Florida State football finished with a 2-10 record in 2024 in a season that many individuals want to forget. The Seminoles did not live up to the standard of the program that is used to competing for conference and national championships.
With that said, head football coach Mike Norvell made major changes this offseason, which included six coaching staff changes as well as acquisitions from the transfer portal and recruiting ranks. The fan base will have to learn a ton about a squad that they are unfamiliar with.
Florida State will begin its spring practices today (Wednesday, March 19th). It is an exciting time for the program as we will be inching closer and closer to the season opener versus the Alabama Crimson Tide on August 30th.
The outsiders don't know what to expect from the Seminoles since there are so many changes and the absolute disaster that was last season.
Since there are unknowns within the program for some people, I thought it would be a great idea to highlight three identities that define Florida State football for 2025 as spring practices begin.
ABILITY TO RUN THE FOOTBALL
I get it... Florida State's offense couldn't run the football during the 2024 season. We understand the media caused you to believe the thought process that the Seminoles were an effective rushing team (that was sarcasm). However, it should be noted that the coaching staff also had that mindset. While the Seminoles only added four-star signee Ousmane Kromah, who will arrive in the summer, he is talented enough to play right now.
Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn has always been known to coordinate an offense that knows how to run the football. Then when you include a dual-threat signal-caller in Thomas Castellanos, this could make the Seminoles a top-20 rushing offense in college football.
PLAYMAKERS WITH SIZE
Florida State acquired wide receiver transfers last season in Malik Benson (who is now at Oregon) and Jalen Brown (who is still on the roster). The acquisitions did not pan out. With that being said, the coaching staff decided to place a whole new approach to the offense.
The Seminoles were successful in 2022 and 2023 because quarterback Jordan Travis had weapons with size and length to throw to. When Travis needed a conversion on third down, it was easy to go to a weapon such as 6'7" Johnny Wilson or 6'4" Keon Coleman. Norvell is trying to give Thomas Castellanos similar options with 6'7" Jordan Scott and 6'6" Duce Robinson.
PHYSICALITY ON DEFENSE
Florida State's defense was not the reason that the Seminoles finished with a 2-10 record. This isn't to say that the program's unit was perfect by any means, but it was serviceable in defending the opposing team's passing game. Meanwhile, fans sometimes used former defensive coordinator Adam Fuller as a scapegoat.
The Seminoles hired Nebraska's Tony White as their new defensive coordinator. The Cornhuskers only allowed six rushing touchdowns in 2024. They had Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter in shambles when Nebraska defeated them by a score of 28-10.