This is not the sort of preseason detail Florida State can afford to treat casually. When a Week 0 depth chart puts Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. side by side as starters, it is more than a lineup note — it is a statement about how Mike Norvell wants this offense to look when the lights come on.
Before the season, Norvell said Florida State would not be releasing a depth chart before game day. Yet on Saturday, ahead of the 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff against New Mexico State at Doak Campbell Stadium, the Week 0 release landed with a pretty clear message: the Seminoles are at least prepared to lean into 21-personnel, with two running backs and one tight end shaping the opening plan.
A depth chart that says something real
That matters because this is not just about names on a sheet. It is about intent. A coach does not publicly talk about one setup and then accidentally list two backs as starters unless that idea has real traction inside the building. Florida State may still adjust once the game starts, but the official listing tells us where the thinking is right now.
For Kromah, the timing is especially interesting. His freshman production had already made him a possible breakout candidate, and a role like this only adds to the sense that Florida State wants to use him as more than a token piece of the offense. If he is starting next to Singleton Jr., then the staff is clearly comfortable putting real responsibility on both backs early.
That is also where the Quintrevion Wisner situation enters the picture. His fall-camp injury has been noted as a reason he may not immediately cut into Kromah’s workload, which only strengthens the impression that this is not a temporary curiosity. It looks like the kind of setup Florida State has actually been preparing to use.
Why this opener matters
The broader point is simple: Florida State does not appear to be waiting around for an identity. In a season-opener, that can be a strength. If the Seminoles believe 21-personnel gives them the best chance to control the game and simplify the first-stage offense, then naming Kromah and Singleton Jr. as starters is the cleanest possible confirmation.
Of course, a depth chart is not the final word on how many snaps each player will get. But it does tell you what the staff wants to telegraph, and this one is pretty hard to miss. Florida State has put two running backs at the center of the conversation before the first snap. Now it has to prove that the plan is more than a talking point.
