Florida State didn’t waste any time getting Patrick Surtain Sr. on the recruiting path.
With a former NFL All-Pro defensive again now on the teaching employees, the Seminoles made positive to get Surtain in entrance of as many highschool prospects as potential.
“I got here three weeks ago and they put me on the road the next day,” stated Surtain. “But it’s been fun.”
It’s been a fast transition for the 46-year-old, who made the bizarre profession transfer of going from the NFL (Miami Dolphins defensive assistant) to grow to be the Seminoles’ defensive backs coach.
While it was a troublesome determination, Surtain believes it affords him a extra direct method with the gamers. That’s one thing he cherished from his time because the soccer coach at American Heritage High in Plantation.
“In any profession, your goal is to move up,” he stated. “I had run at the highschool stage, however I needed to problem myself, so when the Dolphins referred to as, I assumed it was an ideal alternative. It was house and I didn’t must uproot my household to go be taught on the highest stage.
“When I got the call from Coach [Mike] Norvell, it was a tough decision, but I decided it gave me more of a high school feel. I can have more hands-on with the guys. I can mold these guys into what they’re going to become and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Surtain performed 11 seasons within the NFL for the Dolphins (1998-2004) and the Kansas City Chiefs (2005-08). Along the way in which, he grew to become acquainted with lots of the coaches on the Seminoles’ employees, most of whom visited him at one time or one other whereas recruiting his highschool gamers.
“[Linebackers coach] Randy Shannon coached me with the Miami Dolphins,” stated Surtain. “I know [running backs] Coach Dave Johnson because I’m originally from New Orleans and he played in New Orleans. I played against [receivers coach] Ron Dugans. I know [defensive tackles] Coach Odell [Haggins]. I know [director of player relations Keiwan [Ratliff] … I was familiar with a lot of guys on the staff and that made the transition much easier.”
When trying again on the efficiency of the Seminoles’ secondary in 2022, Surtain desires the group, ranked fourth within the nation in go protection, to do much more.
“We want to do more this year and take the ball away,” he stated. “Being around football for a long time, if you’re able to win the turnover battle, you have a good chance of winning almost 85% of your games. So even though we held teams to 165 passing yards a game, the next step would be taking the ball away and giving it to our explosive offense.”
While Florida State completed with a constructive turnover margin (plus-2) for the primary time since 2016, its 8 interceptions ranked close to the underside half of the ACC.
Surtain advantages from being in control of an skilled unit that returns 5 starters in cornerbacks Kevin Knowles II, Jarrian Jones and Renardo Green and safeties Shyheim Brown and Akeem Dent. Omarion Cooper, Greedy Vance, Azareye’h Thomas and switch Fentrell Cypress additionally determine to play massive roles within the secondary.
How Surtain plans to create an emphasis on takeaways is with observe.
“We have tackle turnover circuit daily in practice,” he stated. “You’re punching the ball out and getting 11 hats to the ball. Don’t loaf as a result of in the event you loaf on a go, you would possibly miss a tip or an overthrow. My objective is to get the blokes to run to the ball on every play. When you run to the ball on protection, good issues occur.
“The interception part of it is having guys play the ball better and getting their hands around where they need to be. It’s going to be a work in progress, but we have a group of guys to get it done.”
While Surtain is acquainted with the recruiting course of, having handled it as a highschool coach and as a father of a participant who would go on to grow to be an All-Pro defensive again, he understands the problem of recruiting at a program with the popularity of Florida State.
“If we’re going to get Florida State back to where it needs to be, we’ve got to go get the best players in the country no matter where they are,” he stated. “Coach [Norvell] has taken heed to that and just let me go get the guys. It’s been a new experience, but it’s been worth it.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com