Former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos announced in December that he would be transferring to the Florida State Seminoles after losing his starting spot with the Eagles. Here’s a look inside why the former Boston College starting quarterback decided to go down to the Sunshine State.
Thomas Castellanos Was Quickly Picked Up By Florida State
Boston College had a strong 2023 season, finishing with a 7-6 record behind a promising Thomas Castellanos season in his first year behind center for the Eagles. Fast-forward to November of last year, and he was dropped as the team’s starting quarterback after a three-game skid.
In his first year at BC, Castellanos threw for 2248 yards with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He improved in 2024 with 1366 yards and 18 touchdowns to just five interceptions, despite almost half the number of pass attempts.
On Nov. 13, Castellanos declared he would not be returning to the team on a post on X.
— Thomas Castellanos ✪ (@Tommy_casto) November 15, 2024
Head coach Bill O’Brien said that the quarterback was not thrilled and stepped away from the team for several days. During the 37-31 win over Syracuse in early November, Castellanos started the game by completing just two of seven passes, which led to his replacement by Grayson James.
It wasn’t long before Castellanos’ future was up in the air. On Dec. 12, Florida State landed a commitment with the dual-threat quarterback, and he would become Mike Norvell’s long-term solution with DJ Uiagalelei entering the NFL Draft.
Perhaps what made Norvell’s decision easier was a week one 28-13 defeat at the hands of the Eagles. Castellanos threw for 106 yards, two touchdowns, 73 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown.
What Attracted Castellanos to FSU?
Having lost his starting job and clearly feeling he is more than talented to be a starter at a big school, Castellanos needed to find a new home that catered to that, and situations behind center at FSU gave him that opportunity.
Uiagalelei’s successor looked like it would be blue-chip quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, who signed in 2024 and was listed as the No. 4 quarterback in the class. On Dec. 10, he announced he would enter the transfer portal, and within a week, he landed himself a spot at Mississippi State.
On Dec. 9, Castellanos officially entered the portal, and by the 11th, he had announced he would be heading to FSU. The Seminoles’ offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, worked with Castellanos at UCF before moving on to Boston College.
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Malzahn’s offense allows the QB to use his legs and create when outside the pocket, two things Castellanos excels at. Norvell will be dipping into the transfer portal as the offensive line needs help, but a dual-threat QB can cover some of those deficiencies and make gains off-script.
However, a problem may lie with the FBS’s worst 49 sacks given up in 2024. At 5-foot-9 and 196 pounds, Castellanos will be hoping not to deal with constant punishment. Pressure will also be on the new quarterback from the start, with the Seminoles needing to improve after their 2-10 season, with Uiagalelei missing the majority of the season.
Norvell will want a turnaround, and that means Castellanos needs to step up immediately. If there are problems and his performances dip, then the writing may be on the wall from early on.
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