Florida State has gone to the transfer portal for a quarterback to lead its team each of the past two seasons. The 2024 season was a mitigated disaster with DJ Uiagalelei, and the 2025 season wasn’t much better with Thomas Castellanos.
The latter had more overall success and actually finished the season as the starter. He technically has exhausted eligibility, but appealed to the NCAA for another year due to circumstances a couple of years ago. However, that waiver has been denied.
Mike Norvell confirms QB Tommy Castellanos' waiver for an added year of eligibility for 2026 was denied. Attorney Darren Heitner posted on Twitter about it earlier. Heitner also told me an appeal is pending.
— Bob Ferrante (@BobFerrante) December 5, 2025
Castellanos appeared in a bowl game for UCF in 2022, which was his fifth game that season, and the NCAA passed a rule shortly after that, allowing players to play in bowl games without it counting towards their eligibility.
Castellanos is arguing that he should be grandfathered in to the new rule since it was passed shortly after he appeared in that game.
The overwhelming majority of FSU fans don’t want Thomas Castellanos to return in 2026. He is erratic as a passer, turnover and injury prone, and doesn’t have the skills to be a leader this program needs. Castellanos has hired a lawyer to appeal the decision, but this is the first step to FSU starting Kevin Sperry in 2026 or returning to the transfer portal once again to find a starting quarterback.
There are pros and cons to both. Some FSU fans believe FSU should develop what they have, but it would be a gamble to go into 2026 with virtually no quarterbacks with real game experience.
It depends on whether Mike Norvell is coaching for his job or not. If wins don’t matter, start Sperry. Are there expectations to win at least eight games? FSU should hit that transfer portal again.