Effect of Bless Harris’s departure from the FSU football team
The offensive line for FSU football has struggled with injuries the entire season. That hasn’t stopped offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins and team from fielding eight strong offensive linemen in their rotation: D’Mitri Emmanuel, Jeremiah Byers, Darius Washington, Bless Harris, Keiondre Jones, Maurice Smith, and Robert Scott Jr.
Fans discovered on Wednesday afternoon that Bless Harris, a redshirt junior offensive tackle, had made his transfer portal announcement. This season, he has played 390 snaps for the Seminoles, according to Pro Football Focus.
Unfortunately, Harris’ injury sustained in the season opener against Duquesne prevented him from playing in 2022. The Lamar transfer, who played tackle for Florida State in 2023, also struggled with injuries.
Offensive tackles are difficult to come by in the transfer portal. However, Atkins does have some talented offensive linemen committed in their class such as four-star Manasse Itete, four-star Jonathan Daniels, three-star Tye Hylton, and three-star Jayden Todd. While most of these true freshmen (maybe all of them) will not play significant roles in 2024, it is a great foundation to build upon in the trenches.
As it pertains to the current construction of the roster, there will need to be offensive linemen that step up with Harris’ departure. Florida State does have veterans such as Robert Scott Jr., Darius Washington, and Jeremiah Byers who will hopefully be back in 2024. However, the coaching staff will likely need another tackle or two to emerge as contributors.
Julian Armella, a redshirt freshman offensive tackle, and Lucas Simmons, a true freshman, are two names that immediately spring to mind. These two young athletes have the potential to develop into something truly exceptional.
The majority of reputable programs can develop their younger offensive linemen by having them redshirt. The Seminoles’ seasoned offensive line group allowed them to develop their skill sets and avoided pressing players into action before they were ready to make a significant impact.
This Florida State offensive line is undoubtedly set for the future under Atkins.
