FSU’s Recruiting Called into Question by ACC Coach After Disastrous 2024 Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Florida State reloaded again in the transfer portal, an approach that worked to great success in 2023 and blew up in its face in 2024. Coach Mike Norvell is going back to the well on the heels of one of the worst seasons in program history, which followed one of the best.
The Seminoles’ transfer class ranks among the top 10 in the country, per 247, for the fourth year in a row. However, FSU’s high school recruiting class was its worst since 2022. Outside of Tallahassee, opinions differ regarding the level of the Seminoles’ roster.
“There’s a significant disconnect in the talent at this program,” an anonymous ACC assistant coach said in Athlon Sports’ 2025 College Football Preview magazine. “On paper, in the rankings, they’re doing great. But a lot of their rivals feel like they’re not recruiting at a truly elite level, and the guys they get aren’t developing.”
These comments were made in the Florida State’s exclusive scouting report in Athlon’s annual magazine, which is available for purchase online and at newsstands nationwide.
The Seminoles won the ACC in 2023 on the backs of transfers such as quarterback Jordan Travis (Louisville), wide receiver Keon Coleman (Michigan State) and edge defender Jared Verse (Albany). Also among FSU’s ACC-leading 17 all-conference selections that season were homegrown players, like tackle Darius Washington and linebacker Kalen DeLoach.
The step back in 2024 can partially be attributed to the play of quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, an Oregon State transfer with ACC experience from his time at Clemson. However, Uiagalalei appeared in just four games, and the ’Noles cycled through signal-callers amid a 1-9 start overall and 1-7 finish in league play.
“It fell apart faster than I’ve ever seen,” the anonymous ACC assistant said. “They were really early adopters to the portal, and that ‘23 team was an absolute nightmare to scheme against. You had the combination of in-house, development guys from Florida high schools and transfers. They started missing in both categories after that.”
Still, FSU didn’t shy away from the portal, adding quarterback Thomas Castellanos (Boston College), wide receivers Duce Robinson (USC) and Squirrel White (Tennessee), edge defender James Williams (Nebraska) and cornerback Jeremiah Wilson (Houston), among others.
In addition to a largely new roster, Norvell replaced both coordinators, bringing in former UCF head coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and former Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White to continue in that same role.
“Gus is going to take it back to basics and do a lot of run game at first,” the ACC coach said. “His hire was way more about culture and having the veteran in the room than it was about a particular kind of scheme.”
The Seminoles will learn a lot about their new roster and coaching staff when Alabama comes to town Aug. 30 for the season opener at the recently renovated Doak Campbell Stadium.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
