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What FSU football QB coach Tony Tokarz said about the 'continued growth' of DJ Uiagalelei

peter holland jr., tallahassee democrat
·5 min read
FSU football players participate in fall practice as the team prepares for Georgia Tech at the Albert J Dunlap training center on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024.

Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has settled into Florida State football's offense, and quarterback coach Tony Tokarz saw it firsthand.

After practice on Tuesday, Tokarz discussed Uiagalelei's development and how much he has improved since the spring. Uiagalelei enrolled last winter.

He praised the transfer quarterback for his poise in preparation.

"He prepares at an elite level," Tokarz said.

“I mean his approach is unbelievable. It's something that we're obviously hoping for, bringing him in. (He’s) super mature, constantly in the film room, film junkie and it's important to him. This is he wants to do and it shows.”

Uiagalelei is in his fifth and final year of eligibility.

He's thrown 8,319 yards and 57 passing touchdowns throughout his career on three different teams. His one-year at Oregon State was his career-best, with 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The Beavers went 8-4.

Before Oregon State, he played three years at Clemson.

Uiagalelei will be making his FSU debut against Georgia Tech next Saturday in Dublin, Ireland, for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which kicks off at noon on ESPN.

Tokarz believed Uigalelei's experience in playing differently against offensive schemes and different defensive looks is valuable to this FSU team, which returns seven offensive starters from last year after going 13-1.

"He knows a lot of football," Tokarz said.

"He's been under a few different offense coordinators. He knows a lot of defense and everything too, but just figuring out what we're doing, how we're doing it, why we're doing it, why we're attacking in a certain way, and then just developing that comfort within that.”

Patrick Surtain prepares all his DBs like starters

FSU's defensive back coach, Patrick Surtain has a mindset where he doesn't play favorites in the secondary. However, he also knows that at least 15 guys are about one play away from seeing playing time.

"I tell the guys all the time. If you're on the field, you're a starter," Surtain said. "I don't look at it as if you're on the second team, third team. If I put you on the field, you have a responsibility to this team to go out and be your very best."

With the depth in both the cornerback and safety positions, Surtain made sure that his DBs stayed ready for any circumstances, such as injuries, which can happen at any moment during the season.

"This football game is an unforgiving game," Surtain said. "I always remind the guys that they're one play away so always prepare like a starter."

There's no question that cornerbacks Fentrell Cypress and Azareye'h Thomas will relied upon this year along with All-ACC safety Shyheim Brown. When asked about the cornerback duo, he expects them to take their game to a higher level.

"They knew that they had to step their roles up," Surtain said. "I think both of those guys have approached like pros they come out every day.”

The secondary has been flying around throughout camp, especially from the young defensive backs. Surtain is excited about what he has from his DBs and looks forward to figuring out how to identify the right place for each player on the field.

"I knew that we would have a good group," Surtain said, "It was just a matter of putting it all together, with defining roles for guys and just going out there and let them play.”

Andre' Otto sweats off the center spot

FSU offensive lineman Andre' Otto has been trending in the right direction in the last two weeks of camp. The main reason is his versatility.

This year, Otto has been juggling different positions but has taken notice at the center, which has been an adjustment for the redshirt freshman.

Otto was originally projected to play tackle, but in recent weeks, he has been considered for both guard and center.

Since making the transition, he has stood out in the two scrimmages and one-on-one drills. Once he got comfortable playing center, the game started to slow down for the Key West native.

"When I switched over to center, it was like a whole new world," Otto said. "Then I've been playing a lot more guard lately, and it's kind of helped that I've done center and tackle already."

Otto has practiced playing center throughout the spring and summer. It wasn't just about learning the position for the first time but also about controlling perspiration while getting used to snapping the ball.

"My main problem is I sweat a lot," Otto explained.

"So, I have a little arm sleeve. I usually wear a sweatband to try to stop me from sweating and getting the ball all wet, but I'm usually pretty good at center, especially with just snaps."

Last week, FSU head coach Mike Norvell compared Otto's position to senior left tackle Darius Washington. Washington, an All-ACC lineman, played both tackle and center throughout his FSU career and has taken Otto under his wing to learn both positions.

"Darius is one of my people that I look up to, so that's a huge compliment to me," Otto said.

"I respect Darius. I like to work under Darius. We've worked a lot, especially this summer. We kind of work together just going over drills and stuff as a tackle and center."

Florida State football schedule 2024

BOLD = ACC

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Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What makes Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei 'elite' at preparation