As Tomahawk Nation’s Curt Weiler wrote on Sunday, the time for talk is over; game week is finally here.
With Alabama just days away and the final scouting reports being put into place, it’s time to take stock of the Seminoles heading into Saturday. After the release of FSU’s first depth chart, what position groups do the coaching staff sound confident in heading into the season, and who needs to step up before the Tide comes to town?
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Three Strengths
Quarterback
In relationships, they call the first six months of dating the honeymoon phase, where neither party can do anything wrong. So far, the Seminoles and QB Tommy Castellanos appear to be in the honeymoon phase and the perfect match for what each other needed. Saturday is when real life begins, but for now, Castellanos’s leadership, dual-threat ability, and willingness to learn give the Noles a launching off point heading into the season. The only surprise on the depth chart here was true freshman Kevin Sperry listed as an OR next to veteran Brock Glenn, but as seen last season, there can never be too many capable quarterbacks on the roster.
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QB coach Tony Tokarz to the Tallahassee media on QB Tommy Castellanos: “He is a dynamic athlete, and I think his personality matches that. I’ve said this before, he’s so comfortable in his own skin that building relationships feels very natural to him.”
Tight End
When Chase Loftin, one of FSU’s prized high school recruiting targets, gets moved to wide receiver, the coaching staff showed their hand about how they feel about the tight end room. The TE position should be one of the deepest on the roster and the most versatile. Randy Pittman Jr. was listed as the starter, but Amaree Williams and Landen Thomas will receive their fair share of playing time. All three, along with Markeston Douglas, present different options for OC Gus Malzahn and challenges for a defense to cover. I expect to see a heavy dose of 12 personnel this fall.
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TE coach Chris Thomsen to the Tallahassee media on the tight end role: “You’ll see (the tight ends) in all different spots. You’ll see them in the backfield; we’ll get in 12 personnel. You’ll see them out in the slot.”
Linebacker
Along with the tight end room, the linebacking corps is as deep as it is versatile while blending a nice mix of returning players with veteran transfers. Omar Graham Jr. raised eyebrows being listed as the starting JACK, and I was also surprised to see AJ Contrill listed in the two deep, but their inclusion displays depth on the roster. The most significant question mark from the room revolves around how well the unit understands the defense, not a question of ability.
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LB coach John Papuchis to the Tallahassee media on his linebacker room, “I’m very excited about our linebacker group. We have great depth. I feel like there are six guys who have competed really hard during training camp and really all through summer and spring ball that are going to have an opportunity to help us. I’ve been really pleased with the approach in the meeting room and on the practice field.”
Three Weaknesses
Secondary
The secondary room boasts tons of talent, and from a recruitment perspective, has the most blue chips on the roster. However, the way the coaching staff discussed it this August, and what the depth chart read on Monday, gives me cause for concern. At safety, the fact that Shyheim Brown is not a starter is a problem. The Noles were counting on him to get back to his 2023 form and lead the backend of the defense, but clearly, he is not where the staff needs him to be. That leaves Ashlynd Barker and KJ Kirkland as the starting safeties. While both are physically capable, it is unknown what they will be as bulk starters. Shifting gears to the CB spot, Ja’Bril Rawls was listed as the corner next to Jerry Wilson. Considering it did not sound like that position was locked down for most of fall camp, it should be a revolving door early on in the season. Wilson might be the biggest sure thing on the roster, but the rest of the room is a bunch of ‘who knows?’
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DB coach Patrick Surtain Sr. to the Tallahassee media on the cornerback room, “It’s a competition every day. We are going to go with the most consistent guy. We have guys who have played some ball, but we only have a combined eight starts in the secondary. So, it’s an opportunity for guys. Some jobs are still open.”
Wide Receiver
The fact that Squirrel White was listed as a starter and head coach Mike Norvell confirmed he would play this weekend gives me more confidence in this group than I did last week, but like the cornerbacks, outside of a couple of veterans, there are mostly unproven commodities. The Noles are relying on true freshman Jayvan Boggs and Loftin to be significant factors in the slot, while hoping Elijah Moore and some of the second-year receivers take the next step. Will they do it? I don’t know if the coaches know that answer.
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WR coach Tim Harris Jr., to the Tallahassee media on what he wants to see from his group, “Just consistency all the way around. I think we have a good pool of guys that have really good athleticism and come to work every day…All of them have shown their flashes, and I’m excited about how that competition has been playing itself out.
Defensive Line
Darrell Jackson Jr. and James Williams might be the two best players on the roster, but the depth around them makes the position group a concern. The loss of Kevin Wynn in week one and Deamontae Diggs and KJ Sampson not being listed on the two-deep leaves a gaping hole in the middle of who steps up when Williams and Jackson Jr. are off the field. Norvell wants to roll multiple D-linemen and believes in keeping that group around 50%-60% of the snaps to keep them fresh for the game and the season. He might not have a choice but to play his top guys more than he wants.
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DL coach Terrance Knighton to the Jacksonville media on his group’s mentality, “Everybody in the room is competing to be out there, and it’s really pushing and elevating the room. It’s been a privilege to coach those guys because our mindset is right, right now.”
Three Question Marks
Offensive Line
The offensive line was the worst unit on the team a season ago, and Norvell smartly hit the portal to address it and bring in a whole new group to patch up the boat. While each veteran has extensive experience, the outside public does not know what the group will look like together. Moreover, someone is bound to get hurt up front, and the lack of proven depth behind the top-six players could be a straw that breaks the camel’s back if the year starts sideways for FSU.
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OL coach Herb Hand to the Tallahassee media on if he knows his starting five, “We’re still in the process of sorting through a few things. It’s sorting itself out. We’re getting there. I feel good about the work that we’ve put in.”
Running Back
Like the offensive line, the room boasts plenty of talent, but only Norvell, Malzahn, and David Johnson know the running back rotation. The key to this unit being successful revolves around true freshman Ousmane Kromah taking over the bulk of the workload early on in the year. The veterans are mostly complimentary pieces, and FSU needs Kromah to be the back they believe he can be early in his career.
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RB coach David Johnson to the Tallahassee media on the running back room, “I think the biggest thing is they are all working extremely hard. You have some young guys sprinkled in with Ousmane Kromah and Kam Davis. But those older guys, Roydell Williams, Gavin Sawchuk, Jaylin Lucas, they’ve been doing a number of different things; they know their role. We just have to put them in a position to be successful.”
Special Teams
It will be almost impossible for the Seminoles to roll out the same quality of special teams as last year in 2025 after the departures of Ryan Fitzgerald and Alex Mastromanno. The two All-Americans were top-three specialists in their position in the country and became the only bright spot in a season tossed into the abyss. Last season, they helped groom their replacements in K Jake Weinberg and P Mac Chiumento, but until those two take the field, the unit is a toss-up.
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Special teams coordinator John Papuchis on replacing two All-American special teamers from 2024, “There are big shoes to fill. Fortunately, we were able to build a roster with enough forethought in terms of what happens when those were gone. I think Jake Weinberg has a chance to be a special player. He has been really good for the last 10 days. He had a phenomenal second scrimmage. I think Mac Chiumento has a chance to be a really good punter for us.”
