FSU football could get major boost with two injured starters nearing return

Florida State's offense has been decimated by injuries as the first half of the 2025 season has progressed. Over the last few weeks, the Seminoles have lost several starters.

That came to a head in Saturday's loss with six players listed on the depth chart who were unavailable, including wide receiver Squirrel White, wide receiver Jayvan Boggs, running back Roydell Williams, tight end Randy Pittman Jr., and offensive tackle Micah Pettus.

Things went from bad to worse when wide receiver Duce Robinson went down late in the first half. Robinson was unable to return, and his absence, coupled with all the other missing pieces, was evident in a big way as the offense only scored 10 points in the final two quarters against Pittsburgh.

The production isn't the problem for the Seminoles at this point; it's the personnel. It's hard to consistently be successful when you're missing a starter at every position on offense except quarterback, and Tommy Castellanos is also playing at less than full strength.

Head coach Mike Norvell is hopeful Florida State will get a few pieces back against Stanford.

Mike Norvell Provides Latest On Duce Robinson, Randy Pittman Jr.

On Monday, Norvell shared optimism that Robinson will be able to play this weekend. He was able to do a little bit at practice on Sunday. The Seminoles want to see how much progress he makes over the next few days.

Florida State will release its first ACC availability report of the week at 8:00 p.m. PT (11:00 p.m. ET) on Thursday night.

Robinson is dealing with an unspecified injury. On the season, he's caught 25 passes for 443 yards and three touchdowns.

"Duce, coming off the game, it was unfortunate that he went down but I do think there is a good chance this week. We'll see how it progresses," Norvell said. "Obviously, the availability update Thursday night at 11 p.m. Is that what time ya'll are going to get that? It's going to be awesome."

"We'll see how it progresses with Duce and where that goes," Norvell added. "He was moving around yesterday and kind of see how he goes with practice tomorrow and Wednesday to see his availability."

Later in the day, Norvell briefly addressed Pittman Jr.'s status during his appearance on 'Inside Seminole Football'.

Pittman Jr. warmed up prior to the loss against Pittsburgh but retreated back to the locker room after stretches. He missed two other games earlier this year due to an injury that he suffered during fall camp.

It's unclear if the same ailment is bothering Pittman Jr. Regardless, he's an important weapon in Florida State's offense, and his versatility is important in multiple facets.

"We're very hopeful and feeling confident that we'll get Randy back in the mix this week," Norvell said on Monday night.

Pittman Jr. became the third player in program history to pass for a touchdown, rush for a score, and catch a touchdown in the same game in Florida State's loss to Virginia. This season, he's caught 11 passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns, rushed once for two yards and a touchdown, and completed 1/1 passes for 4 yards and another score.

One Veteran Will Be Out Against Stanford

Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell after losing the game to the Pittsburgh Panthers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The linebacker room has disappointed for the Seminoles in recent weeks. That was no different against Pittsburgh as Elijah Herring, Blake Nichelson, and Justin Cryer all had moments worth forgetting.

To make matters worse, redshirt senior Stefon Thompson went down early in the game, exiting after just six snaps.

Thompson has already been ruled out for Saturday but will have time to recover during the Seminoles' upcoming week off.

"Stefon, I'll share it now. He'll be out this week. Hopeful not going to be too extended amount of time, but he will be out this week," Norvell said. "Hopefully, with the BYE week and a little bit of time after that, we'll be able to get him back sooner rather than later."

Thompson has appeared in all six games, making two starts. He's totaled 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

Florida State takes on Stanford on Saturday, October 18. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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