Florida State football had one of its strongest practices since the preseason on Wednesday, with the defense stealing the show.

Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell said he was happy with the effort. And while he wants some things cleaned up, he felt it was a good day with high energy from his team to build on heading into the game against Cal on Saturday.

"I thought the guys really did a nice job," Norvell said about the energy. "It's something we have been pushing as a team in general."

Here are four takeaways from Thursday's practice

A cleaner, high-energy practice

The intensity was high and the competitiveness was notable among the different position groups. Fast, physical and most importantly clean reps highlighted the day as the Seminoles practiced with an edge in a fast-paced day.

There was a noticeable difference in the team's energy, players were more vocal and expressive than we have seen in recent weeks. For a second day in a row, Jeremiah Byers was a loud voice, supporting and leading the Seminoles. But while Tuesday felt like he was one of the only players making their voice heard, multiple players took turns as the vocal leader.

The coaching staff was still holding players accountable and teaching them in moments, but this felt like the most player-led practice FSU has had since the start of the season. It's a positive sign as the Seminoles head into a conference matchup on Saturday against Cal.

It's now time to see if the energy can translate to game day.

A slower day from the quarterbacks

While it was a stronger day of practice, the Seminoles quarterbacks had some ups and downs.

Brock Glenn had some flashes in big moments, showing his ability to run and get out of the pocket and make quick, smart decisions. Glenn made a good throw to Micahi Danzy on his first action in team activities, following it up with some strong throws in the one-on-one.-one reps.

He dropped a well-placed pass right into the hands of a well-covered Ja'Khi Douglas during those reps, but while that felt like a moment to capitalize on the momentum, Glenn missed a few throws later in drills that you'd want him making. It was a decent day for the redshirt freshman, but there were still some moments you'd like to see a cleaner throw.

DJ Uiagalelei had some good throws in both team activities and during one-on-one reps. But the moments of indecision and hesitancy were present again as some throws took a little longer to come out of his hands. He did have a strong connection with Kyle Morlock, connecting with the tight end on multiple big throws that will boost both players' confidence.

Luke Kromenhoek flashed in moments, with some impressive throws coming from the freshman. He made some impressive throws on the run and downfield, showing the potential that has many fans excited about the future of the true freshman quarterback.

It wasn't the strongest day from the quarterback's perspective, in part due to an impressive defensive display, but also mistakes from the players. There were still some impressive flashes from all three quarterbacks despite that.

Azareye'h Thomas, Darrell Jackson lead a strong day for the defense

The story of the day was the play of the defense as it was the cleanest and sharpest the unit has looked since the preseason.

The defensive backs were strong as players like Azareye'h Thomas and Conrad Hussey started the day by deflecting passes and jumping routes, setting the tone for what was to come.

Earl Little Jr. nearly got an interception early in team activities, jumping a route, unable to hold onto the ball when he hit the ground. Thomas, Hussey, K.J. Kirkland, Edwin Joseph and Fentrell Cypress were notably vocal and active in coverage, sticking tight with wide receivers and forcing difficult catches if the ball wasn't deflected away.

On the defensive line front, Darrell Jackson looked sharp, getting pressure on the quarterbacks and forcing quick decisions from them in team activities. In pass protection reps, Jackson bulldozed an offensive lineman, leaving him on the ground as he won his rep.

"I thought our defense had one of their better practices," Norvell said. "I liked the energy, the approach, guys were extremely competitive. They did it with great communication."

After a stronger display from the defensive line against Memphis, Wednesday's practice was maybe a sign that the unit could carry some momentum into Saturday's game.

Despite some big plays from the wide receivers, tight ends, drops still present

Drops have been a big issue for the Seminoles' offense, with wide receivers and tight ends in particular letting the ball touch the turf too many times. On Wednesday, there was a better flow from the group as they made some big plays and impressive catches, however, drops were still present.

Morlock made some nice catches, with one coming off a running throw from Glenn. He was covered well but made an adjustment to twist his body and make the catch in the endzone, the highlight of a decent day for him.

Even with tight coverage, players like Malik Benson, Hykeem Williams, Deuce Spann and Elijah Moore were holding onto the ball through heavy contact from the defensive backs, something that had been an issue both in games and practice all off-season.

However, there were still some drops that you don't want to see, especially with some drops coming in looser coverage. Some throws put the wide receivers in tough spots, but you'd like to see them hold on to the ball.

There was some strong moments, still, as Moore had a solid showing with some catches that showcased his size and Kentron Poitier fought tight coverage from Thomas, making a catch with the defensive back all over him. Freshman tight ends Landon Thomas and Amaree Williams both popped up with some big plays as well.

While those moments were good, and some of the best we've seen from the receivers, Norvell wants things cleaned up.

"Still some things to clean up there offensively," Norvell said. "Had some dropped balls, missed throws and missed opportunities. I liked that some guys continue to push and elevate themself, you feel the sense of competition and guys trying to seize the moment with the doors that are open.

How to watch FSU football vs. Cal 2024

• Date: Saturday, Sep. 21

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida

• TV: ESPN2

• Streaming: ESPN+ ($10.99 per month), WatchESPN and the ESPN app (TV provider subscription needed), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)

Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football defense look strong in practice, quarterbacks inconsistent