Florida State University is making significant strides in revamping its football coaching staff by recently hiring several former UCF coaches, including Gus Malzahn, Herb Hand, and Tim Harris Jr. This offseason, fans expressed concerns over the addition of coaches from a UCF team that ended its season with a disappointing record, questioning whether the Seminoles might become too closely associated with the Knights.
Despite these doubts, the primary goal among fans remains the same: to see Florida State Football return to winning ways. Following a challenging season in which the Seminoles finished with a 5-7 record and won only two of their last nine games, there is an urgent desire for improvement.
On Wednesday, Florida State continued to reshape its coaching roster by bringing on Brandon Harris, previously the defensive backs coach at UCF. Harris, who is the brother of current wide receivers coach Tim Harris Jr. and also an alumnus of the Miami Hurricanes, is seen as a strong fit given his experience as a co-defensive coordinator at FAU and his previous stint as an analyst with the Seminoles in 2020. The decision to dismiss Patrick Surtain Sr. from his role may provoke debate among fans, as many ponder whether this change will yield the desired results.
Moreover, Florida State is targeting Kam Martin, formerly of UCF and currently serving as the Associate Head Coach and running backs coach at Tulsa, to fill the vacant position in their backfield coaching staff. Martin’s credentials are impressive, having coached 1,000-yard rushers each year during his tenure. His familiarity with Florida State’s recent coaching collaborations could result in a cohesive unit that effectively addresses fans’ grievances regarding their committee approach to rushing.
With an impressive infusion of talent and experience from UCF, Florida State is positioning itself for a pivotal season ahead. The hope is that the combination of these new coaching strategies will lead to an invigorated Seminoles squad capable of restoring pride and delivering a more thrilling performance on the field.