Florida State’s special teams unit is starting to look like a real strength, and not just a side note, with fall camp winding down and the season opener closing in.
At the end of practice Thursday, coordinator Adam Scheier laid out the pieces he expects to lean on, beginning with kicker Gabe Panikowski, who will handle the field goal work.
“Been very pleased with Gabe since he stepped on campus," Scheier said. "Just his approach, and how consistent and smooth he is as a field goal kicker.
And that showed up through spring, through fall camp here. Now it's nice to see him go four-for-four today from outside of 45 [yards].
And then do a 50-yarder as well. I think a 53-yarder after that."
Panikowski transferred from Oklahoma State, where he did not see game action, but his 2024 season at Idaho State told a different story. He won the Fred Mitchell Award, was a first-team FCS All-America selection by the AFCA, Walter Camp and Sports Illustrated, earned second-team FCS All-America honors from the Associated Press, and made first-team All-Big Sky Conference. He also went 15-for-15 on field goals, hit 44 of 47 extra points, drilled a 55-yard field goal against Northern Arizona, and averaged 63.7 yards on kickoffs.
One kick in practice showed just how much juice he brings. The ball sailed 2-3 yards deep into the end zone with a hang time of 4.132 seconds. Conor McAneney is set to handle kickoff duties, but Panikowski gives Florida State another option there if needed.
The punting job belongs to Daniel Hughes, and Scheier already knows what kind of weapon he has.
"I played against him last year when I was at UNLV," Scheier said. "He was at New Mexico, so I watched his stuff, and he's a very talented punter. We will make an emphasis of attacking that unit as an opportunity to flip the field, because our job at the end of the day is to play great defense, and the way you do that is you move the ball as far down the field as you possibly can, give your defense as long a field to defend as possible, and I think it'll carry over."
Hughes averaged 45.44 yards per punt last season for a 9-4 New Mexico team, and in six games he punted fewer than three times.
At long snapper, Florida State will rely on Caleb Bowers, whose résumé fits the “steady” label Scheier used for him.
"Very steady. Veteran presence," Scheier said.
"Accurate with his snaps - times are good. The ability to protect both punt and field goal has been there.
And just a good leader, good mentor to our younger long snappers, to our group as well."
Bowers arrived from North Dakota State, where he played in 44 straight games for the 2024 FCS national champions. Last season he was first-team FCS All America and first-team All-MVFC, and the Bison went 49-10 during his career.
The return game should have some punch, too. Scheier said Sam Singleton and Micahi Danzy are the leading candidates to handle kick returns.
"I think we've got two of the best returners in the country,” Scheier said. “We've got good middle skill to block them for them up front, and the guys are understanding the schematics and understanding the fundamentals its gonna take to block for those guys, and again, they're dangerous with the ball in their hands, so we're excited."
Singleton averaged 16.50 yards per kickoff return last season for Florida State, while Danzy’s speed makes him a threat every time he gets the ball. The Seminoles finished among the top 30 nationally in kickoff returns last season, averaging 21.2 yards per return, and these two could push that number even higher.
Freshman Jasen Lopez is set to return punts after making noise as a receiver, and Scheier said the freshman has earned the trust.
"Jasen Lopez has shown the ability, confidence, moxie for a true freshman to be the guy,” Scheier said.
If Lopez is unavailable, Florida State has other options waiting. Jayvan Boggs, Duce Robinson, Devin Carter and Ja’bril Rawls are all candidates to step in.
Florida State has the personnel to make special teams matter, but the bigger picture still hangs over the program. The Seminoles have lost 17 of their last 24 games, and their seven wins over the last two seasons are the fewest at Florida State since 1974-75. That run of frustration has now stretched to 52 years of futility in Tallahassee.
Still, the schedule gives Florida State chances to show something different, and all the work in fall camp will get its first test on August 29, when the Seminoles host New Mexico State.
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