Florida State’s defense is built to create problems. Tony White’s system shifts between looks, hides its intentions and tries to force quarterbacks and offensive lines into uncomfortable decisions. The missing piece last season was pretty simple: the Seminoles didn’t have enough pass-rush firepower to cash in on the confusion.
That issue is why the JACK linebacker spot has become such a big deal heading into this season. White’s defense can line up in a four-down front with the JACK walked down, or even slide into a look that is essentially a 2-4-5.
The structure is meant to manufacture leverage and isolate rushers in one-on-one situations, especially on passing downs. But Florida State didn’t have anyone who could consistently win those matchups.
James Williams, who followed White from Nebraska, was supposed to help solve that. Instead, his production never matched the role.
He wasn’t built to be a reliable edge threat over a heavy workload, and once he was asked to do more, the burst and explosiveness that made him useful started to fade. When the Seminoles got opponents into third-and-long and tried to unleash him, the wins just didn’t come often enough.
That matters because White’s defense wasn’t just average in 2024 - it lacked the kind of disruptive presence that makes the whole system hum. Florida State finished No. 67 in points per drive and No. 47 by EPA/play, and the pass rush was a big reason why.
Now the job falls to a new rotation at JACK: transfers Rylan Kennedy and Jalen Anderson. Kennedy had 14 pressures and 3.5 sacks in 72 pass-rush snaps for Texas A&M last season, though his 11.9% pass rush win rate was still below Williams’ mark at Florida State. Anderson arrives from the JuCo level after recording 9.5 sacks over two years for Pearl River.
EDGE coach Nick Williams this week pointed to both players’ “ability to get off the rock” and their “plethora” of pass-rush moves. Whether that turns into real production is another question, and one that won’t get answered until Florida State’s ACC opener against SMU in Week 1.
Still, the JACK may not end up being the true engine of this defense anyway. White can also get the same effect from the interior, and if the Seminoles really are going to have an elite defensive line, as QB1 Ashton Daniels says, then Mandrell Desir is the name that matters most.
Desir already led the team in sacks last season, and the buzz around him has only grown. As a three-star true freshman, he had obvious areas to clean up - pad level, strength, balance through contact and the variety in his pass-rush plan. If he made those jumps in his first full offseason, White may have the player who changes everything.
At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, Desir gives Florida State inside-out flexibility and enough athleticism to work as an attacking defensive end in odd fronts. If that improvement is real, it won’t just help him. It should make life easier for Kennedy and Anderson too.
In Other News...
Florida State Basketball Enters A New Era With A First For The Program
Florida State basketball is about to add a new look as the program steps into a sponsorship model that has never been part of Seminole athletics before. Florida State Athletics announced a multi-year partnership with ReliaQuest, making the company the official jersey patch partner for the men's basketball team beginning in the 2026-27 season, with the logo set to appear on all game jerseys.
The deal marks the first jersey patch sponsorship in Florida State Athletics history, a notable shift for a program now tying its identity to a corporate partner in a more visible way. The school framed the move as a shared commitment to innovation and excellence, and it gives the basketball program a fresh layer of distinction as it prepares for a new era on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Secondary Just Took A Tough Hit At Safety
Florida States secondary took a significant blow with Karson Hobbs sidelined after a season-ending knee injury, a setback confirmed by coach Mike Norvell. The Notre Dame transfer had been working through a position change and giving the Seminoles another option in the back end, which made his progress one of the more quietly important developments in camp and early-season preparation.
Hobbs absence leaves Florida State thinner at safety, especially with the staff still sorting out the best pieces behind its top group. The encouraging part is that he is expected to recover, but for now the Seminoles have to absorb the loss of a player who was starting to fit into the rotation and could have helped stabilize a position that does not have much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Football Faces An Awkward Revenue Question Fans Will Notice
The NCAAs new approval of commercial patches on uniforms has opened another lane for athletic departments to chase revenue, and plenty of schools have already moved quickly to lock in sponsorships across multiple sports. Florida State has taken a step in that direction with its announced Reliaquest patch deal, though that agreement is tied to basketball and begins in the 2026-27 season, leaving the broader push around uniform branding very much in motion.
What stands out for Seminoles fans is that football, the sport that drives the biggest spotlight and the biggest dollars, still does not have a patch deal in place. In a market where athletic departments are weighing every new revenue stream and trying to keep pace with the national heavyweights, the absence of a football sponsorship only adds another layer to the discussion about how aggressively Florida State is monetizing its brand and where the next move might come from. [Read more 🡒]