Florida State’s preseason camp begins Wednesday, July 29, and it arrives with plenty to sort out before the Seminoles open the 2026 season against New Mexico State on Aug. 29.
The work starts at the Dunlap football facility, where FSU will hold 18 practices, including a pair of scrimmages. Three of those sessions will take place in Jacksonville from Aug. 6-8 on the campus of the University of North Florida. It also marks the beginning of Mike Norvell’s seventh season leading the program, and the pressure around him is real after two seasons of underperformance, a 7-17 record and no road wins since 2023.
Norvell is also back in the playcalling role after Gus Malzahn’s retirement, which only adds to the list of things worth watching as camp opens. But the biggest questions go beyond that. Florida State has to figure out how its offense fits around Ashton Daniels, how quickly the offensive line can settle, and whether Tony White’s defense can take another step in year two.
Daniels arrives as FSU’s third new starter in as many years, and the Seminoles will need to build the offense around what he does best. Norvell and offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. have a talented group around him, with Duce Robinson, Micahi Danzy, Jayvan Boggs and true freshman standouts Devin Carter and Jasen Lopez giving Daniels plenty of targets.
The challenge is keeping the ball out of harm’s way. Daniels dealt with interception issues at Stanford, where he threw 20 picks, and at Auburn, where he had two.
The deep ball is another area under the microscope in camp. Last season, he went 5-of-16 on throws downfield with two touchdowns, and his career numbers on passes of more than 20 yards sit at 33-of-113, a 29% completion rate, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
That doesn’t mean the fit is poor. Daniels should work well in the mid-to-short range passing game, especially with Robinson and Danzy capable of creating after the catch.
The bigger question is how Norvell uses Daniels and the backs - Ousmane Kromah, Tre Wisnor and Sam Singelton Jr. - in the run game. Daniels has 1,401 career rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, and Kromah could be a major piece after rushing for 407 yards and adding 147 more as a freshman receiving the ball.
Norvell’s use of a two-back backfield could make that part of the offense even more important.
None of that matters much, though, if the line in front of Daniels doesn’t come together. Florida State has rebuilt its offensive line through the transfer portal for a second straight year, with Andre’ Otto and Jayden Todd also in the mix as possible starters from the current roster.
There’s a real chance portal additions Xavier Chaplin, Baydn Welch-Joine and Nate Pabst will be in the starting five, which would leave two spots still up for grabs when camp opens. The sooner that group finds the right combination, the better chance the offense has to develop the kind of cohesion it needs. FSU pulled off a similar overhaul last season under Herb Hand, and it may need to do it again.
Otto and Todd have both waited for their chance, and preseason camp gives them a month to push for a starting role. Otto looks like the likelier candidate at the moment, but both players have time to make their case before the season starts.
On the other side of the ball, Tony White enters year two with a defense that was statistically inside the top 30 last season but still had clear issues to clean up. The biggest problem came in coverage over the middle, where linebacker play helped opponents create explosive gains that should have been prevented.
That room has been reshaped with Southern Miss transfer Chris Jones and North Carolina transfer Mikai Gbayor joining freshmen Izyia Williams, Karon Maycock and Noah Lavalle. Gbayor’s arrival stands out in particular because he already has three seasons of experience under White, which should help address some of the problems that showed up a year ago.
The defensive line also needs growth, especially from brothers Darryll and Mandrell Desir after their breakout freshman seasons. Their play won’t define the whole unit, but it will matter.
The secondary looks like the strongest part of the defense right now. Ja’Bril Rawls and Ashlynd Barker are back after strong seasons, and Duke transfer safety Ma’Khi Jones gives White another major piece to work with.
That matters in a 3-3-5 system that depends on players being in the right spots and fitting the scheme cleanly. That wasn’t always the case in White’s first year, but this roster looks more suited to what he wants to do.
Florida State’s 2026 schedule includes New Mexico State on Aug. 29, SMU on Sept. 7, a bye, Alabama on Sept.
19, Central Arkansas on Sept. 26, Virginia on Oct.
3, Louisville on Oct. 9, Miami on Oct. 17, another bye, Clemson on Oct.
31, Boston College on Nov. 7, Pittsburgh on Nov.
13, NC State on Nov. 21 and Florida on Nov. 27.
In Other News...
FSU Gets An Uneasy Verdict On #Tribe27 For One Big Reason
Florida States 2027 recruiting class has picked up some real talent, with six four-star prospects already on board and 17 verbal commitments overall. Even so, the early returns still leave the Seminoles sitting outside the national top 40, which is a reminder that blue-chip additions alone do not always translate into the kind of class profile that signals a full recruiting surge.
The deeper concern is the shape of the class beyond the headline names. Only three of those commitments are ranked in the top 200, and the lack of proven depth is hard to ignore for a program trying to build momentum on the trail. Analyst Eli Lederman has pointed to the uncertainty around Mike Norvell as a possible factor in why Florida State is still having trouble landing the kind of elite recruits that would change the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Just Made Another Crucial Portal Bet Up Front
Florida State kept working the portal to shore up its offensive front, adding another experienced lineman with a rsum that should fit what the Seminoles need right away. The move brings in a player who has already started at two Power Four stops and gives the staff a flexible option as it continues sorting out the best five up front.
What makes the addition useful is the blend of experience and eligibility. He has two years left, and his background at both center and guard gives Florida State some lineup insurance whether the plan is to plug him in as a starter or use him as dependable depth. In a room where continuity matters as much as talent, that kind of bet can end up paying off quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Has One Crucial QB Decision Still Looming
With Ashton Daniels now set as Florida States starter heading into the season, the Seminoles can turn their attention to the next layer of the quarterback room. Mike Norvells staff spent spring practice sorting through a group that includes Malachi Marshall, Dean DeNobile, Jaden Sperry and Jaden ONeal, with each bringing a different mix of experience, upside and production to the competition.
The real intrigue is what happens once fall camp opens and the depth chart starts to harden. Marshall arrives with a decorated junior-college rsum, DeNobile brings a proven college track record, Sperry has been in the mix, and ONeal adds the appeal of a highly regarded freshman. Florida State has its No. 1 in place, but the final order behind Daniels is still one of the more important decisions left for Norvell to make. [Read more 🡒]