Oct 21, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Boston College Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) celebrates after a victory against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

FSU's Thomas Castellanos makes bold statement that could fire up Alabama

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Tommy Mire | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Florida State is 10 days away from facing off against Alabama on August 30, and the hype surrounding the two premier programs will be higher than ever as both teams look to bounce back from lackluster 2024 seasons.

One of the players that FSU head coach Mike Norvell brought on in the offseason was quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who transferred in from Boston College, reuniting with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

With fall camp coming to an end, Castellanos didn't mince words when asked about the mindset of the team heading into the season. With FSU finishing 2-10 last year, the Miami, Florida native said the team is nothing short of desperate with a hunger to win.

"The guys are desperate. And like coach brought the guys that still have something (to prove), like we're just desperate," Castellanos said to the media on Wednesday. "I won't say it's more of like a ' prove it' thing. I just think we're desperate and we all want to win, and we're hungry, and we want that."

Castellanos Thinks Florida State's Defense Will Be the Hardest They Face All Season

Florida State brought in defensive linemen like four-star transfers James Williams, Deamontae Diggs, and Jayson Jenkins to help the Seminoles' pass rush and added standouts like defensive back Jerry Wilson to help out on the back end.

The Seminoles already boasted future NFL prospect Darrell Jackson, Jr., and have tools across the board to make an impact early on in defensive coordinator Tony White's new sc heme. In Castellanos' words, facing one of the toughest defensive units in the country every day in practice has pushed him to elevate his game.

"I think coach White and our defense is the hardest defense I'll see all year, just schematically, stuff like that, what they do," Castellanos continued. "It's hard to be back there, and there are a lot of moving parts in there, but it's helped me a lot, and it helped me progress as a quarterback and as a player, and when to know just take the check down or when to just eat it and throw it away and stuff like that."

Who Wants It More?

Castellanos summed it up simply, making it clear what Florida State’s focus will be heading into the season opener. After a 2-10 season, Florida State enters 2025 hungry. Castellanos believes the Seminoles’ hunger and fight will define them more than any playbook ever could.

"How much do you want it? It's not about what coach is going to call. It's not about who's going to be out there. It's about who's going to want it more. And I feel like we have that."