A position segment that hasn’t necessarily been a strength for the Florida State football team in recent years, the linebacker unit, sent another reminder toward the end of spring drills that things could be much different in 2022.
Throughout this spring, FSU head coach Mike Norvell has repeatedly praised the linebackers overall, saying they were improving as a group under new position coach Randy Shannon.
Then during Thursday’s practice, the final full-pads session before Saturday's Garnet & Gold Game, the Seminoles moved to heavy goal-line work, and the linebackers shined yet again.
“You saw them flashing today, and those guys are a lot of the same guys,” Norvell said. “They’re just growing and developing. Adding Tatum [Bethune] to the room, Omar Graham, Stephen Dix growing up. The growth and development of that position is one that I’m excited about.”
***Don't miss our exclusive FSU football and recruiting coverage. 30-day Free Trial***
When it comes to the linebackers, most of the media attention this spring has been on Tatum Bethune, and rightfully so. The veteran UCF transfer was a tackling machine at his former school, and he has quickly emerged as a force for the 'Noles.
But FSU also has three returning starters in Amari Gainer, Kalen DeLoach and D.J. Lundy, along with an experienced backup in Stephen Dix Jr. and a talented freshman in Omar Graham Jr.
Just about all of those guys made plays during the extensive goal-line drills Thursday. Dix was involved in the very first stop on a run up the middle, then DeLoach broke up what likely would have been a touchdown pass three plays later.
As a group, the linebackers delivered several big hits during the 19-play sequence.
“There is a confidence and a swagger in that group that is really starting to emerge. When you get down there, those guys, they've got to lead it,” Norvell said. “It all starts up front. Those guys up front are doing their job. You've got to have those 'backers that are fast-fit players. I think that’s starting to show up.”
Dix's improvement has been noticeable throughout the spring and could be a sign of a return to more playing time this fall.
After starting for most of the 2020 season as a freshman middle linebacker, Dix saw his workload decrease dramatically last fall. He went from recording 45 tackles one year to just 14 the next.
But Dix made several plays on Thursday, and Norvell said he likes the growth he’s seeing from the Orlando product.
"Stephen came in his first year and played a lot of football. As guys around continued to compete, as guys grew and developed, last year he didn’t play as much ball,” Norvell said. “You can be like the majority of people in the world and sulk about it or sit there and think about all the things that are maybe not going your way.
“Or, you can strap up and go to work. That’s what Stephen has done. I think you’re seeing flashes with him.”
Another experienced player who might not be at the forefront of fans' minds had a nice day as well on Thursday.
Former safety Brendan Gant, who is making the switch to linebacker this spring, was in on two straight stops during the goal-line drills. First, he and fellow converted DB Jadarius Green-McKnight combined to drop running back C.J. Campbell for a loss, then Gant had a solo stop on Treshaun Ward.
“There’s a couple guys that have changed positions, and it’s a process in it," Norvell said. "He (Gant) is working hard in making that transition, but he’s had those flash plays. It’s just the consistency of it."
A redshirt junior, Gant has played in 31 games for FSU with starts at safety in each of the past three seasons. He and Green-McKnight could be two more pieces of what is clearly an improving unit.
"I like them guys -- they come down when they need to," defensive tackle Fabien Lovett said of the linebackers. "We made their job easier ... at the end of the day, when it comes to running the ball, I'm gonna ride with my front-seven, front-six."
Florida State’s Garnet & Gold game is slated for 5 p.m. ET Saturday on ACC Network.
--------------------------------------------------
Talk about this story with other Florida State football fans in the Tribal Council
