Florida State football finished with a 5-7 record to end the 2025 season. The loss to the arch-rival Florida Gators made fans extremely frustrated because this is the second time that head football coach Mike Norvell and his squad have been defeated by a Gators' interim coach.
This was not an ideal situation for a program that finished 2024 with a 2-10 record. There was an expectation that the Seminoles would have been much better (at least 7 or 8 wins). The expectations changed after the Alabama season-opening victory, but Florida State only mustered two wins in their last nine games.
This is now where we enter yet another offseason filled with player acquisitions and coaching staffs. It has to be exhausting to hit the reset button once again, especially at pivotal positions.
The Seminoles had to go to the transfer portal to secure transfer quarterback Thomas Castellanos. The former UCF and Boston College signal-caller was listed as a senior on the roster due to playing in a conference championship game while with the Knights. The NCAA has denied his waiver, but he is fighting to get another year in Tallahassee.
However, it is reasonable to ask if the fan base even wants another year of Castellanos. Some individuals have even shown their support to start redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry, who was a former four-star prospect that the coaching staff grabbed in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
They also have redshirt junior Brock Glenn and true freshman Jaden O'Neal in the quarterback room. However, Florida State hasn't been a stranger to communicating with other transfers, such as Marcus Stokes from West Florida.
Another name that could enter the transfer portal mix soon could be Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt. The talented signal-caller led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff last season. He suffered an injury midway through the year.
However, through seven games this season with the Sun Devils, Leavitt had 1,934 total yards with 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
Former Florida State offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham is the current head football coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils, and could be a pivotal part in bringing him to Tallahassee, since Dillingham and Norvell have a close relationship with one another.
This would be the third straight quarterback prospect (fourth if you want to include Jordan Travis) that Mike Norvell has used during his tenure at Florida State. Quarterback is a position that he needs to get right. It could be worth it to evaluate all options before jumping to conclusions. However, if an elite option enters, the Seminoles have to pay up and get him immediately.