of catches early in practice and a touchdown in red-zone situational work later in practice.

Pittman hasn’t opened the preseason at the same consistent level he finished spring practice at, but the last few days have been a step closer towards what we saw from him in the spring.

One major problem for the passing game was that the Seminoles were without a few offensive linemen. Those numbers dwindled a bit as the practice progressed, but Norvell said he doesn’t expect any of those absences to be serious injuries.

These absences forced FSU’s increased depth up front to be tested and particularly hindered the offense when some players who don’t regularly line up at center did some cross-training there.

These players had some struggles with snapping, limiting the rhythm FSU’s offense was able to consistently get into.

True freshman offensive lineman Julian Armella continues to get tested by going against some of the better defensive ends on the roster. After he pancaked Jared Verse in Tuesday’s practice, Verse got his revenge against Armella Thursday, bull-rushing him and taking him to the ground in a 1-on-1 rep.

Verse also beat Armella with a speed rush off the edge later in the 1-on-1 line portion, but Armella did have a pancake of Patrick Payton earlier in practice. Veteran defensive tackle Fabien Lovett offered high praise of Armella after practice, saying he was the best freshman offensive lineman he’s ever seen.

South Carolina transfer offensive tackle Jazston Turnetine was probably the most impressive offensive lineman during these 1-on-1 drills. After Payton beat him with a spin move, he responded with a stonewall of Payton in a rematch rep and also successfully blocked Dennis Briggs Jr. later in the period.

True freshman defensive tackle Ayobami Tifase had a strong day in 1-on-1s as well, beating Kanaya Charlton and Qae’Shon Sapp handily. Defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins was particularly hard on Tifase Thursday, something that likely speaks to his belief in Tifase’s potential.

Norvell also shared that preseason All-ACC safety Jammie Robinson has been a bit limited to start preseason camp due to a minor injury. He was a full participant in a padded practice for the first time Thursday and made his presence felt immediately.

He had an interception during the first 11-on-11 period which was wiped off by what the coaches deemed to be a sack by Greedy Vance on a cornerback blitz. In red-zone work, he charged out of nowhere and hit Ontaria Wilson in an unlikely effort to keep him out of the end zone on a jet sweep that seemed to have an open path to the end zone.

FSU returns to the practice field Friday morning for its final practice before the team’s first preseason scrimmage Saturday evening.

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