TALLAHASSEE — Mike Norvell often picks the Seminoles player who had the greatest impact on a win to break a rock for the celebration in the locker room. After FSU’s 77-3 victory Saturday over East Texas A&M, he chose Ethan Pritchard’s father.
“A lot of great performances today,” Norvell said as he spoke to the Seminoles. “But if you guys are good —”
The team erupted with a “Yeah!” as they gave Earl Pritchard the sledgehammer. It’s been a miserable week for Earl, who has been by his son’s side in the hospital after the FSU freshman, a star at Sanford Seminole, was shot on Aug. 31 while driving his aunt back to nearby Havana not far from the state capital.
Earl wanted to be on the sideline on Saturday to represent his son, who is in critical but stable condition as he recovers from a gunshot wound. FSU players wore wristbands with “35” on them in honor of Pritchard. A team captain, Earl Little Jr., walked out to midfield holding a No. 35 jersey.
“It’s something that made us go out there and play for him today,” quarterback Tommy Castellanos said. “We’re praying for Ethan. We wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully God upstairs gives him a second chance at life.”
The Seminoles have formed a close bond and played with heavy hearts on Saturday. Here are five takeaways from the game:
Depth developing at skill positions
One of the big storylines for FSU going into 2025 was the lack of depth. But it’s also one where the Seminoles have young talent on the second and third teams with little college experience.
FSU was able to play nearly 90 Seminoles. That included 11 pass catchers, eight running backs and four quarterbacks. On defense, 17 players had two or more tackles.
“There’s no substitute for experience,” Norvell said.
These Seminoles go into the bye week with film to analyze with teammates and coaches, which helps in their development.
Early signs of development on offensive line
FSU has started four first-year transfers on the offensive line, with Richie Leonard (a 2024 transfer from Florida) joining them. There’s a definite need to develop high school prospects into dependable backups and potentially future starters.
True freshman center Chavez Thompson of Cocoa was in on 17 snaps in the second half, an encouraging sign for a lineman who didn’t enroll early but is developing quickly. Redshirt sophomore Lucas Simmons played 30 snaps at left tackle while redshirt freshman Jonathan Daniels played 30 snaps at right tackle.
True freshmen enjoy playing time
FSU hauled in a top-20 class in December, and a number of them impressed. Running back Ousmane Kromah had five carries for 37 yards as well as a 43-yard touchdown reception.
Jayvan Boggs of Cocoa had his first college catch, a 3-yard touchdown. Teriq Mallory and Chase Loftin had a catch apiece. Safeties Max Redmon (three tackles) and Antonio Cromartie Jr. (two tackles) also saw playing time.
Backup quarterbacks earn opportunities
True freshman Kevin Sperry entered the game with FSU ahead 42-0 and under six minutes until halftime. He led a 10-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown pass to Boggs. Sperry completed 4 of 5 passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns.
Redshirt sophomore Brock Glenn completed three passes for 56 yards, including a touchdown.
While Sperry entered the game first, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the No. 2 quarterback. Glenn missed both preseason scrimmages due to injury. But now both have game experience in Gus Malzahn’s offense to help prepare them if needed.
Versatility on display
Amaree Williams reclassified, expediting his schoolwork so that he could graduate in May 2024 and enroll at FSU. But the defensive end was behind from a strength and conditioning standpoint, so he played tight end and produced two touchdowns in the fall.
What would he be in 2025? On Saturday, he played both positions. Williams caught a 35-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and a few minutes later he had a sack.
This is not a cornerback who has a side gig as a receiver. It’s relatively unheard of for a college athlete to be a tight end and defensive end, but that’s what Williams is doing.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/09/07/seminoles-use-romp-to-develop-players/
