The FSU tight ends coach addressed the media after Friday's practice, talking initially about his role as deputy head coach.

"It’s more of a support role for him (coach Mike Norvell)," Thomsen said. "I think when you’re a head coach, you’re balancing and managing so many things in your mind that sometimes if you have somebody that is either to bounce an idea off of or walk in, and he gives me for the most part pretty much free rein to walk in and say, ‘What about this or what about that?’ "

Thomsen has a large group of tight ends at varying stages of their development, from a veteran leader like Camren McDonald to those who have gained experience like Wyatt Rector and Preston Daniel to an emerging talent in Markeston Douglas and true freshmen Brian Courtney and Jerrale Powers. The tight ends have impressed him with their work ethic and desire to improve.

"Highly motivated, really wanting to absorb all the different elements that the position brings in terms of the assignment, what route do I run, what block do I execute," Thomsen said. "But then the technical aspect of how to do it. Just super high concentration level from every guy in the room on wanting to perfect all of those things that we’re asking them to do."

McDonald is a redshirt senior who has been a mentor for the group, Thomsen said.

"His experience is really invaluable," Thomsen said. "Any time you’ve been out in that arena that many times and seen that many different looks, different things that happen to you in a game, you’re a guy like he is that’s willing to share that with the younger guys and help them grow, that’s an invaluable role."

Markeston Douglas is a redshirt sophomore who had a limited role and played in four games in 2021. But Douglas has made "huge steps" in his development, Thomsen said. Douglas has clearly worked hard on his blocking and is a more sure-handed receiver.

"When you consider his first year coming in and even that first spring being a guy that was borderline offensive line-tight end because he had gotten so big," Thomsen said. “He has taken huge steps in his understanding of the offense. But then the technical aspect of what he’s doing. He’s made a lot of progress in in-line blocking. With his size, that should be a strength of his. He’s worked hard to perfect that. He’s a guy that never really did that in high school."

Thomsen also discussed his tight end room gaining comfort in what is year 3 for Norvell and also Thomsen's as the position coach. He can appreciate the development and familiarity that players have as they've been in situations on game days or seen them frequently in practices.

"It’s one thing when the defense just presents a normal, basic look," Thomsen said. "But when they start to do all the things that defenses do with field and boundary pressures, with movements, with different things with coverages and disguises, you see them start to get it and see it like you see it. … That’s the fun part of coaching when you can see a group that you’ve had and they start to put it all together."

Video above of Thomsen by Curt Weiler