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The Florida State passing offense ranks 65th in the FBS and averages 234 yards per game. But when it comes to finding the end zone via the forward pass, the Seminoles are worse, tied for 82nd in the country. Starting quarterback Ashton Daniels has put the fans to sleep with just four touchdown passes and four interceptions on the season. Three of those picks came against Alabama in a 50-36 loss, after the Seminoles led 21-6 in the second quarter.

These players are only as good as their coaches, coaches who are responsible for teaching the finer points and techniques of a given position. In Daniels case, he is practicing week to week under the tutelage of quarterbacks coach Austin Tucker.

QB Coach Austin Tucker

Tucker spoke about Daniels’ performance at Alabama during a press conference on Tuesday.

“There's great decisions throughout the (Alabama) game,” said Tucker. “I told him he made a lot of great plays. He made a lot of plays just playing the position and managing the game but there's a couple of plays that he wants to have back, and that's part of it. That's part of his growth. And so, we continue to meet with him, obviously, watch film, study, find the things in his games that we can improve. And so, he's dedicated to that. And that's who he is.”

This is Tucker’s first season as quarterbacks coach, after coaching the receivers at Florida State last season. 

That is the rub. Tucker is a wide receiver by trade, and in his 11-year coaching career, the majority of his time was spent coaching receivers and running backs. He has “assisted” with the offense with the Seminoles, North Alabama, Auburn, and Memphis. 

He has no extensive experience coaching quarterbacks. Why is a coach, with no experience coaching the most important position on the field, coaching your quarterbacks? 

Coach Mike Norvell has two better options on his staff to coach quarterbacks. Norvell could shuffle his staff and give his quarterbacks some better teaching and coaching for the rest of the season.

First Option: Tom Herman

Assistant to the head coach Tom Herman, former head coach at Texas, could take over the quarterback coaching duties and not skip a beat. At Texas, Herman coached Sam Ehlinger for four seasons, and Ehlinger went on to become the No. 2 passer all-time for the Longhorns. Ehlinger threw for 11,436 yards, 94 touchdowns, 27 interceptions, and a career completion percentage of 62.5 percent. 

And do not forget that Herman was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2012-2014, winning the national title in 2014 with third-string quarterback Cardale Jones.

Second Option: Brady White

Assistant receivers coach Brady White played three seasons at quarterback in college, at Memphis, and under Norvell for two seasons. White went on to become the No. 2 passer all-time in school history, with 10,690 yards, 90 touchdowns, 30 interceptions, and a career completion percentage of 62.4. 

Clearly, Norvell should make a change to provide a spark to an anemic passing offense. Both Herman and White could offer a wealth of expertise on how to better play the position of quarterback. But only if Norvell recognizes that need for change, and is not paralyzed by complacency. Three games in, and there is no growth, there is no development, and there is no improvement from week to week.

Maybe it is the writing on the wall after an 8-20 coaching record since an Orange Bowl loss to Georgia in 2023, or the visions of 51-million-dollar signs dancing in his head, that have allowed that dreaded complacency to creep into Norvell's football psyche.

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