Florida State Seminoles Football's Coaching Staff Constantly Evaluating QB Battle

From the beginning to the end of spring, Florida State's quarterback competition turned into a legitimate battle.

Head coach Mike Norvell said as much leading into the slate of practices, but redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry pushed redshirt senior Ashton Daniels, probably more so than the Seminoles expected.

The coaching staff has yet to name a starter, and the duo remains under constant evaluation. Regardless of who wins the job, the back-and-forth is a positive for the quarterback room.

Florida State feels good about where its at going into the summer.

QB Job A Constant Discussion For FSU's Coaching Staff

The Seminoles' second spring scrimmage was not up to the standard on the offensive side of the ball, particularly at quarterback. Florida State was plagued by turnovers and a variety of mistakes.

Offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. has seen Daniels and Sperry bounce back down the stretch.

"You feel really good about it. You watch them just be able to respond to some of the adversity," Harris Jr. said. "The previous scrimmage, everyone knew there was some plays there we wish we could have back from both guys. Just the start of last week, you watch them go every day and be better with their decision-making, be more confident with it, and then Saturday, you saw a lot of that too."

"You watch those guys as they compete with each other, you're getting guys that are excited for one another, and that's really what you want to have as a team," Harris Jr. added. "For us overall, when you're looking at that position, we feel like we're in a really good spot as we head into our last practice and then into the summer."

The coaching staff is holding daily conversations regarding the quarterback competition. While the final decision will be up to head coach Mike Norvell, the Seminoles are gathering multiple data points.

"We'll continue to talk about it as a staff. We've been constantly talking about it," Harris Jr. said. "Those guys, they're graded every week. For us as a staff, we look at our grade sheet from practice to practice and seeing where guys are."

"Those conversations are being had daily, so when we decide to make an announcement that'll be up to coach butt, we feel like we're in a good spot with how we're viewing this competition."

As for what Harris Jr. is looking for in the signal-caller who will guide Florida State's offense, it comes down to a variety of aspects.

Arguably the most important is having someone that the team will rally around. Daniels and Sperry have both done the necessary things to earn the respect of the Seminoles.

"First of all, we need our quarterback to be the leader of our unit, the leader of our team, a guy that everyone is going to believe in," Harris Jr. "I think both of our guys have put themselves in good position when it comes to that. Then we just need guys to be able to make good decisions. We want the guys that can make the throws. When you talk about a quarterback, you want a guy that can make the throws, but then for us, we've got guys that have the ability to extend plays, to improvise when they have to. "

"Do what the offense is asking you to do; you don't have to do a whole lot more than that. We've got really good skill players around them that we're pushing every day to make sure they execute at a high level," Harris Jr. continued. "All in all, if our quarterbacks lead and put themselves in good position by making good decisions, we'll play really good on offense."

Florida State holds its final spring practice on Wednesday morning.

Who Does Florida State Have At Quarterback For The 2026 Season?

Ashton Daniels, Redshirt Senior

Dean DeNobile, Redshirt Senior

Michael Grant, Redshirt Junior

Malachi Marshall, Junior

Kevin Sperry, Redshirt Freshman

Jaden O'Neal, Freshman

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