Turning Tables, Flipping Fate

While summer means reprieve for most students, some of the finest football players in the country are gaining a vantage point they aren’t used to,  dashing up and down the stairs at Doak Campbell Stadium. Preparation is underway for Seminole football, hosting their first game on August 29 against New Mexico State University.

A rebuilding year comes with growing pains—and the pains of a program as substantial as FSU football hardly ever go unnoticed. The double edge that comes with a winning ACC powerhouse tradition is that fans don’t take well to losing. 

The 2025 opener and SEC upset against Alabama did not help ’Nole fans rationalize the 5-7 season. In fact, the win later begged larger questions about leadership, retention, and scheme after the record went awry. 

Photos Courtesy of Florida State Athletics

When FSU football goes bad, AirBnBs turn into long-term apartments again, the social media sphere becomes cold and feral, and the captivated supporter becomes skeptical of their own hopes and dreams. So, in the midst of critics, media pressure, roster changes, and calls for coach firings, the burden of quiet criticism falls heavily on the players—the young men who play the heavily promoted and beautiful yet hostile game. A game that feeds the inner child of spectators and players alike. 

Luckily, the Seminoles have many standout players returning in leadership roles who can help steer the season on a new course. 

Senior wide receiver Duce Robinson, who had 56 receptions for 1,081 yards last year, forwent the NFL draft for a final season with the ’Noles. For the 6’6” receiver, that decision has a lot to do with his dedication to the program and what he says is an ethic of repayment. The 21-year-old speaks with conviction about a responsibility he felt to the team and the community.  

Photos Courtesy of Florida State Athletics

“I was blessed enough to be able to have a good individual season last year, but you know, I felt like I let the team down. I feel like I let the fans down,” Robinson says.  

“I came back because I want to bring Florida State a National Championship. I want to bring Florida State an ACC Championship.” 

Robinson, a transfer from the University of Southern California, came to Florida State in 2025 and has since become a substantial piece of the offense. It wasn’t a random decision. He had other offers and opportunities, but the jersey he puts on today matches the one he wore as a child. His father was a dual-sport athlete at FSU. 

“I feel like I owe it to my coaches who quite honestly changed my life …. They took a chance on me, and they believed in me before I believed in myself. So, I wanted to come back for them.” 

Photos Courtesy of Florida State Athletics

Many fans called for coaching changes during and after the 2025 season, the most outspoken being the firing of head coach Mike Norvell. Norvell, who won the 2023 Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year for a 13-1 season, was retained and according to FSU football, “pledged to institute fundamental changes in specific areas to improve performance to meet FSU’s championship standard.” However, the program parted with multiple skill coaches in the offseason while acquiring some new leadership—not to mention a new starting quarterback, Stanford and Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels.  

From the athletes’ perspective, it’s not easy to stay unfazed in the face of today’s social media sphere. Robinson calls it a day-to-day practice of living in the moment, especially during film reviews or in the weight room. He stresses the importance of learning to tune out the noise and play the game. 

“Everyone has their own opinion. Everyone has their own thoughts about you, and they can sway depending on the day, depending on the hour, depending on the minute. One day they can love you, one minute they can hate you, and it’s because they’re passionate. We have some of the most passionate fans in the world,” Robinson says. He adds that it’s something that every major program undergoes. 

“We’re playing a game we’ve loved since we were 3 years old,” he notes. That reminder is worth sticking around for and one that has informed his decision to help build the legacy of the program. 

Beyond the physical aspect of summer training and conditioning, meals are shared and morale is formed in the warmer months. This camaraderie and community building is something senior linebacker Blake Nichelson says is pertinent to the program. Each year is different with the transfer portal, he says, with new departures and additions to the squad. 

Photos Courtesy of Florida State Athletics

“You’re going to have new faces every year. It’s almost like every year is a new team,” he says. “Every team is different, and they have their own mojo and ways they get prepared.” 

Nichelson, 21, who has played his entire college career with the Seminoles and stood out in 2023 as the special teams’ Newcomer of the Year, has taken on a leadership role on the defense. He made 43 tackles last year, with 6.5 of those for loss in 2025. 

There is no more romantic compliment in sports than that of instinct, a talent commonly attributed to linebackers. To say a player has a “nose for the ball” is to say that they hold a special knowledge beyond the common player, but Nichelson looks at this heightened awareness as part of ongoing talent development. 

“If you put in time and put in work, and you’re watching film, you can know what’s about to happen before it even happens. And that’s how you’re able to play fast out there on the field,” Nichelson says. 

“That’s one of the key terms of our program: ‘You have to be able to play fast.’ When one plays fast, everything else drifts away.”

Nichelson is one of the few ’Noles who has stayed on for his entire career. It’s a decision he made early on. 

“I think back to all the old players. They also stayed here for all their years. Especially with this being my last year, [I feel like] I’ll always be a Seminole. When I made that decision in high school to come to Florida State, my decision came down to where I could see myself staying all those years,” he adds. 

Photos Courtesy of Florida State Athletics

No matter where players are in their journey with the ’Noles, the current opportunity (and challenge) is to figure out how to develop their skills while they acclimate to a changing program. For instance, last year’s standout freshmen are taking on new roles in the program while also finding ways to stay composed and prepared.

Sophomore defensive lineman Darryll Desir is looking to have an even more stellar season for the ’Noles after racking up 23 tackles and a sack his first year (while his twin brother Mandrell finished with 30 tackles and 7.5 sacks). The two, he says, are always competing in a way he clarifies is constructive. 

“We’ve been putting an emphasis on taking care of our bodies every single day, every practice, even on the weekend—just doing something extra … extra work, extra film, everything,” Desir says. 

Darryll spoke about his ambitions in the program after he and his brother withdrew from the transfer portal earlier this year. It’s about legacy, leadership, and the opportunity to get better every day. In the midst of turbulence, these are pillars to cling to.

“One thing people forget is that this is still Florida State,” he says. “I just want to win with Florida State.”

Feature Photos Courtesy of Florida State Athletics / Patrick Perala