Florida State's offense was horrendous last season where it ranked as one of the worst in the entire country. This was something that many Seminole fans did not think would happen, given head football coach Mike Norvell's track record on offense.
Whether you want to blame it on the sky-high from the 2023 season, the College Football Playoff snub getting to their head, or the 2024 roster just not being any good, it was a year that needed to be flushed down the drain.
Norvell knew that major changes needed to be made. It has a lot of pride that has to be swallowed as the head man to realize that continuity would no longer work. As a result, the Seminoles made one of the more important hires in the offseason with bringing in former UCF head football coach Gus Malzahn to be its offensive coordinator.
Malzahn's offenses have been known to run the football effectively. Even though the Knights finished with a 4-8 record, the rushing attack averaged 248.1 rushing yards per game. This makes some fans think that it would scare wide receivers away.
While their pass catchers are instructed to block on the perimeter, his offenses are intended to lure opposing defenses in to be able to throw it downfield when they least expect it.
JUCO wide receiver Jordan Scott decided to enter the portal for the Seminoles. Some individuals thought that the 6'7" wideout would have been another Johnny Wilson clone, but the stark reality was that it did pan out at Florida State.
The good news is that the Seminoles have a big-bodied option in USC transfer Duce Robinson. Plus, a shiftier athlete in Squirrel White from Tennessee, who had 800+ receiving yards in 2023 for the Volunteers.
Those two pass catchers are good weapons, but who will the number three weapon be?
Some fans think that it could be former five-star wide receiver Hykeem Williams, but he currently has an injury and it is undefined how long he will be sidelined. One name that I am monitoring is true freshman Jayvan Boggs.
I realize that Boggs is a youngster who just arrived in January. However, this is a former four-star wide receiver who was previously committed to UCF when Malzahn was the head football coach. He eventually flipped to Florida State and signed during the Early Signing Period.
In his junior season at Cocoa High School, he had 93 receptions for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns. It was a legendary year, right? Well, he exceeded expectations during his senior season, where he collected 99 catches for 2,133 yards and 21 touchdowns.
I am not suggesting that he was the sole reason for Jordan Scott transferring out, but the coaching staff has raved about the development of Boggs since he arrived on campus, and you cannot help but notice that the Cocoa, Florida native has the attention by the fanbase as well.
I know that fans don't want to hear about it in the offseason, and wish to see it translate on the field when they open up against Alabama in the season opener. But it has to be encouraging that Boggs's name continues to pop up time and time again. Hopefully, he builds confidence in himself to be that guy in the rotation at such a young age.
Florida State could use all of the weapons that it could take on offense.