Look, Florida State stumbled big time last season crashing from 13-1 to a brutal 2-10. However, Mike Norvell is not just sitting around feeling sorry for himself. He is gearing up for a comeback by securing the nation’s 20th-ranked class, the second-best in the ACC, with 23 commits and 16 transfers. But his most significant victory is getting Tony White from Nebraska. And words on the wood is that White is not just there for the paycheck; he is also changing the game. The energy’s different, the buy-in’s real, and even White himself can feel the shift.

FSU is on a redemption tour, and they’re not messing around. With teams heading up for spring practices, Seminoles’ Defensive Coordinator, Tony White, discussed the “teaching moments” he’s emphasizing at Florida State while talking to the Football system on Warchat TV. White’s 3-3-5 defense is an adaptable approach rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, resulting in unique variations based on the team’s talent. He expressed satisfaction with the Seminoles’ roster, particularly praising their quick absorption of in-practice lessons and ability to recover swiftly.

And highlighting one such moment, White said, “One of the biggest plays today, we gave up a big, big play, and Elijah (Herring) chases a guy down 30 or 40 yards. He chased him down, got him down on the 10.” He then explained how in, “The very next play, we intercept the ball. So, teaching moments like that are huge and necessary. Got a chance to see that on display. I think the biggest thing today was giving them a chance. To get the coaches out of the way and everybody off the field and let them operate.” Now, that’s a massive improvement from last year’s red zone period.

This time, Tony White didn’t overlook the red-zone meltdown from the last practice. Following the defense’s failure to block excessive touchdowns, he took them to the film room, analyzed every mistake, and ensured they understood how to rectify it. Message received. During the scrimmage, they turned the tables! Elijah Herring continued to excel, meanwhile even safety Earl Little Jr. and linebacker Ethan Pritchard went a step ahead by each scoring a pick-six.

Now, we all know FSU’s struggle last season in stopping the run. Since the start of the season, their inconsistencies started. The worst part is in just two games the Seminoles allowed 456 rushing yards last season. No wonder they need a revamp this year. And that’s the reason they are also focusing on the parts where the team needs to improve, as White says, “But just more importantly, making sure we operate the right way, like substitutions, you know, that thing. Didn’t like that, especially with our guys going warp speed. Got to fix things like that, the headset stuff, but otherwise it was good.” 

But Tony White is not the only one who’s working hard for the team’s improvement.

Mike Norvell’s another weapon for this season

It’s not just Florida’s defense that made improvement in the scrimmage; their offense also saw some good moments. And that’s exactly what their offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn highlighted, saying, “First scrimmage down, I think 100 plays, 60 runs, and 40 passes. That was kind of by design. All three quarterbacks played. As a matter of fact, it was pretty close to equal reps. Everybody on offense got a chance to play. We learned a lot about our guys individually, which is good.”  That’s a massive development for them.

Now, we all know FSU’s struggle in offense with inconsistencies, explosiveness, and also with sustaining drives. They were in 260th position, allowing 89.9 yards per game. Plus, with an average of 270.3 yards per game, they were in the 259th position last season, and that’s just disastrous. But this time players are actually making a difference.

Talking about former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who committed to Florida State, Malzahn said, “It has been three years ago, and he still has a good foundation of what we did. But you know, I think the biggest difference is you can tell that he has two years of starting experience, and you can tell that, you know, the game is slower for him, and, you know, he can really create things, and, you know, he’s off to a good start this spring.” No wonder FSU selected a tough guy. He finished his last season recording 1,366 yards for 18 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions.

Even Squirrel White and Micahi Danzy bring unique skill sets. Also, the staff is just starting to tap into what they can do. White already has a ton of experience—he’s dynamic and well-tested. Danzy, meanwhile, is balancing both track and football. And Gus Malzahn is sure that all of them are going to make a big impact on the field this season. Now, let’s just wait and see how things turn out for them this year.