Four guys back. All on defense and all right before Florida State.

Mario Cristobal went on the Joe Rose show this morning and confirmed what we've been saying on the CanesInsight Daily Podcast for a week:

Xavier Lucas, Marquise Lightfoot, Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. and Damari Brown are all back. And the guys who were dinged up going into the bye are trending back up after some much-needed rest.

Starting with Lucas, we've been without both starting corners since Stanford.

And while OJ Frederique's injury was more long-term, talking to sources the plan was always getting Lucas back after the bye. Lucas has size, strength and speed at the position, plus he was one of the steadiest players we had in camp. He also had a great battle last year with Duce Robinson, FSU's big X receiver.

Damari Brown matters too. He's over 200 pounds and one of the strongest corners on the team. I don't think he was 100 percent to start the year, but we were so short at corner that he had to play hurt. Now he gets to play healthy.

Up front, Lightfoot comes back to a defense that proved itself without him against Clemson after his early injury.

The Chicago native has been stellar to start his junior season, a key part in this Miami defense which allows the lowest percentage of touchdown drives in the country.

Marcelin was right on the verge of a bigger role when he got hurt. He's flashed every time he's been on the field, and this linebacker room needs more young players pushing behind Chase Smith and Mohamed Toure (who both just had great games at Clemson).

These returns also free up Bryce Fitzgerald. Cristobal told Joe Rose that moving him back to safety is an option, but he can play anywhere, nickel included. Omar Thornton has done some nice things at nickel, along with some negative plays.

Do you want Fitzgerald covering in the nickel? Or do you want him at safety on third and long, using his range and hunting turnovers like he did last year? That's a good problem. We didn't have that choice two weeks ago.

Not everybody is coming back so soon.

Max Buchanan is one we'll be without. Cristobal hopes he rejoins us later in the year, and the playoff run is the more realistic window.

Ja'Boree Antoine is still banged up and won't play this week. My guess is he's closer to the Notre Dame timeframe, though that's hard to pin down.

Armondo Blount isn't injured, but he's in that banged-up group that just needed rest.

The silver lining of all of this? We found out what the depth looks like.

Ryan Mack stepped up at corner and is now someone you can trust off the bench. Dylan Day played a great game at safety. Jarquez Carter, Herbert Scroggins III and Booker Pickett Jr. all did real work on the defensive line, with Pickett filling Lightfoot's role as the extra rusher. They did it on the road, at Clemson and at Wake. Our staff's evaluation of its own depth turned out to be right.

None of this means FSU is a walkover.

Cristobal pumped them up, as he should. He pointed to ten sacks against Virginia and a red zone offense he calls elite. We just watched two top-10 teams get upset, and nobody wants to be next, especially in a rivalry game.

We're breaking down FSU every single day this week on the CanesInSight podcast. Like and subscribe so you don't miss one.

 

Concerned that Mario didn't mention Blount, who was unable to finish the last two games.

What about McCoy?

Later in the interview he said "and the guys that were a little bit dinged up...they feel and look like they're 100% because they had great days of practice." So although not specifically mentioned by Mario, I'm assuming that includes guys like McCoy and Blount.

 

Later in the interview he said "and the guys that were a little bit dinged up...they feel and look like they're 100% because they had great days of practice." So although not specifically mentioned by Mario, I'm assuming that includes guys like McCoy and Blount.

I'm glad to hear McCoy's arm replantation went well.

 

Buddy I dont care how strong and pain tolerance you have, U not playing chess with a torn labrum let alone OT.

Word coming from McCoy, supposedly it was just a really bad, stinger.

 

What about McCoy?

He came back in and finished the Clemson game. Doubt he’s close to 100% but my guess is he plays.

 

Four guys back. All on defense and all right before Florida State.

Mario Cristobal went on the Joe Rose show this morning and confirmed what we've been saying on the CanesInsight Daily Podcast for a week:

Xavier Lucas, Marquise Lightfoot, Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. and Damari Brown are all back. And the guys who were dinged up going into the bye are trending back up after some much-needed rest.

Starting with Lucas, we've been without both starting corners since Stanford.

And while OJ Frederique's injury was more long-term, talking to sources the plan was always getting Lucas back after the bye. Lucas has size, strength and speed at the position, plus he was one of the steadiest players we had in camp. He also had a great battle last year with Duce Robinson, FSU's big X receiver.

Damari Brown matters too. He's over 200 pounds and one of the strongest corners on the team. I don't think he was 100 percent to start the year, but we were so short at corner that he had to play hurt. Now he gets to play healthy.

