Florida State football didn't have the season that it wanted in 2025, where it limped to the finish line with a 5-7 record. To make matters worse, the Seminoles lost seven of their last nine games. This is not the standard that should be met at a place like Florida State.
The Seminoles went the route of acquiring more players and hiring new coaches last year, and one notable coach who is on the staff who continues to make a difference is offensive line coach Herb Hand. The fan base was excited to see Florida State hire him because he had been employed by several Power Four teams in the past.
When offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn unexpectedly retired this past year, some didn't know what would happen with Coach Hand. However, he chose to stay because he said he loved Florida State.
The Seminoles had to go into the transfer portal to get pieces like Micah Pettus, Adrian Medley, Luke Petitbon, and Gunnar Hansen. As we know, former assistant coach Atkins favored transfers over homegrown products.
Mike Norvell mentions that young players are developing in the offensive line group
When the transfers were added this offseason, some fans wondered what would happen to the homegrown recruits that were already on the roster. This isn't to say that the veterans shouldn't play, but they have to be selective since Florida State doesn't need players to enter the transfer portal because of playing time.
Head football coach Mike Norvell mentioned that Andre Otto, Jayden Todd, Jonathan Daniels, and Sandman Thompson are guys who are really pushing the transfers. He also discusses the fact that he has second-year players who could also take another step as well.
This is encouraging to see because Florida State cannot consistently go to the transfer portal every offseason and get one-year rentals. There eventually has to be some sort of continuity. The offense will be drastically different this season because the Seminoles will be welcoming in a new quarterback. The hope is that the offensive line gels seamlessly.
This should be an exciting season for the Florida State Seminoles, and how the offensive line operates with Coach Norvell calling the plays.