Injury Updates: Kaindoh “working hard,” kicker back at practice

Florida State Seminoles football special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach John Papuchis said Wednesday that while defensive end Joshua Kaindoh, injured in the season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, has been progressing well and working hard at practice, he isn’t ready to definitely say the end will be back for the team’s game against the No. 12 Miami-Florida Hurricanes.

“We’ll see,” Papuchis said during media availability. “I’m not gonna make any determinations this far out (from the Miami game).”

Kaindoh’s return would be a huge boost for a Seminoles defense already benefitting from the return of Hamsah Nasirildeen and gearing up for a challenge in one of the more talented playmakers in the country in Hurricanes quarterback D’Eriq King.

“You wanna be able to rush him, but you want to do it with discipline where you aren’t creating run lanes.”

Papuchis also spoke on the return of kicker Ryan Fitzgerald to practice, saying that while Parker Grouthas had a good game against Georgia Tech, the competition for starting kicker is still open.

“Coach and I are gonna have a conversation the next couple days…I feel great about either one of them.”