Florida State fans should fully back Thomas Castellanos after his shot at Alabama

Thomas Castellanos wants all the smoke and that's a good thing!

Castellanos, the likely QB1 for Florida State football, provided some bulletin-board material for Week 1 opponent Alabama, and he may have also brought some much-needed confidence to the FSU locker room with his comments to On3's Pete Nakos.

That was nice, but it's what followed that got everyone's attention.

"...But you go back and watch every first game that I played in, we always start fast. I dreamed of moments like this. I dreamed of playing against Alabama. They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me," Castellanos said in the wide-ranging interview.

The blowback from fans was quick and snappy.

247Sports National Analyst Brian Dohm suggested Castellanos might be silenced moving forward.

Thomas Castellanos has everyone talking after he called out Alabama football

This would be a huge mistake in my opinion. If anything, Mike Norvell should encourage Castellanos and a few other team leaders to stick out their chest a little more. Florida State is coming off of a disappointing 2-10 record, the Seminoles' worst season in 50 years. A program that once lived onthe edge of confidence and braggadocio has become soft in recent years. That needs to change immediately.

Florida State has two winning seasons since 2018 and despite a 13-0 regular season and ACC championship in 2023, the Seminoles were snubbed from the College Football Playoff and justified the committee's move by getting whipped 63-3 to Georgia in the Orange Bowl. It was a beating that the Seminoles did not mentally recover from in 2024. Instead, they suffered humiliating losses to Duke, Boston College and Memphis while going just 1-7 in the ACC. The offense was one of the worst in the nation, averaging 14.8 PPG (128th in FBS), 2.2 rushing yards per carry and 258.9 total yards per game, both second-to-last in the FBS.

Castellanos presents a new face and a new offense for the Seminoles. He isn't the biggest player (generously listed at 5-11, 200), but he is a super athlete and a great fit for offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's run-based attack. In 2023, Castellanos accounted for 3,461 total yards (2,348 passing, 1,113 rushing) and 27 total touchdowns for Boston College. He took a major step back last season and was benched at BC before opting to transfer.

It's clear Castellanos isn't fazed by his struggles from 2024. Part of that is he feels like he's in the right situation to utilize his abilities and he also believes that his teammates are ready for a bounce-back this season. If he's confident in himself and his teammates, there's no reason to be shy - say it with your chest, Tommy.