CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are plenty of expectations for what Keon Coleman can do on the football field. And the early returns from coach Mike Norvell and teammates have been very positive.
There were also moments where Coleman, a two-sport athlete at Michigan State, took to the basketball court to leave his new Florida State teammate in awe with a windmill dunk.
“Welcome to Florida State,” coach Mike Norvell said. “Yes. It was pretty impressive.”
Defensive end Jared Verse views himself as a very good basketball player, a football-track athlete in high school but also someone who can dunk. But Verse was stunned that Coleman did the windmill dunk in jeans. Quarterback Jordan Travis didn’t hesitate when asked if Coleman was the best basketball player on the team: “Yes. 100 percent.”
Coleman caught 58 passes for 798 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022 at Michigan State, and he’s one of a number of additions who could be impactful through the transfer portal. Norvell’s early impressions of Coleman and receiver Destyn Hill, both of which arrived after spring practice, has been positive based on conversations and what they have showed in summer workouts.
“Keon, he’s got a great spirit,” Norvell said. “Destyn has a great spirit. But when you watch the work, they’re building respect on a daily basis. You can come in from any program, you can have whatever you want on your resume, whatever your journey has been. When you step in that locker room, you step on that field, in the weight room, it comes down to the work. And they’ve embraced that.
“Both, I believe, have special talents. Keon is a little bit more experienced. His size, his speed, the movements that I got a chance to watch, he’s going to bring a great dynamic to our team. Same thing with those other guys.”
Norvell was also asked about some of the freshmen who enrolled over the summer, mentioning Blake Nichelson while nodding his head and saying, “Yes.” He also referenced some of the newer defensive backs and, while not naming them, it’s players like freshmen Conrad Hussey, Edwin Joseph and Ja’Bril Rawls as well as junior college transfer Ashlynd Barker that will have a chance to learn and develop in camp, which opens on Aug. 3.
“Some of the freshmen defensive backs, Blake, yes. We got guys that can run,” Norvell said. “They’re big, they’re long, they’re athletic. It’s going to be a fun group. As they’re earning opportunity and role, it’s going to be exciting to watch those guys into practice.”
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