Florida State’s Backup QB will Emerge from Fall Camp Battle

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Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell wasted
no time naming his starting quarterback for this season.

After 15 practices in
the spring, Norvell anointed former Auburn and Stanford quarterback Ashton
Daniels as the leader of the offense behind center.

During Daniels’ up and down collegiate career, he has
thrown 27 touchdown passes and 22 interceptions. Daniels was hamstrung last
season at Auburn, serving as a backup to Jackson Arnold. So, he had limited
opportunities to show what he could do, as well as improve his overall
quarterback skills.

Fall camp begins on July 29. With a starter already in
place, Norvell and his offensive staff will focus on who can become a quality
No. 2 signal-caller, should the offense become stagnant under Daniels’ control.
Here are three talented gunslingers that Norvell can call upon.

Malachi
Marshall

Last season, Malachi Marshall was named the NJCAA Div.
1 Offensive Player of the Year after leading Iowa Western Community College
(12-1) to the NJCAA National Championship.

In 13 games, Marshall led an offense that averaged 415
yards per game. He threw for 2,750 yards and 33 touchdowns. In over 300 pass
attempts, Marshall threw only eight interceptions. Marshall posted two games
over 300 yards passing, and seven games with three or more TD passes.

In a win over Highland Community College, Marshall completed
85 percent of his passes for 385 yards and five touchdowns in a 64-13 win.

Against Hutchison Community College in the title game,
Marshall passed for 212 yards and three touchdowns as the Reivers hoisted the
trophy as the victors.

Dean
DeNobile

A transfer from Lafayette College, team captain Dean
DeNobile distinguished himself on the gridiron for the Leopards, passing for a
career-high 2,542 yards, with 19 touchdowns. Against Bucknell, DeNobile threw
for 316 yards and five touchdowns, and completed 76.5 percent of his passes.

DeNobile posted five games of 70 percent or better
completion percentage, on his way to earning first-team All-Patriot League
honors.

For his career at Lafayette, DeNobile started 35 games
over three seasons and passed for 6,956 yards and 53 touchdowns.

Kevin
Sperry

As a redshirt freshman, Sperry played in three games
last season for the Seminoles, passing for 194 yards and two touchdowns and
completed 12 of 17 passes. Sperry was the No. 11 quarterback on the ESPN300
coming out of Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. He accounted for over 3,600
yards of total offense and 35 touchdowns.

Before playing Texas high school football, Sperry
played the 2023 season in Oklahoma and led Carl Albert High School to an undefeated
season (14-0) and the school’s 18th state championship. That season,
Sperry accounted for over 3,100 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Jaden
O’Neal

A true freshman this season for Florida State, O’Neal
was ranked as the No. 1 quarterback recruit in Oklahoma by ESPN, coming out of
Mustang High School.  O’Neal was a
four-star prospect and ranked among the top 50 quarterbacks according to 247
Sports. Last season, O’Neal threw for 2,622 yards and 29 touchdowns. He chose
Florida State over offers from Auburn, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Of the players listed above, Marshall and DeNobile are
the logical choices for the backup job to Daniels, based on their experience
and production. Sperry has been in the system for a year already, but has not
seen much live game action. O’Neal still has to learn the playbook, as do
Marshall and DeNobile.  

Norvell needs to get this evaluation right and make
the right choice for the QB2. The players listed above need to be ready if and
when their number is called because they are all just one injury or costly
turnover away from taking the charge in the huddle.

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