Florida State football didn't have the best season in 2025, where it stumbled to the finish line with a 5-7 record. The coaching staff had to acquire new pieces to the roster via the transfer portal and high school recruiting ranks.
To be honest, the rivalry matchup at the end of the year against the Florida Gators taught the coaching staff a valuable lesson. They need to be able to stop the run defensively. Florida running back Jadan Baugh had himself a field day against the Seminoles, where he rushed for over 200 yards.
The bad news is that Baugh will be returning for another season in Gainesville, so the second level of the defense will have to be ready.
Freshman linebacker Izayia Williams will look to make an impact for the 2026 season
The talk of the fan base is coming from Southern Miss linebacker transfer Chris Jones, who is slated to be a starter. However, the defense needs more than just Jones at the position.
Florida State also added four linebacker prospects in its 2026 class. This is an opportunity to find out who the guys starting at the position will be. One name that I am monitoring is true freshman signee, Izayia Williams.
Williams flipped several times during his high school recruitment, but Florida State was able to get him to sign and bring him to Tallahassee. The only issue is that he is recovering from a significant injury from the summer.
The former four-star prospect spoke to the media on Tuesday afternoon, and he stated that he was not going to participate in spring practice, but Williams will be ready for fall camp.
Izayia Williams joins us now.
— Liam Rooney (@__liamrooney) March 4, 2026
He said his knee feels good, but he is not going to participate in spring practice. He will continue to rehab and make sure he's ready for fall camp.
Said LB coach Ernie Sims has been a good resource for him
It is a bummer that the talented linebacker won't be available during the spring, but at least he can get acclimated to the way that Florida State is run.