Florida State football will have an uphill battle as it hopes to turn around the mindset of several individuals from the fan base. It is understandable, considering the 2-10 record in 2024. I never imagined that it would come to that point last year, but it happened.
Head football coach Mike Norvell had to take a major course of action as he made significant changes to the coaching staff. He always preached continuity, but when the program hit rock bottom, the thought process went out the window.
Coach Norvell decided to hire two new coordinators to guide the offense and defense in UCF's Gus Malzahn and Nebraska's Tony White, respectively.
Gus Malzahn spoke highly of Tony White's defense at a recent Seminole Booster event where he stated the following:
"Going against Tony's defense, you are really going to like his defense. It's been a big challenge."
This is high praise from Malzahn, who has been in the game of college football for a very long time. Plus, he has been one of the more innovative offensive play callers in the sport. Hearing him say good things about the Tony White defense has to make fans happy.
However, I understand where the fan base is coming from in terms of tempering expectations. It felt like last offseason, individuals were "drinking the Kool-Aid" from a team that they thought would make a run at competing for a conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. When everything went out of control, the trust went out the window.
The positive news is that defensive coordinator Tony White has had productive stints at Nebraska and Syracuse, where he had top-20 defense units. The Seminoles' defense is headlined by veterans on all three levels, with players such as defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr., linebacker Elijah Herring, and safety Earl Little Jr.
I believe that Coach Malzahn isn't blowing smoke here... I think that Coach White's defense has displayed a high level of aggression and physicality that should present issues for opposing offenses when Florida State football kicks off its season this fall.