Yardbarker
x

Florida State went to the NCAA Transfer Portal to secure its starting quarterback for the 2025 season, bringing in former Boston College signal-caller Tommy Castellanos. The move reunited Castellanos with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who was previously his head coach at UCF.

Known for his dual-threat ability on the field, Castellanos is coming off an inconsistent 2024 campaign where he ended up being benched during the latter half of the season. It was clear that he wasn't a fit for Bill O'Brien's offense.

In November, Castellanos departed from the Eagles prior to the conclusion of the season. A few weeks later, he transferred to Florida State.

When you're a sub-six-foot quarterback playing at the FBS level, you've got to have a certain level of confidence. To say the least, Castellanos has made it clear how he feels about his abilities.

In an interview with On3 that has drawn plenty of attention this week, Castellanos went into a variety of topics, including how his tenure with Boston College came to an unceremonious end.

Coming off a standout 2023 season where he became the first player in Eagles program history to pass for 2,000+ yards and rush for 1,000+ yards in a single season, Castellanos decided to stick around when former head coach Jeff Hafley departed for the NFL.

The new offense that O'Brien installed was like forcing a square into a round hole. It simply didn't play to Castellanos' skill set and that led to things going in the wrong direction.

Admittedly, Castellanos wishes he would've left Boston College prior to last season.

“I really wish I would have left when Hafley left, but I tried to give it another take. BC wasn’t the school for me. I wasn’t able to be myself, and I had to try to make myself be something I wasn’t," Castellanos said to On3's Pete Nakos. "I just didn’t like it. Bill O’Brien and I butted heads early in the season. I got banged up a few games. We had a meeting, and it kind of blew up in my face. I did so much for that program, and I did everything that I could, and I just wasn’t repaid the right way.”

In his two seasons with the Eagles, Castellanos went 11-9 as a starter. He completed 288/491 passes for 3,614 yards with 33 touchdowns to 19 interceptions while rushing 308 times for 1,307 yards and 14 more scores.

Coincidentally, one of Castellanos' top games came against Florida State in 2023. The Seminoles prevailed 31-29 but Castellanos completed 20/33 passes for a career-high 305 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added 95 yards and another score on the ground.

That Florida State squad went on to compile a 13-1 record and an ACC Championship, making Castellanos' performance no small feat.

A year later, Castellanos led Boston College to a decisive victory over FSU in Doak Campbell Stadium. He scored three of the Eagles' four touchdowns in a 28-13 win against the Seminoles last September.

Now that he's in garnet and gold, Castellanos recognizes the talent around him at Florida State. He's trying to be the leader the team didn't have last season.

“I didn’t have nearly as much talent as I do here," Castellanos said while comparing FSU and Boston College. “I didn’t have the guys. But over here, I have some of the best athletic guys. I’m not the fastest one on the team over here. I’m not the most athletic guy on the team. So just being around these guys and just instilling in their heads the winning mentality, and what we can do. They got the team, they got the guys. All they needed was a leader in place to lead them.

Castellanos will have to put his money where his mouth is when FSU kicks off against Alabama on August 30.

This article first appeared on Florida State Seminoles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!