Florida State Football Leaning On Sports Science To Turn Things Around

The Florida State Seminoles are harnessing the power of science to their advantage this season.

After his team's second preseason scrimmage, head coach Mike Norvell gave a shoutout to his team's athletic training and sports science staff.

Norvell said that he noticed improvements in his players' health and noted the lack of "tissue issues" this offseason.

“These are things the athletic training staff and Jackson Shaffer, sports science, these guys, they’ve spent a lot of time and we all coordinate," Norvell said,

“Things that have shown up injury-wise haven’t been from wear and tear. A couple things have been very tough and that’s part of the game. Some years you get out clear with injuries and some years they show up. I think our guys with their training and the way they’ve prepared, their bodies are responding very, very well.”

The Seminoles started to focus on support staff earlier this year

Norvell said that the team's focus on beefing up their support staff started in the Spring. Yahoo Sports reported in early January that the team had made several job postings including one for a director of sports science. Jackson Shaffer — who Norvell mentioned — landed that role and started his stint on March 11.

While the sports science staff's efforts seem to be paying off, the Seminoles have had to contend with some significant injuries.

Offensive lineman Kayden Lyles, a red-shirt senior who transferred to FSU from Wisconsin, suffered an undisclosed injury that will keep him out of the lineup for the entire 2022 season.

In a statement posted on the team's Twitter account, Lyles said that while he will not be onfield, he's hoping to use his experience to help his fellow offensive linemen develop as the season goes on.

The Seminoles open their season on August 27 when they host Duquesne.

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