For Florida State, the arrival of January 1 will mark a much-needed fresh start. For head coach Mike Norvell, however, his New Year’s resolutions began weeks ago as he began overhauling his staff, putting behind one of the worst seasons in Seminoles history.
Florida State concluded the 2024 season with a disappointing 2-10 record, a dramatic drop from the previous year’s 13-1 record that nearly secured them a spot in the College Football Playoff. Before Norvell can celebrate the new year, he’ll need to focus on rebuilding his roster, particularly through the transfer portal.
Since his arrival in Tallahassee, Norvell has relied heavily on the portal, bringing in more than a dozen transfers each year over the last three seasons. While this strategy paid off in 2023, when every addition seemed to fit perfectly, the 2024 class was a failure.
Despite having a significant contract that FSU is unlikely to buy out soon, Norvell must find success in the portal again to show that this season was an exception.
Florida State adds Thomas Castellanos from the transfer portal
The transfer portal has proven to be both a blessing and a curse for Florida State, even in its early days. Former five-star freshman quarterback Luke Kromenhoek entered the portal, reportedly seeking guarantees—a growing trend in the NIL era.
Kromenhoek had been expected to be a key player for the Seminoles, leaving head coach Mike Norvell scrambling to address a position that was already a weak point this season. The drop-off from Jordan Travis to DJ Uiagalelei—both transfer quarterbacks—was stark. Uiagalelei’s season was marred by underwhelming performances and a midseason injury that further hurt the team.
To address the quarterback situation, FSU added former Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos. While Castellanos transferred after being benched midseason, he brings valuable experience and dual-threat skills to Tallahassee. His arrival sets up a likely competition for the starting role with Uiagalelei.
“I think, first, you have to decide what you do at quarterback,” said Bud Elliott of 247Sports. “They need to secure proven production in the portal, particularly on the offensive line, and not just rely on potential. That won’t come cheap… QB takes up a significant portion of your pseudo-salary cap. From there, we’ll see who they can acquire for the offensive line.”
While the Seminoles seem to have addressed their quarterback concerns, the next challenge is ensuring the protection of whoever wins the starting job.
Florida State needs to rebuild the offensive line
Florida State faced a significant setback on early signing day, losing top target Solomon Thomas to LSU. While the Seminoles secured commitments from Mario Nash Jr. and Sean Poret, they remain in urgent need of experienced reinforcements for an offensive line hit hard by departures.
Jeremiah Byers, Maurice Smith, and Darius Washington have all exhausted their eligibility, leaving major gaps on the offensive line. New offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Herb Hand are already addressing this need, focusing on former UCF lineman Marcellus Marshall, who has already visited Tallahassee.
Marshall has started 23 games at multiple positions, including left tackle, guard, and even center. Although his overall grade this season was a modest 58.1, his pass-blocking stood out with a 77.8 grade. His versatility makes him an appealing addition.
FSU is also targeting tackles Isaiah World from Nevada and Alex Wollschlaeger from Bowling Green.
World, standing at 6-foot-8 and 309 pounds, posted a 68.2 overall grade but excelled in pass-blocking, earning an impressive 82.2 grade. He allowed no sacks and just two quarterback hits all season.
Wollschlaeger had his best season in 2024, with a 76.6 overall grade and a 75.3 pass-blocking grade. He allowed only two sacks and two hits throughout the year.
The transfer portal is rarely flooded with offensive linemen, so it’s crucial for Norvell and his staff to make their strongest pitch to secure players like Marshall, World, and Wollschlaeger. Their ability to rebuild a solid offensive line will play a key role in determining if 2025 can be a successful turnaround year for the Seminoles.
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