After bringing him in from Auburn through the transfer portal this offseason, Mike Norvell didn’t waste much time naming Ashton Daniels the starting quarterback of the Seminoles.
Now, with fall camp underway, Norvell’s task, as he returns to the role of play-caller for Florida State following a one-year stint by Gus Malzahn, is to get Daniels ready for Week 0 when the Noles host New Mexico State. From the sound of his comments after Day 1 of fall camp on Wednesday, it sounds as though that progression is well underway.
“You felt his comfort,” Norvell said of his senior quarterback who has started games at both Stanford and Auburn throughout his four-year college career. “Maybe in the spring, he might try to force it versus a challenging look or maybe not the best call; you might try to force something into the situation. Or it’s the extra half second that it’s going to take to get to the next read or the check down.”
“I mean today, really clean for him.”
Good day one from QB1
— Warchant.com (@Warchant) July 29, 2026
Mike Norvell on the growth of FSU QB Ashton Daniels pic.twitter.com/xEcnLipG8z
Full guide to FSU fall camp 2026
Florida State needs a decisive Ashton Daniels to succeed
Daniels has always had talent, especially as a runner. At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, he has 1,401 career rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground between Stanford and Auburn. In just a few games for the Tigers last season, he ran for 280 yards and two scores.
The biggest issue with his game, however, is the number of turnovers: 22 interceptions to just 24 touchdowns. That’s an unsustainable rate for any offense, no matter how strong the run game is.
So, hearing that Daniels looked confident getting to the checkdown and progressing through his reads is an undeniably encouraging sign for Florida State fans. Norvell has coached some high-flying, explosive offenses in the past, but this year’s unit is built for ball control.
With Daniels getting involved in the run game with a trio of backs: Quintrevion Wisner, Ousmane Kromah, and Samuel Singleton Jr., the Noles have the potential to be one of the most efficient run games in the country.
The Ashton Daniels-Duce Robinson connection is off to a good start
There will be opportunities to hit explosives in the passing game, as Daniels reportedly did on Wednesday, connecting with Duce Robinson for a big touchdown. But that type of offense will be predicated on protecting the football. So, Daniels needs to make a leap in that area, and it sounds like that’s at least starting to happen.
“Duce [Robinson] and Ashton [Daniels] had a big completion down the field for a touchdown,” Mike Norvell said after the first day of fall camp
— Kolby Crawford (@kolby_crawford) July 29, 2026
There’s obviously more that needs to break right for this FSU offense to hit its ceiling than one strong practice from Daniels. However, with a quarterback who can access all levels of the field and is willing to progress through his reads before tucking and running, things are going to feel much more functional in Tallahassee than they did with Tommy Castellanos playing hero ball.
Still, it’s a double-edged sword for Daniels. How do you find the right balance between discretion and aggression? For all his flaws, Castellanos was productive, with FSU’s offense ranking No. 26 in points per drive last season. Matching that will take more than just check-downs.
Responsible QB play and a deep bomb to Robinson. That’s the recipe for FSU. Norvell just needs to ensure they can keep cooking it when the season comes around.
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