Florida State football accomplished a 2-10 record last year. The Seminoles did not live up to expectations after they had an undefeated regular season and conference championship in 2023.
Many individuals in the fan base were trying to figure out what went right in the season for Florida State. This was not the standard that the football program has where they are used to winning championships (unlike Miami).
Head football coach Mike Norvell knew that changes were needed. One aspect of the year that was very positive was the special teams. Norvell stated during his introductory press conference that special teams were a firm foundation of a program's success.
Let's face it, the Seminoles' offense in 2024 was one of the worst in the country where they averaged 15.2 points per game. Florida State did not anticipate having an offense that consistently underperformed.
However, when offenses struggle, you see a lot of action from kickers and punters. A positive that has to be listed is kicker Ryan Fitzgerald and punter Alex Mastromanno.
Most specifically, Fitzgerald had quite a career in Tallahassee. He was able to participate in the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl where he connected on a 39-yard field goal. Then he was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.
It is awesome to see the kicker's dreams turn into reality. He had a difficult outing in the 2022 season where he converted on 12 of his 20 field goal attempts. The Seminoles even brought in transfer Tyler Keltner to compete with him.
However, through the adversity and changing his kicking technique, Fitzgerald bounced back in a huge way, where he went 19 of 21 in 2023 and then 13 of 13 in 2024. The "Fitz Magic" hasn't stopped there as his mother talked about his performance at the Scouting Combine on social media.
We’re so proud of Ryan for having an awesome NFL Combine! He went 14/15 on field goals including 2 from 50, 2 from 55, & 1 from 60. We can’t wait to see what God has planned for him! @FSUFootball pic.twitter.com/Eb0JBAPjWw
— Sandy Fitzgerald (@sfitzgerald90) February 27, 2025
The Florida State kicker is making a name for himself as she stated that he went 14/15 on field goals, which included two from 50 yards, two from 55, and then one from 60.
This is a lesson for all of the young athletes out there. When the going gets tough, you have to work even harder through the difficult times to get where you want to be.
We at ChopChat could not be more proud of Fitzgerald and his improvements, which should hopefully allow him to pursue his dreams and aspirations.