Tight End Will be Featured Weapon in Florida State Offense

The Florida State Seminoles have moved on from the Gus Malzahn offense, following Malzahn’s abrupt retirement at the end of last season.

Head coach Mike Norvell will handle the play calling this season, and one position group will be a direct beneficiary of that move as it relates to the passing game: Tight End.

In Malzahn’s spread offense that was juiced toward the run, tight ends were primarily blockers and were afterthoughts if the football was in the air headed downrange toward an intended target.

In Norvell’s offense, the tight ends still block, but they will be featured in the passing offense as an important weapon that will stretch the field North and South. This will add a wrinkle that opposing defenses will have to account for.

In addition, Norvell uses two tight end sets almost a third of time. According to a story by John Evans of Noles 247, tight end coach Chris Thomsen stated that the Florida State offense under Norvell is one of the best in the country at utilizing tight ends in vertical passing schemes.

“We've got guys that we feel like can go out and play the slot, also play in the backfield, said Thomsen. “And in reality, most of the group can do all of that, has enough versatility to do all the things, whether it's attached, whether it's in the backfield, whether it's in the slot.”

Thomsen is excited about the athleticism and versatility that his position group will put on display this season.

“Really, all of them have some element where they can cross over and do all those things, so that always helps you when you're trying to mix and match, especially when you're trying to play fast,” Thomsen said.

Two Seminole gridiron warriors have stood out in that group of tight ends: Landen Thomas and Desirrio Ryles. Thomsen is smiling from ear to ear because Thomas has shown up for camp in great shape, bigger, stronger, and faster than last season. At 6-foot-4, 234 pounds, Thomas arrived in Tallahassee as the No. 1 tight end recruit in the country and made the most of his opportunities in Norvell’s offense during his freshman season of 2024.

As a freshman, Thomas led the group in receiving yards and catches, with 173 yards on 14 catches and a score. That was good enough for fifth on the team. Thomas’s first collegiate reception was a touchdown against SMU. He was the Freshman of the Year, as voted on by his teammates and received the DeVaughn Darling Award.

Last season under Malzahn, Thomas caught just three passes and scored two TDs, but is excited about returning to the offensive scheme he was successful in as a freshman.

Another weapon in the tight end room is Ryles, an East Carolina transfer. At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Ryles hauled in 28 catches for 362 yards and two touchdowns, which was fourth among all receivers on the Pirates team. Thomsen has raved about Ryles's physical style of play.

If Thomas and Ryles can get into the passing lanes and make plays downfield, that would take away potential double-teams of No. 1 receiver Duce Robinson. So, Norvell will have various weapons to work with, and the talent level is underrated, mostly due to the 17 losses the Seminoles have suffered over the past two campaigns.

If Thomas and Ryles, along with the rest of the group, can make plays in the passing lanes to extend drives, put points on the board, and win some games, the Seminoles could begin to turn around their program sooner rather than later.