Top storylines heading into FSU’s 2015 fall camp

The Florida State football team reports for fall camp on Wednesday, and will have its first practice on Thursday ahead of the 2015 season.

Check out NoleSports’ Top 5 storylines heading into FSU fall camp:

1. ‘Soft’ Seminoles: With the exception of several players on defense, head coach Jimbo Fisher has praised his team for being a group of young, talented players that need to be coached up. After the Seminoles’ first practice back from Easter break this spring, Fisher called his team “soft” after playing with a lack of physicality, competitiveness, and consistency during a scrimmage.

“They better grow up,” Fisher said. “Bunch of young guys think they’re real good, and they ain’t close. Nowhere close. Got ability. Got to learn how to play with intangibles. A little bit soft as a team overall on both sides.”

Maybe the comment was intended to rev up the Seminoles after a holiday weekend, but FSU can’t afford to hold itself back on the practice fields if it aspires to win a fourth consecutive ACC title this season.

2. Wide receivers: FSU’s wide receiver group might be the most talented unit on the team, but it has a little growing up to do, too. Junior Jesus Wilson and Travis Rudolph, only a sophomore, are FSU’s most experienced receivers on the team.

Sophomores Ja’Vonn ‘Pigg’ Harrison and Ermon Lane, and freshmen George Campbell, Da’Vante Phillips and Auden Tate were all ranked as four-star receivers or higher coming out of high school, with Lane and Campbell ranked as five-star prospects.

But collectively, they must continue to develop under wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey if they’re going to make an impact in FSU’s offense moving forward.

“The receivers need to grow up,” Fisher said after calling his team soft. “They’re not very tough. Not very competitive. Not one of them.”

3. Can Golson fill Winston’s shoes?

By all accounts, transfer quarterback Everett Golson has been acclimating well with his new teammates since arriving on campus in June. And he showed the social media world as much on Saturday after taking to Twitter and responding to criticism from ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, who said FSU is trending downward in 2015 and Golson was better in 2012 than he was last season.

Golson has not been handed the starting job; he’ll have to compete with Sean Maguire, J.J. Cosentino and true freshman Deondre Francois, Fisher said. But we know why he’s here. Replacing the output Jameis Winston had on offense won’t be an easy task, but Golson can help ease the transition.

Winston, a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion in 2013, finished his FSU career with a 26-1 record, throwing for 7,964 yards and 65 touchdowns and 28 interceptions during his two seasons with the Seminoles. Golson has 5,850 passing yards with 41 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, and a trip to the 2012 national title game under his belt in two seasons at Notre Dame.

4. Running back depth: With Dalvin Cook’s first court case set for Sept. 2 — three days before FSU’s season opener against Texas State — the Seminoles’ running back situation is something to keep an eye on during fall camp.

Cook has been suspended indefinitely since he was charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly hitting a woman outside a Tallahassee bar in June.

Fisher likened Cook’s absence as an injury, saying the players next in line need to emerge for the Seminoles. Behind Cook on FSU’s preseason depth chart is redshirt junior Mario Pender, sophomore Johnathan Vickers or freshman bruiser Jacques Patrick, who had a successful showing during spring practices.

Last season, Cook became the first freshman running back in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards.

5. Injuries galore: FSU practiced without at least 25 scholarship players just two days before their 2015 spring game in April. But Fisher was encouraged when talking about players coming back for fall camp.

Among some of the major injuries, Fisher said linebacker Terrance Smith (turf toe), linebacker Reggie Northrup (ACL), safety Tyler Hunter and center Ryan Hoefield (meniscus surgeries), and five-star freshman defensive end Josh Sweat (ACL, dislocated left knee) are all set to participate in fall camp.

FSU’s 2015 football schedule

(games in bold will be played inside Doak Campbell Stadium)

Sept. 5: vs. Texas State, 8 p.m., ESPNews

Sept. 12: vs. USF, 11:30 a.m., ESPN

Sept. 18: at Boston College (Friday), 8 p.m., ESPN

Sept. 26: BYE

Oct. 3: at Wake Forest, TIME TBA

Oct. 10: vs. Miami, TIME TBA

Oct. 17: vs. Louisville, TIME TBA

Oct. 24: at Georgia Tech, TIME TBA

Oct. 31: vs. Syracuse, TIME TBA

Nov. 7: at Clemson, TIME TBA

Nov. 14: vs. N.C. State, TIME TBA

Nov. 21: vs. Tennessee-Chattanooga, TIME TBA

Nov. 28: at Florida, TIME TBA