FSU Football spring quarterback preview: Seminoles searching for stability under Thomas Castellanos

The countdown is on as Florida State is three weeks away from kicking off spring practice. Change is the theme this offseason as the Seminoles have retooled their coaching staff and roster following a dismal 2-10 campaign that left fans searching for answers.

Head coach Mike Norvell went to the transfer portal once again to find a quarterback after Florida State's acquisition of DJ Uiagalelei turned out to be a failure. Norvell and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn brought in the dynamic Thomas Castellanos from Boston College to lead the offense.

Castellanos originally signed with Malzahn at UCF in high school, in large part because he was one of the few coaches who believed in his potential as a signal-caller. Now, he'll have an opportunity to begin picking up an offense that he's already quite familiar with throughout the spring.

The rest of the room brings intrigue to the table as well with redshirt sophomore Brock Glenn and Trever Jackson back in the fold. The Seminoles flipped Kevin Sperry from Oklahoma late in the recruiting cycle and the true freshman is already on campus.

Departures:

DJ Uiagalelei (NFL), and Luke Kromenhoek (transfer)

Returners:

Redshirt sophomore Brock Glenn

Redshirt sophomore Michael Grant

Redshirt freshman Trever Jackson

Glenn appeared in seven games, with five starts, last season. He completed 51/144 passes for 597 yards with four touchdowns to five interceptions while rushing 35 times for 97 yards and another score.

Jackson made his debut in the 41-7 win against Charleston-Southern, rushing for two yards on the final play of the game.

New Additions:

Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos and four-star prospect Kevin Sperry

Castellanos spent two seasons at Boston College under two different head coaches. In 2024, he played for Bill O'Brien. Castellanos completed 99/161 passes for 1,366 yards with 18 touchdowns to five interceptions while rushing 93 times for 194 yards and another score in eight games.

Sperry led Guyer High School to a deep playoff run as a senior, completing 160/288 passes for 2,523 yards with 27 touchdowns to nine interceptions. He added 173 carries for 1,156 yards and eight more scores.

Projected Depth Chart:

1. Thomas Castellanos, Sr.

2. Brock Glenn, RS So.

3. Trever Jackson, RS Fr./Kevin Sperry, Fr.

Don't expect much of a quarterback competition this spring, at least for the starting role. Florida State brought in Castellanos to run the offense in 2025. He's got experience in the system from his time at UCF and has dazzled against the Seminoles as an opponent in the past.

With that being said, this will still be an important period for Glenn to establish himself as the No. 2 signal-caller while transitioning to a new offense. Jackson and Sperry will be looking to prove themselves for the future as both seem like solid fits for what Malzahn likes to do. The pair have flashed arm talent and each of them can get it done on the ground.

Spring Outlook:

There are certainly question marks but also cautious optimism for what Florida State's offense can become behind a dual-threat like Castellanos. He's only two seasons removed from a prolific campaign where he became the first player in Boston College history to record 2,000+ passing yards and 1,000+ rushing yards in a single season.

However, Castellanos averaged 2.1 yards per carry and finished with less than 200 yards on the ground in 2024. He appeared in eight games, dealing with injuries before departing from the Eagles before the season concluded. In his introductory press conference, Castellanos said not to believe all of the rumors floating around about his early exit from the program.

His size is also a question mark as he's generously listed at 5-foot-11, 196 pounds. It is worth noting that Castellanos was basically a square peg forced into a round hole at Boston College as O'Brien transitioned the offense to a pro-style scheme. Castellanos will play in a system that is much more in tune with his strengths at Florida State.

Plus, his year working with Malzahn is a major benefit. Castellanos already knows what the offensive coordinator expects and how Malzahn operates day-to-day. That knowledge will be useful as he continues to get comfortable and build chemistry with the pieces around him.

Ideally, Castellanos and the offense will start clicking as the spring progresses. Last spring, Florida State's running game made up most of the success as Uiagalelei and the wide receivers struggled to consistently generate positive plays. That obviously made its way into the season and doomed the Seminoles.

Basically, Florida State needs to begin building good habits and finding leaders. That all starts with the quarterback and Castellanos seems willing to do his part to help the Seminoles on the field and in the locker room. Wide receiver Duce Robinson and offensive lineman Luke Petitbon have already credited the quarterback for stepping into a vocal role.

Glenn is the lone quarterback on the roster who has been at Florida State for more than one year. He's seen a lot early in his career and still has some potential. Glenn could wind up being a good fit in a shifting offense. He brings sneaky speed to the table as the redshirt sophomore hit over 20 miles per hour on the GPS in practice last year.

In a time where it may have been easier for Glenn to hit the transfer portal to find more consistent playing time, he's instead stuck with Florida State. That says a lot about his love for the program and commitment to the Seminoles. Even with Castellanos coming in, Glenn is a competitor who is going to give it his all each day.

Jackson worked as the scout team quarterback for much of the 2024 season. He constantly earned praise from starting defenders in practice for giving them a quality look each week. Jackson also began to dress on game days after Uiagalelei suffered a season-ending injury. His good moments are really fun but can be marred by frustrating sequences when he gets out of control with his footwork. We'll see if he can put it together consistently this spring.

Sperry is a prospect that Florida State recruited before landing a commitment from Tramell Jones Jr., who flipped to Florida. After Jones Jr.'s late defection, the Seminoles circled back and were able to secure the Texas native. It's a move that will arguably be beneficial to both parties as Sperry is a better fit for Malzahn's offense that the previous quarterback pledge.

The true freshman has a solid arm and ample ability on the ground.

Redshirt sophomore Michael Grant rounds out Florida State's quarterback room. He's a Seminole legacy who will continue contributing on the scout team.

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