The Florida State football team enters the 2025 season with one mission: erase the memory of last year’s crushing 2-10 campaign. Sixth-year head coach Mike Norvell has leaned heavily on the NCAA transfer portal for a rapid rebuild.
Perhaps the most important move of the offseason was the quarterback. The Seminoles landed senior quarterback Thomas “Tommy” Castellanos from Boston College. Castellanos torched FSU for three touchdowns in their 2024 matchup, two of which were made himself.
Castellanos will bring mobility and creativity to the Seminole’s offense, fitting the mold of a quarterback who can extend plays when the structure breaks down.
“I feel like I can do everything,” Castellanos said at an introductory press conference. “With the right tools and the right system, I feel like I can be unbelievable. Me, my style of play, I’m the new style of play. I can extend plays and make things happen off schedule.”
The ’Noles also used the portal to revitalize the wide receiver room. Standing at six-foot-six-inches, junior wide receiver Duce Robinson transferred in from the University of Southern California. A former five-star tight end, Robinson shifted to receiver and averaged 19.2 yards per catch in two seasons, displaying big-play ability.
Robinson said one of his biggest inspirations came from watching another towering Garnet & Gold target from the past.
“I absolutely loved Kelvin Benjamin. He was a big receiver and electric in college,” Robinson said. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to be a receiver in the first place and I tried to model my game [after him] because I knew I was going to be big from the time I was very young. Watching him go to work every week was really cool.”
Senior wide receiver Marquarius “Squirrel” White transferred in from the University of Tennessee as a lightning-quick option who can stretch defenses horizontally and vertically. A former track standout, White’s straight-line speed translates seamlessly to his role as Florida State’s new primary slot receiver.
Protecting the quarterback was one of the Seminoles’ biggest issues last season. Norvell addressed it aggressively, adding redshirt senior offensive lineman Micah Pettus from the University of Mississippi, redshirt senior offensive lineman Gunnar Hansen from Vanderbilt University and redshirt senior offensive lineman Luke Petitbon from Wake Forest University, all of whom bring starting experience from Southeastern Conference (SEC) programs.
On defense, new FSU defensive coordinator Tony White inherits a revitalized lineup. The linebacker corps adds starting talent and depth with senior linebacker Elijah Herring from the University of Memphis, redshirt sophomore linebacker Caleb LaVallee from the University of North Carolina (UNC) and senior linebacker Stefon Thompson from the University of Nebraska.
Thompson brings needed experience in a 3-3-5 defense, a scheme used by White. For Herring, Thompson’s experience in the scheme makes him one of the most valuable additions to the defense.
“Stefon is a great guy,” Herring said. “I’ve been picking his brain since I got here, just trying to figure out the defense, how to make it simpler. He’s definitely a great asset.”
Up front, redshirt junior defensive lineman James Williams comes from Nebraska to join a rotation looking to restore its pass-rush production after registering just 18 sacks in 2024.
The secondary welcomes senior defensive back Jeremiah Wilson from the University of Houston, a lockdown corner with starting experience at Houston and Syracuse University, who held opponents to a 46.7 passer rating in 2024.
While the incoming talent is promising, there were several departures from the 2024 roster. Senior defensive end Patrick Payton, who was once a productive defensive end for the ’Noles, transferred to Louisiana State University (LSU). Payton was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, but after a turbulent 2024, he’s seeking a fresh start at LSU.
On offense, redshirt junior offensive lineman TJ Ferguson, who played 11 games for the Garnet & Gold last year, transferred to Syracuse. Also leaving Florida State was sophomore quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, who played in just six games last season and headed to Mississippi State University.
The schedule will not wait for the Seminoles to get comfortable, as they host the No. 8 University of Alabama Crimson Tide for the season opener on Aug. 30. Whether or not the new pieces can gel in time for a demanding schedule remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Florida State football 2025: Mike Norvell leads transfer portal overhaul to rebuild
Reporting by Francisco Garcia / FSU News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
