Florida State has ramped up the intensity of its football practices. Practice No. 6 will be the Seminoles’ first scrimmage, with all or most of it taking place inside Doak Campbell Stadium.

For a roster with more than 60 new players, as well as six new assistant coaches, Tuesday’s scrimmage will be an important first step ahead of the Aug. 29 opener.

“I think it’s huge. Obviously it’s an opportunity for our guys to get in there before the season,” quarterbacks coach Austin Tucker said. “Just to feel it, be around it, the guys to understand the importance of what that stadium is. It’s huge for our players, it’s great for our coaches as well. It’s different going from a practice field to a game field.”

Rain and lightning in August have often been a factor and altered the coaching staff’s plans, sending them into FSU’s indoor practice field. But coach Mike Norvell and the staff have slated the Seminoles’ two scrimmages for an approximate 7 p.m. start to replicate the body clocks for the players of night kickoffs against New Mexico State and SMU.

Players and coaches got some scrimmage time in Doak during spring practice. But now the countdown is on with under four weeks until kickoff. The 11-on-11 competition will also help determine the depth charts on offense, defense and special teams.

“I feel like it’s going to decide tomorrow,” running backs coach Kam Martin said of competition and shaping depth charts. “These guys, they got to go out there and run the ball and protect, do all the little things that it takes to be the guy. I’m excited to see who is going to break tackles, I’m excited to see who is going to protect the ball, I’m excited to see who is going to make game-changing plays.”

Tucker said he wants to see the quarterbacks “taking control from the sideline to the field.” He praised starter Ashton Daniels for how he has handled the first five days of practice as well as the development of Kevin Sperry in year 2. Junior college transfer Malachi Marshall will also take part in his first scrimmage inside Doak.

What does he want to see from the quarterbacks?

“Continued leadership. When we step into Doak, that’s important to us,” Tucker said. “To give them a little feel of what a game day feels like and just the preparation behind that. Starting from the time I leave this room to prep for the game, that’s going to be a focus of at least trying to give these guys a similar feel of, ‘Hey, we’re approaching a game day.’ “

FSU will hold its second scrimmage on Sunday (August 9) at night.

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