Florida State is now five days into its fall camp prep, knocking out its penultimate practice before a trip to Jacksonville for a series of practices on the University of North Florida campus.

“Tomorrow will be a little bit lesser, since we have a big stretch this week going to Jacksonville,” head coach Mike Norvell said on Tuesday. “It’s kind of our getaway during camp — [that still features] two pretty intense practices.”

FSU has taken the trip down to Jacksonville for the last two years, a tradition that’s emerged under Norvell in an effort to break up the grind of camp as well as get a little bit of road prep ahead of the season, allowing the team to get their first feel of the year for hitting the road but maintaining mentalities.

The Seminoles are still in the early days of camp, having just thrown on full pads on Saturday, but the pressure is already on for FSU to continue its upward trajectory as it looks to achieve some of the lofty expectations being placed on the squad ahead of the season.

Norvell has been impressed with the effort from his team so far — while he noted there were a few mishaps on special teams and a couple of areas that still need refining, the intensity and energy is exactly in line with what he’s looking for.

“The depth, the quality of newcomers is something I’m really excited about — seeing those guys maximize opportunities that they’re getting. We’ve got a lot of competition, this is going to be good for us in the long run.”

Norvell also shared that the NCAA has denied an eligibility waiver for Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Darrell Jackson Jr.

In March, the organization updated its waiver parameters to try and curb the trend of players undergoing multiple transfers during their collegiate careers:

In all sports, four-year undergraduate student athletes who decide to transfer to a new NCAA school can generally be eligible to compete for the new school provided that they have not previously transferred and notify their current school by entering the NCAA Transfer Portal during their sport-specific transfer window.

Jackson, who began his career with the Maryland Terrapins, transferred to Florida State this offseason in an effort to be closer to his mother who is dealing with health issues.

“She thinks it’s her fault, but it’s not,” Jackson said on Tuesday. “I’m going to continue to be there for my mom and see how things play out.”

He also claimed that the NCAA did not provide an explanation for the denial of his waiver, saying “I don’t know if they’re trying to prove a point or what?”

“I thought that [his reason for transferring] was shown and presented, but ultimately the NCAA, they have a choice of what they’re going to do and the decision that they made,” Norvell said.

“It’s sad that he’s gonna miss games....obviously, he’s hurt.”

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