Schoffel: Don't hold your breath waiting for QB clarity from FSU's coaches

It's the immovable object vs. the unstoppable force -- preseason football camp edition.

Sports writers and other media types are always going to want to know every detail they can gather about the depth chart of the team they cover -- particularly if there is a quarterback competition. They’re the unstoppable force.

Football coaches are always going to want to protect much of that information for as long as possible, so as to not give the opposition any assistance in scouting and preparation. They’re the immovable object.

It's a battle of wills, and it's all perfectly understandable.

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The media want to provide a service to their readers and viewers. The coaches want to win football games.

I'm not entirely sure where the fans sit in all of this, but my guess is there are some in both camps.

In the FSU fan base right now, for example, I'm sure some are getting impatient with head coach Mike Norvell's reluctance to announce whether he's going to go with Jordan Travis or McKenzie Milton at quarterback against Notre Dame.

Whether they think it's important for the team to know who to rally around or they simply can't stand not knowing themselves, those fans would like Norvell to announce his starter soon -- like yesterday.

Others probably prefer that FSU's coaches keep it under wraps: "Why tip Notre Dame's coaches off?" they'd say. "Let them know who the starter is when the offense runs out onto the field on Sept. 5."

If I had to guess right now, I'd wager that Norvell is going to make that second group happier.

Maybe he'll surprise me and announce his starting quarterback later this week or in the days leading up to the season opener, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Norvell and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham seem to be providing less information about the QBs as the days go by, not more.

During his opening statement following Sunday night's scrimmage, Norvell spoke about the quarterbacks for about 30 seconds and offered some solid praise.

"They did a good job tonight," he said. "Really all of them. Had some explosive plays, managed the game well."

He went on to say that the quarterbacks did a better job of getting the ball out quicker to their playmakers and also throwing it away when nothing was open.

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What he didn't say was any of the quarterback's names.

Not one. Good, bad or indifferent.

And the story was very much the same for Dillingham. The Seminoles' second-year offensive coordinator did mention that there were in fact "older" quarterbacks and "young" quarterbacks who participated in the scrimmage. And he even went so far as to explain what each group did well.

"I thought it was a really, really good scrimmage from their standpoint," Dillingham said of the quarterbacks as a whole. "I thought the older guys managed it really well. Very, very poised. That's the step that we've got to take in that room is having that poise and comfort back there. When to play fast, when to slow down ... taking control. I thought they did a great job of that."

He said the three younger quarterbacks -- redshirt freshmen Chubba Purdy and Tate Rodemaker and walk-on Gino English (I'll name them since he didn't) -- were "much improved" compared to the first scrimmage last weekend. Dillingham said all three still need to gain a better feel for when to be aggressive and when to be conservative.

"Understanding the big picture of the game," he said. "But from a plays perspective -- going out there and whatever play was called, executing it -- the young guys did a really, really, really nice job. Now combining situational awareness with the play is that next step."

But Dillingham also was not interested in naming names.

Immovable object, I tell you.

The coaches weren't quite so tight-lipped about every position, however.

Norvell essentially said that Robert Scott has nailed down the left tackle spot. Special teams coordinator John Papuchis confirmed that the coaches have just about settled on a starting placekicker and might make an announcement in the coming days. And defensive coordinator Adam Fuller intimated that Jarvis Brownlee and Travis Jay are his top two cornerbacks -- at least for now.

But just don't expect any info about the quarterbacks!

Norvell smiled and had a little fun when our Gene Williams asked Sunday night how close he is to naming a starting signal-caller.

"That's a great question, Gene. We're closer," Norvell said before taking a dramatic pause. "I feel really good. We're gonna keep watching practice. We're gonna continue to watch those guys. Who puts us in the best position to be successful here Sept. 5? I'm really pleased with what I'm seeing from that group."

Dillingham didn't seem quite as jovial when he was asked if the Seminoles were delaying an announcement as a means of "not showing their cards" to Notre Dame's coaches.

"The closer we get to game day, the closer we get to naming a starting quarterback," Dillingham said. "Day by day, we get a day closer."

If you’re scoring at home, the unstoppable force went 0-for-2 on Sunday. And that trend will likely continue.

As I said earlier, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Norvell decides to make this a "game-time decision" -- or at least waits until the Thursday or Friday before the opener. And I wouldn’t blame him if he did.

While Milton and Travis have some similar characteristics — most notably the fact that they each can extend plays with their legs — there also are considerable differences.

If Travis is in the game, the Irish will have to account for an extra potential ball carrier on every play. That is a major pain for an opposing defense. If Milton is in the game, Notre Dame's players will have to reflect on what they learned about his tendencies and skills from games played at a different school three or four years ago.

The combination of preparing for both has to be a headache for Irish head coach Brian Kelly and first-year defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman.

In a recent interview, Freeman said he is more concerned about teaching his players the concepts of Norvell's offense than he is game-planning for a specific quarterback. And that sounds all well and good, except for the fact that those concepts will be applied very differently based on the quarterback in the game. And Freeman acknowledged as much, saying the Irish are expecting the possibility of facing multiple Florida State quarterbacks.

From that standpoint, perhaps the mission is already accomplished. Every minute Notre Dame's defenders and coaches spend preparing for one quarterback is one less minute that they have to prepare for the other.

And if you have watched much Florida State and Notre Dame football the last few years, you know the Seminoles won't have many advantages in this matchup. The Irish are a mature program with a head coach who has been there for more than a decade, and they are routinely racking up 10-win seasons. The Seminoles are still in the early stages of their rebuild under Norvell; they haven't won 10 games in the last two years combined.

There are times when coaches come off as silly when they refuse to name a starting quarterback. Was any defense really put in a bind if they didn't know whether they were going to face James Blackman or Alex Hornibrook?

This situation is different.

It is Mike Norvell's job to come up with any advantage he can to help his players on Sept. 5, since we know the Seminoles won't have many edges in terms of personnel.

So call it gamesmanship if you're a member of the media. Call it frustrating if you're an impatient fan.

Either way, you probably shouldn't get too worked up over waiting for an answer.

For the next two weeks, my money is on the immovable object.

Contact managing editor Ira Schoffel at ira@warchant.com and follow @IraSchoffel on Twitter.

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