FSU DE transfer Jared Verse happy to help put on a 'show' in Seminoles' win over LSU

Already bursting with confidence, Florida State football transfer-turned-starting defensive end Jared Verse didn’t need affirmation of his abilities heading into a breakout performance in FSU’s 24-23 victory over LSU.

Since arriving in January, Verse was determined to show the nation he was underrecruited and misevaluated out of high school. The redshirt sophomore may have already accomplished just that, bursting onto the scene with three sacks in his first two games as a Seminole, including a memorable two-sack performance in New Orleans.

Coming out of FCS program Albany, Verse might not have generated quite as much fanfare as when FSU landed Georgia’s Jermaine Johnson and South Carolina’s Keir Thomas out of the transfer portal one year earlier.

However, the Seminoles’ coaches have been very high on him from the get-go.

“To me, honestly, the coaches (at FSU) always told me I should have always been on this level.” Verse said. “Told me that I should’ve never been at a lower-level school. I should have always been playing the best of the best.”

FSU offered Verse a scholarship very quickly after he entered the transfer portal, and the Seminoles landed him over dozens of other schools who tried to get involved.

“I guess here was my chance to actually show them (other schools),” Verse said. “That I can make it in the FBS. And be a big factor.”

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Facing an LSU offensive line that was working in a few new starters and some inexperienced talents, especially at tackle, Verse took full advantage. He recorded three tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.

FSU head coach Mike Norvell was clearly excited about the way Verse quickly adapted to an uptick in competition.

“I told him the other week, he’s built for this. He’s not built for it just because of the athletic ability. He’s built for it … you guys watch him in practice. You watch the mindset, the approach. He has to go and prove it every day,” Norvell said. “He’s not always had the easiest journey. He gets an opportunity to go out there, (and) I thought he played at an exceptional level.”

The week prior against Duquesne, Verse also impressed with four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and his first career sack in the garnet and gold.

Rushing the passer wasn’t the only impact Verse made in the Seminoles’ emotional victory over LSU. In a game that FSU ended up winning by the slimmest of margins, Verse blocked a key field goal in the first half.

He also was on the block team and in the mix during Shyheim Brown’s epic blocked extra point, which won the game.

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Another new experience for Verse was playing in front of a sell-out Superdome crowd, and he was extremely impressed by the large contingent of FSU faithful. 

“It felt like a home game … at worst, a neutral spot,” Verse said. “We had half Florida State, half LSU, and some people just came to watch. It was a show.”

Verse hopes the show has really just begun. As a starter at defensive end and on special teams, he is convinced the Seminoles are just beginning to make their presence felt.

“Coach Norvell, every day how he tells he loves us, how he chose each one of us, hand-selected. And we all chose to be here. Not one person was here by accident,” Verse said. “Everybody in that locker room is a dog.”

Verse may be relatively new to Tallahassee, but he understands the gravity of what helping FSU return to prominence could mean.

And there’s no doubt the Seminoles took a big step in the right direction in New Orleans.

“We’ve been saying it all week, this was our chance to prove we’re not just some little one-and-done team,” Verse said. “Honestly, the simplest way to say it is Florida State is back. That’s the simplest way to say it.”

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.