After finishing his first week of spring practice at Florida State, quarterback McKenzie Milton said Friday he feels good physically and has had no setbacks in his quest to return to the field following a devastating knee injury two years ago.
Milton transferred to the Seminoles from UCF in January and wrapped up his third practice Friday — the first one the team had in pads.
Milton dislocated his right knee and suffered ligament, nerve and artery damage during a game against USF in November 2018, and he has been out ever since. This past season at UCF, he ran the scout team, but now at Florida State he wants an opportunity to win the starting job.
“I feel really good out there,” Milton told reporters. “I don’t feel any hiccups or anything like that running around. I feel comfortable out on the field, seeing the field. I feel like I need to continue to get in my playbook and continue to get reps, and not just live reps but mental reps, while other guys are taking reps. But I feel very confident out there.”
Milton is one of four quarterbacks competing for the starting job, joining Jordan Travis, who started six games last season, Chubba Purdy and Tate Rodemaker. Purdy and Rodemaker each made one start last season as well.
Though Milton is the veteran in the group, having started 33 games in his UCF career, he said he is leaning on the Florida State quarterbacks to help him out as well.
“They’re helping me learn from them just as much as I can help them,” Milton said. “It’s a give-and-take relationship, and I appreciate those guys coming to work and competing with them every day. I feel we’re all getting better out there, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Florida State hasn’t had this type of competition in the quarterback room over the past several seasons, and coach Mike Norvell said he hopes it serves the team well. Earlier in the week, offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham said he expects the competition to run into the fall.
The Seminoles will not exactly be easing into their schedule, as they open at home against Notre Dame on Sept. 5. For Milton, the goal in the spring is to get a better understanding of the offense.
“Just having everything become second nature, and not thinking about signals, thinking about formations,” Milton said. “I feel like once that becomes second nature, then I’ll feel completely comfortable out there. Physically, I feel I can make all the throws. I can run, I can cut, I can do all that. What I want to get out of the spring is mentally just know my job cold.”