Some traditions belong to schools.

Some others follow coaching staffs from one program to another.

The latter is the case with Florida State's new "Break the Rock" ceremony, during which a leader is chosen to hoist a sledgehammer and smash a large stone to symbolize the completion of a team objective.

Mike Norvell started that tradition when he was the head coach at Memphis, and he has now carried it over to Florida State. And with the FSU football team completing preseason camp on Saturday, redshirt junior defensive end Joshua Kaindoh was selected to do the honors.

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Norvell said Kaindoh has been a model performer and leader since he and his coaching staff arrived in December.

"Josh Kaindoh has continued to elevate his game," Norvell said. "Really pleased with what I'm seeing from him."

Norvell explained that the Seminoles' ceremonial rock is actually signed by every player and coach on the team.

The player chosen to smash it at the end of the preseason is the one who has set a signing example with all of his actions -- from being prepared and attentive in meetings to putting forth maximum effort in the weight room and practice fields.

Norvell said FSU will hold "break the rock" celebrations after various milestones during the year, including before each game.

"It's something I've done as long as I've been a head coach, and it's something I believe in," Norvell said. "As I told our guys, when you sign your name to something, that's a commitment. ... When they sign that name, that responsibility to go out there and actually do what you say you're going to do, is important to me.

"When you accomplish that feat and that objective, and we get to smash that rock, it's kind of just a physical stamp of a job well done. And now we get to move to the next step."

Kaindoh's emergence has been perhaps the top story line of FSU's preaseason camp.

After arriving as a five-star prospect in the class of 2017, the Maryland product has battled numerous injuries and struggled to emerge as a productive member of the Seminoles' defense. He has started just two games in his career, and his eight career sacks have come against Delaware State (4), Wake Forest (2), Northern Illinois (1), and Boise State (1).

But Norvell said he could see Kaindoh taking his game to another level when he watched film of the 2019 season, before the lineman was sidelined by a season-ending injury. And he was confident that growth would continue when they first spoke upon Norvell's arrival in December.

"Josh is an extremely intelligent young man," Norvell said. "We had a good meeting there in December -- our first time kind of being around each other. I knew that he's had some hiccups. A lot of things that were really outside of his control."

* ALSO SEE: Complete updates from Saturday’s post-practice interviews

Norvell was especially impressed by the way the junior defensive end stayed involved during the team's "Tour of Duty" conditioning drills in February, encouraging his teammates when he couldn't participate.

"His engagement with his teammates, and always being in the moment," Norvell said. "That's something that I've really tried to challenge a lot of our guys. There are times that you might not be able to play, or you might not be available. That doesn't mean that you can't make an impact.

"I think he's really embraced that. And I'll tell ya, I think the potential he has for his future is limitless. He is becoming a well-rounded, potentially dominant football player. Giving great effort. Consistently showing up each and every day, wanting to be challenged. That's what you hope for."

While Kaindoh will likely never be considered a vocal leader -- Norvell said he didn't even say much when he was given the honor of breaking the rock -- it's his actions that have made an impact over the past few weeks.

"The response from his teammates when I was able to call out his name was pretty impressive," Norvell said. "You could see the respect they have for him."

Junior Asante Samuel was likely one of the players cheering the loudest. As a starting cornerback, he knows how difficult his job was last season when the Seminoles struggled to generate much of a pass rush from their front-four.

He loves what he has been seeing from Kaindoh so far in 2020.

"That's music to my ears," Samuel said. "When I see Joshua Kaindoh doing good, that means I'm gonna be doing good, honestly. Because without the D-Line, we can't do anything. So when he's out there doing his thing, it makes my job easier. And when I'm out there doing my thing, it makes his job easier. So it goes hand in hand.

"And Joshua, he's very consistent. He treats it like he's in the big leagues already, like the NFL already. He tries to approach situations like a pro ... every day like a pro. He's a good leader. And he leads by example."

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