Alabama showdown will set the tone for Florida State football’s bounce-back bid

Papuchis opened by praising Jones and Jenkins, who battled injuries in the offseason but now sit comfortably in the two-deep rotation.

"Both Jaden and Jason, and the way they attacked their rehab, what they're able to do right now is not surprising from that standpoint," Papuchis said. "But if you had asked me when it first happened, what the average person's expectation was to be able to recover from their injuries and put themselves in that position, it would have been a challenging task."

"But, they're the first-in-the-building, last-to-leave kind of mentality guys in terms of their rehab, and you could see the fight, the desperation that they had to put themselves back in a position to be able to play," Papuchis added.

AJ Cottrill, From Walk-On to Two-Deep Contributor

Walk-on linebacker AJ Cottrill has emerged as one of the best stories of camp, cracking the linebacker rotation after steadily climbing the depth chart. The “walk-on” and “underdog” story continues to flow through FSU. From Treshaun Ward to 2024 DROY Jared Verse, and even going back to Javien Elliot. There are too many to name here, but Cottrill’s longshot rise isn’t insignificant.

He appeared in all 12 games last season on special teams and as a reserve linebacker, finishing the year with 11 tackles and one blocked punt.

“AJ’s one of those guys that takes fundamental drill work and applies it to team settings,” Papuchis continued. “That’s why he had success as a special teamer, and now it’s showing up at linebacker. He does all the little things the right way, and that puts him in the best position to be successful.”

Saturday's Alabama Matchup Could Set the Tone for 2025

Papuchis framed Saturday’s matchup against Alabama as an early measuring stick for his defense, emphasizing the need for physicality.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of respect for our opponent,” Papuchis said. “But our guys want to go show and prove who we are and what we’re all about. I think this is a tone setter for us — our first opportunity to go against an opponent with this defensive system and this group of players."

"That starts with being a physical unit and having the toughness to trade punches with this team on Saturday.”

Saturday’s matchup against Alabama will provide the first real glimpse of how Florida State’s new depth and leadership translate under the spotlight. Add Juice Cryer into the mix, and there could be something brewing in Tallahassee, Florida, on defense.