Up front, Lightfoot comes back to a defense that proved itself without him against Clemson after his early injury.

The Chicago native has been stellar to start his junior season, a key part in this Miami defense which allows the lowest percentage of touchdown drives in the country.

Marcelin was right on the verge of a bigger role when he got hurt. He's flashed every time he's been on the field, and this linebacker room needs more young players pushing behind Chase Smith and Mohamed Toure (who both just had great games at Clemson).

These returns also free up Bryce Fitzgerald. Cristobal told Joe Rose that moving him back to safety is an option, but he can play anywhere, nickel included. Omar Thornton has done some nice things at nickel, along with some negative plays.

Do you want Fitzgerald covering in the nickel? Or do you want him at safety on third and long, using his range and hunting turnovers like he did last year? That's a good problem. We didn't have that choice two weeks ago.

Not everybody is coming back so soon.

Max Buchanan is one we'll be without. Cristobal hopes he rejoins us later in the year, and the playoff run is the more realistic window.

Ja'Boree Antoine is still banged up and won't play this week. My guess is he's closer to the Notre Dame timeframe, though that's hard to pin down.

Armondo Blount isn't injured, but he's in that banged-up group that just needed rest.

The silver lining of all of this? We found out what the depth looks like.

Ryan Mack stepped up at corner and is now someone you can trust off the bench. Dylan Day played a great game at safety. Jarquez Carter, Herbert Scroggins III and Booker Pickett Jr. all did real work on the defensive line, with Pickett filling Lightfoot's role as the extra rusher. They did it on the road, at Clemson and at Wake. Our staff's evaluation of its own depth turned out to be right.

None of this means FSU is a walkover.

Cristobal pumped them up, as he should. He pointed to ten sacks against Virginia and a red zone offense he calls elite. We just watched two top-10 teams get upset, and nobody wants to be next, especially in a rivalry game.

We're breaking down FSU every single day this week on the CanesInSight podcast. Like and subscribe so you don't miss one.

 

Torn labrum but will try to play through it.

to just speculate what is injury is without any factual backing is not just wrong - it’s weird.

This comes from players on the team that I know that are tight with him that told me this last week but told me it was ok to say. Otherwise I would have kept it to myself if they said to. Like stuff about Lowe and Trader and other situations like that where it was more confidential until others reported it.
But the response from u and a few others is normally why I don’t post when I have something, not that it matters or I need credit or attention for info.
I posted it more about Matt and how tough he is and the respect he deserves as he is willing to try to play with it as long as he can. So when he is not at his best ppl here won’t crap on him. But honestly it’s whatever.

 

Damari is strong huh ... Wow so valuable...

 

Torn labrum but will try to play through it.

Ouch

 

Buddy I dont care how strong and pain tolerance you have, U not playing chess with a torn labrum let alone OT.

I have known someone else 2 years ago that played with it and then got it repaired after the season, so IDK.
I am not a medical professional so i don't know if there are different grades of injuries to tearing that (partial or complete), but was just relaying what I was told.
Maybe you know more about that injury than me from a medical background. (Not sarcasm)

 

Tore my labrum several years ago on a halfpipe...ate **** at the bottom. It eventually healed without surgery but gets a little sore here and there.

 

to just speculate what is injury is without any factual backing is not just wrong - it’s weird.

Oh go lick a gooch dude

 

Damari Brown was hurt? Holy **** I’m ******* shocked

 

This is the healthiest we have been since the end of the Stanford game. We better roll these guys early, make them quit and send in the subs. Need this team to walk away with no more injuries. We need everyone healthy going forward.

 

I'm glad to hear McCoy's arm replantation went well.

Nothing that gutter glue they sell on TV couldn't fix...

 

Don’t we have a bye-week this week?

 

Don’t we have a bye-week this week?

Come on man

 

So OJ Marty Brown and Josh Moore done for the year, Antoine back in a week or two, Buchanan likely for the playoffs. Am I missing anyone? What about Phil?

 

Is there a reason why Damari doesn’t play safety?

 

With 2 Dbs back I would like to see Thornton head to the bench and I would start dunnigan at nickel. Fitz back to safety even tho I think long term cb might be his best spot. Lucas and O’Connor start at cb

Or put Fitz at slot, Dunnigan at Safety. Either way Thornton should be on the bench.

 

So OJ Marty Brown and Josh Moore done for the year, Antoine back in a week or two, Buchanan likely for the playoffs. Am I missing anyone? What about Phil?

Thought OJ would be back towards the end of the season, Marty is done for sure, lower body injury is never good