Florida State’s quarterback room is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing storylines heading into the 2026 season, and while head coach Mike Norvell isn’t ready to shut the door on a spring competition, the writing on the wall points toward Ashton Daniels as the frontrunner.
Daniels, a transfer with starting experience at Stanford and a brief stint at Auburn, appears to be the quarterback Florida State is banking on. Norvell didn’t come out and name him the starter during his recent appearance on the ACC Network’s Inside ACCess, but his comments left little doubt about where things are trending.
“Anytime you have a transfer quarterback in that has experience, which Ashton has played a lot of football…” Norvell said, before highlighting Daniels’ late-season action at Auburn. The redshirt year didn’t keep him off the field entirely-he saw the field in four games, starting three down the stretch-and Norvell pointed to that late-season growth as a sign of things to come.
That experience matters. Florida State is looking to keep its upward momentum, and having a quarterback who’s already been in the fire is a big piece of that puzzle. Norvell emphasized the “big expectations” for what Daniels can bring to the Seminoles' offense, and that’s not the kind of language you use for a guy expected to sit behind someone else.
Still, Norvell made it a point to talk about redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry, who saw limited action last season-including a cameo in a tough road loss at Stanford after an injury to Tommy Castellanos. Sperry has been praised by both Norvell and former play-caller Gus Malzahn, and his talent isn’t in question.
“You mention Kevin Sperry, he’s a very talented young man who’s excited to compete,” Norvell said. “And that’s what these guys are going to do, is every day they’re going to show up and put their best foot forward, and push to lead this football team.”
It’s classic coach-speak on the surface-talking up competition, praising everyone in the room-but when you zoom in on the details, the message becomes clearer. Norvell repeatedly circled back to Daniels, emphasizing his maturity, his experience, and the expectations that come with both. Sperry, on the other hand, was framed more as an up-and-comer, a young talent still developing.
That’s not a knock on Sperry-it’s just the reality of where things stand. Florida State brought Daniels in from the portal for a reason.
He’s played Power Five football, he’s started games, and he’s shown growth. The staff clearly believes he can step in and lead this team from day one.
So while the door isn’t officially closed on a spring QB battle, it’s safe to say Daniels has the inside track. The way Norvell talked about him-at length, and with conviction-makes it clear that Florida State sees him as the guy to guide the offense in 2026. The competition may be open, but the expectations say otherwise.