Seven Florida State receivers caught passes in the season-opening win, including three transfers. While the Week 0 game gave newcomers a chance to build chemistry with Jordan Travis and the offense, the development of a third-year receiver was also quite impressive.

Redshirt sophomore Kentron Poitier had four receptions for 84 yards, matching his 2021 catch total in the Seminoles’ 47-7 win over Duquesne.

“I’m very confident,” Poitier said on Tuesday. “The better I know my plays the faster I get to go. I get the play lined up, I get to clear my head — just me and the DB.”

Poitier had a pair of catches on a drive that resulted in a Ryan Fitzgerald field goal that put the Seminoles ahead 26-0 in the second quarter. On FSU’s first drive of the second half, Poitier hauled in a 48-yard grab that set up the Seminoles at the Duquesne 7 and resulted in a Treshaun Ward touchdown.

In his first two seasons, Poitier had just eight receptions for 61 yards but he made the most of his most extensive playing time at FSU on Saturday. Poitier’s improvement in preseason camp didn’t go unnoticed, and the playing time was a reward for his hard work and progress. Deuce Spann was another example of a younger player, also in his third college season, who saw playing time and had three receptions for 40 yards.

“Deuce, Kentron I thought both did a great job being able to create separation, showcasing speed, making plays when they had opportunity to,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said.

Poitier said he often got by with athleticism in high school but has learned how to use his hands and fights for contested passes. He feels the playing time will allow him to build toward an expanded role when needed or to fill in and give starters a rest. And having game film, much of it positive, allows coaches to help him review.

“Just look at the little things that I did wrong out there if it was an MA (missed assignment) on the play or hand inside on the block, just go back, I got that game and see what I messed up on,” Poitier said.

The opponent was Duquesne, but the game was about development. Beyond the receivers, it was evident at nearly every position group — FSU’s coaches did what they could to give young backups playing time. The Seminoles’ participation report listed 71 players, and while that represents a core of veterans and transfer with experience it also illustrated the coaches’ desire to get freshmen on the field.

FSU played 14 offensive linemen, including a large group of freshmen.

“I think them running out on that field was a little different than running out there at practice,” offensive coordinator / offensive line coach Alex Atkins said. “I saw a little bit of the wide eye but I think things calmed down for them and slowed down. We got Julian (Armella) out there, we got Daughtry (Richardson) out there, we got (Bryson) Estes, Kanaya (Charlton). You can’t simulate that. That's the reality of it.

“So just moving forward is about that progression of just getting better and just giving him like, ‘Hey, you can do this.’ And then a little bit more and a little bit more. And now the preparation goes up because they want more because they want to be out there more. So just having those young guys around and get them a little action, it goes a long way because you can’t simulate that in a practice situation a lot of times.”

It remains to be seen how much playing time true freshmen could earn moving forward. But the Seminoles have already battled injuries at center, and Atkins has long taken pride in cross training veterans as well as younger linemen to find where they best fit. Early playing time for freshmen can help expedite their development, especially for an offensive line that has battled injuries and can never have too much depth.

“We brought in a lot of offensive linemen,” veteran offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons said. “But that doesn’t necessarily solve a problem. That kind of stimulates a solution. And that solution is to get guys reps. To have guys taking quality game reps that just builds our depth here on the offensive line and adds to the floor and rises it up.”

On defense it was evident at all three levels. Freshman linebacker Omar Graham Jr. had four tackles, defensive tackle Daniel Lyons had two tackles and defensive backs like Azareye’h Thomas had a tackle and earned playing time, too.

"I think very valuable, right?” defensive coordinator Adam Fuller said. “I thought our guys, the ability to keep focused, what I loved about it was on the sidelines, even the last play of the game when Azareye'h comes up and makes a tackle with Omar Graham,how excited our guys got. When Rodney Hill scored, to see our sideline get excited, that shows you something about your football team. The other one that you mentioned is Daniel Lyons. Daniel played really well. You can empty your bench in games like that, but what we did is the guys that deserved to get in the game, we tried to get them in the game because they've earned the right to do it. Playing out there on that field is special. When you get the opportunity to do it, regardless of the score, it was good to see some of those young guys take advantage of it."

Tatum Bethune consistently showed in the spring and preseason that he was an instinctual linebacker. The UCF transfer had four tackles, including a tackle for loss, and nearly hauled in an in interception early in Saturday's game.

“Tatum was exactly the way I thought he would be on game day and I was proud of him,” Fuller said. “He did a nice job, definitely brings something to us.”

Jammie Robinson isn’t flying under the radar as a preseason All-American pick by the AP and a preseason All-ACC selection. The FSU safety has built a reputation for erasing what could become a big play and he indeed broke up two passes on Saturday night as well as contributed four tackles.

Robinson showed his speed and played well in run support, ranging to the sideline to make a stop, while also playing well in coverage.

"He's better right now than he was when he finished the (2021) season,” Fuller said. “You see that one pass breakup he made on the crossing route towards their sideline in space and just the violence that he got the ball out. And then we played him at dime, he had a 1-on-1 player on their sideline on a third down and he's a lot more calm in coverage. He is an accelerator, he is a violent mover, but just getting him in really good position and when he's at the top of the play, things slow down for right now.”

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