EMPHASIS ON CLASSROOM SUCCESS
The tenure at Florida State under head football coach Mike Norvell has been an up-and-down roller coaster where the program suffered a 2-10 record last year, which left the fan base frustrated that the standard was not met.
One aspect that has been impressive in the Norvell era is the importance of holding players accountable in the classroom. Spring 2025 produced the best semester GPA in program history, with a final grade of 3.31.
THE OL SHOULD BE CELEBRATED
To make matters even better, the new offensive line coach, Herb Hand, celebrated the accomplishment of his unit having an overall semester GPA of 3.45.
It is impressive that fourteen offensive linemen earned a 3.0 GPA or better. Fans want Florida State football to be back to its successful ways after the terrible campaign in 2024. However, it is nice to see that the players on the roster have built good habits and work ethics that have displayed themselves in the classroom.
WILL ESTES SUCCEED IN 2025?
I am intrigued that redshirt senior interior offensive lineman Bryson Estes has been so successful in the classroom with a 4.0 GPA. Will that lead to Estes being in the rotation?
The Seminoles added six transfers this offseason in the position group. I think that Gunnar Hansen, Adrian Medley, Luke Petitbon, and Micah Pettus will start on the line when it comes to the transfers. However, the guard is still open, where I think that returning veteran Richie Leonard IV will likely win the starting job.
MY THOUGHTS
Let's face the facts here... Estes has been a former three-star prospect who has been around the program for five years, one of the few recruits that Mike Norvell has kept in Tallahassee. However, he has not made his presence known.
Estes has appeared in every game over the past three seasons, where he has been utilized on special teams to protect field goal attempts and be a reserve offensive lineman. With him being a senior and his commitment to the classroom, I am not expecting him to start, but he should have more opportunities to actually have meaningful snaps.