Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Every summer, Tallahassee steps into the spotlight, becoming the place where young football talent shows what they’re made of. The Big Man Camp opened its gates to the Class of 2026 through 2028 for the second time on June 18, which began at 11 a.m.. It’s all about the trenches. 

For just $25, high school athletes were coached through essential offensive and defensive line development led by Florida State’s head football coach Mike Norvell and his staff, testing key metrics, and pushed in fierce one-on-one battles on both sides of the line. This camp is more than training—it’s an opportunity to turn heads.

Bainbridge High School’s head football coach, Jay Walls, reflected on a strong showing at Florida State University’s summer 7-on-7 and Big Man camp, highlighting the team’s progress and competitive fire.

“We won four and lost two,” Walls said of the 7-on-7 tournament. “That was a step forward. We saw improvement in execution and how we competed.”

The camp featured teams mainly from Florida and Georgia, bringing with it a wide spectrum of talent. “FSU does a great job organizing it. It was a good experience across the board,” Walls added.

In addition to the 7-on-7 action, Bainbridge linemen attended the Big Man camp inside FSU’s indoor facility, where players donned full pads for run-blocking and pass-rush drills.

“Our guys got coaching directly from FSU’s offensive and defensive line staff, along with our coaches. Hearing the same messages from different voices reinforces what we teach at Bainbridge,” Walls said. “It was physical, it was sharp, and it was needed.”

He noted that the opportunity to go live in helmets and shoulder pads made a big difference compared to standard 7-on-7 rules. This gives context to why the linemen’s experience was especially meaningful — padded contact allowed for a more realistic prep environment. “Those padded reps – that’s where development happens.”