- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,190,370
- Reaction score
- 59
The roller coaster ride that Florida State football has gone on in the last three seasons is befitting of the famed Disney and Universal theme parks of the Sunshine State.
While those rides tend to bring thrills, the reality of the Seminoles program in recent years has been anything but that. There are various circumstances that could be pointed to, but a 7-17 record in the last two years has put increased pressure on head coach Mike Norvell, whose exorbitant buyout looms over the program entering his seventh season in charge of FSU.
He needs fast success if he wants to continue to build long-term and avoid an overly generous $51 million severance package. But with the relative underperformance of his team since the extraordinary peak of 2023 and the subsequent snub from the College Football Playoff, what does "success" look like for the 44-year-old?
The Seminoles haven't had a winning record in two seasons, and that streak cannot extend into a third season without major consequences. FSU's pedigree in the collegiate football world is well documented, and even with recent nonperformance, it remains a brand that captivates fans and the eyes of top players and coaches.
FSU drew the second-most viewers in the ACC last season, thanks mostly to an upset win over Alabama and a primetime showdown with national runner-up and rival Miami. The task for the Seminoles this season is to pair high viewership with a larger number in the win column, which would also increase the all-important revenue generation in modern college sports.
The return of wide receivers Duce Robinson and speedstar Micahi Danzy, alongside the development of running back Ousmane Kromah and the addition of Texas transfer running back Tre Wisnor, gives the offense some explosiveness. There are questions about how well the offense will play with a brand new offensive line and a quarterback in Ashton Daniels who has been, at best, above average at the position in his four years in college.
Norvell is back in the playcalling seat, and he targeted Daniels in the portal to be his third new quarterback in as many seasons, so it's on him to make the pairing work. The DJ Uiagelele experiment didn't pan out, and while Tommy Castellanos brought some excitement back to Doak Campbell Stadium, it still wasn't a standout season.
By and large, the Seminoles' success this season, and potentially the future of Norvell, rests on the head coach's play calls and Daniels' decision-making in the pocket. Quarterback is the defining position of Norvell's tenure, as outside of Jordan Travis, he's struggled to find the right person to run his offense, despite having relatively good talent in key areas.
Norvell's offense will utilize the middle of the field and more short to mid-range throws, unlike the run-first and deep shots taken in Gus Malzahn's offense. There will be a healthy dose of the run game for FSU, but Daniels will need to be sharp when asked to throw it.
When it comes to short to midrange throws, Daniels is a reliable option, but his downfield accuracy leaves more to be desired. He went 5-of-16 on deep balls last season, with two touchdowns, and is 33-of-113, 29% completion, on passes of more than 20 yards in his career. Another area of concern is his ability to hold on to the football, with a career 24-to-22 touchdown-to-interception ratio, paired with 16 fumbles, a concerning number for someone who will be asked to run a lot.
If Norvell can consistently get the version of Daniels that showed up for Auburn against Vanderbilt last season, where he passed for 353 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 89 yards and two scores, the Seminoles could have a potent offense. There is more than enough talent at the skill positions for FSU to have a relatively successful offense, and the defense should take a significant leap under Tony White with players who better fit his 3-3-5 scheme.
So what does success look like?
Wins, obviously.
Get to a bowl game, win on the road for the first time since 2023 (a remarkable streak that has to end), and finish with a record that is better than 7-5. It's not the standard definition of success for a team of the stature of FSU. But the last two years have been anything but the standard, so the revival of the program has to start with a season that potentially mirrors the 10-3 season in 2022, which ended in a bowl victory over Oklahoma.
Now that's not to say the Seminoles should be expected to win 10 games for only the third time under Norvell, but if this season is going to be regarded as a success in any capacity, FSU needs to get as far from a .500 or another losing record as possible.
Anything less than that could lead to sweeping changes.
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU Seminoles Ashton Daniels must be at his best for solid 2026 season
Continue reading...
While those rides tend to bring thrills, the reality of the Seminoles program in recent years has been anything but that. There are various circumstances that could be pointed to, but a 7-17 record in the last two years has put increased pressure on head coach Mike Norvell, whose exorbitant buyout looms over the program entering his seventh season in charge of FSU.
He needs fast success if he wants to continue to build long-term and avoid an overly generous $51 million severance package. But with the relative underperformance of his team since the extraordinary peak of 2023 and the subsequent snub from the College Football Playoff, what does "success" look like for the 44-year-old?
The Seminoles haven't had a winning record in two seasons, and that streak cannot extend into a third season without major consequences. FSU's pedigree in the collegiate football world is well documented, and even with recent nonperformance, it remains a brand that captivates fans and the eyes of top players and coaches.
FSU drew the second-most viewers in the ACC last season, thanks mostly to an upset win over Alabama and a primetime showdown with national runner-up and rival Miami. The task for the Seminoles this season is to pair high viewership with a larger number in the win column, which would also increase the all-important revenue generation in modern college sports.
FSU football has the players to be successful
The return of wide receivers Duce Robinson and speedstar Micahi Danzy, alongside the development of running back Ousmane Kromah and the addition of Texas transfer running back Tre Wisnor, gives the offense some explosiveness. There are questions about how well the offense will play with a brand new offensive line and a quarterback in Ashton Daniels who has been, at best, above average at the position in his four years in college.
Norvell is back in the playcalling seat, and he targeted Daniels in the portal to be his third new quarterback in as many seasons, so it's on him to make the pairing work. The DJ Uiagelele experiment didn't pan out, and while Tommy Castellanos brought some excitement back to Doak Campbell Stadium, it still wasn't a standout season.
By and large, the Seminoles' success this season, and potentially the future of Norvell, rests on the head coach's play calls and Daniels' decision-making in the pocket. Quarterback is the defining position of Norvell's tenure, as outside of Jordan Travis, he's struggled to find the right person to run his offense, despite having relatively good talent in key areas.
Norvell's offense will utilize the middle of the field and more short to mid-range throws, unlike the run-first and deep shots taken in Gus Malzahn's offense. There will be a healthy dose of the run game for FSU, but Daniels will need to be sharp when asked to throw it.
When it comes to short to midrange throws, Daniels is a reliable option, but his downfield accuracy leaves more to be desired. He went 5-of-16 on deep balls last season, with two touchdowns, and is 33-of-113, 29% completion, on passes of more than 20 yards in his career. Another area of concern is his ability to hold on to the football, with a career 24-to-22 touchdown-to-interception ratio, paired with 16 fumbles, a concerning number for someone who will be asked to run a lot.
Why the fate of FSU's season rest on its offense
If Norvell can consistently get the version of Daniels that showed up for Auburn against Vanderbilt last season, where he passed for 353 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 89 yards and two scores, the Seminoles could have a potent offense. There is more than enough talent at the skill positions for FSU to have a relatively successful offense, and the defense should take a significant leap under Tony White with players who better fit his 3-3-5 scheme.
So what does success look like?
Wins, obviously.
Get to a bowl game, win on the road for the first time since 2023 (a remarkable streak that has to end), and finish with a record that is better than 7-5. It's not the standard definition of success for a team of the stature of FSU. But the last two years have been anything but the standard, so the revival of the program has to start with a season that potentially mirrors the 10-3 season in 2022, which ended in a bowl victory over Oklahoma.
Now that's not to say the Seminoles should be expected to win 10 games for only the third time under Norvell, but if this season is going to be regarded as a success in any capacity, FSU needs to get as far from a .500 or another losing record as possible.
Anything less than that could lead to sweeping changes.
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU Seminoles Ashton Daniels must be at his best for solid 2026 season
Continue reading...
