Florida State University Athletics
Photo by: Susan Erdelyi
Tommy Castellanos: Leading Florida State’s Next Chapter
10/1/2025 3:34:00 PM | Football
For Tommy Castellanos, wearing garnet and gold wasn't just a career move, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
"I've had that interest since I was a kid," Castellanos said. "I have family that went here, it's been my dream school, so I'm just excited to be here and be a part of this team."
The senior quarterback transferred to Florida State after two seasons at Boston College and a freshman year at UCF under current FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. With the Eagles, Castellanos became just the fifth different ACC quarterback with 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season in 2023, the same year he was MVP of the Fenway Bowl.
He wasted no time making an impact in his Seminole debut. In a 31-17 victory over No. 8 Alabama, Castellanos completed 9-of-14 passes for 152 yards and added a game-high 78 rushing yards with a touchdown. His performance earned him recognition as the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week.
"From experience, my freshman year at UCF, it's an offense that's going to be explosive, going to be high tempo," Castellanos said of Malzahn's system. "I'm really excited to be back and be involved and to have him as my coach again."
Castellanos described his versatility as a quarterback, mentioning his ability to both pass and extend plays with his legs. "I feel like I can do everything. With the right tools, the right structure and system, I feel like I can be unbelievable. I can extend plays and make things happen off schedule," he said.
Through four games, Castellanos has been the steadying presence for the Seminole offense he thought he could be. He leads the country in yards per completion and yards per attempt, with four passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns.
Building chemistry with teammates has been a priority for Castellanos throughout his transition. "Being the first quarterback to commit coming out of the portal means a lot because then it gives guys kind of whereabouts about where they should go, knowing who their quarterback's going to be," he said.
Castellanos also contributed to the recruitment process, helping coaches evaluate and bring in key players. "Helping recruit and stuff like that with Duce (Robinson), Squirrel (White), Micah (Pettus) and Luke (Petitbon) has been amazing. I've gotten to create bonds with those guys on and off the field and I feel like our chemistry is continuing to grow every day."
Before Florida State, Castellanos left UCF after his freshman season in search of more opportunity. "I felt like I was ready to go get an opportunity and go prove to the world that I can play and be that leader," he said. "I'm so excited to be back with Coach Malzahn, he's a great leader, great coach and we had a great bond when I was there. Excited to be his guy."
At Boston College, Castellanos became the first player in school history to record 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. He started 20 of 21 games for the Eagles over two seasons, passing for 3,614 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Castellanos has stressed the importance of leadership, trust, and communication in his role as quarterback. "If you don't have chemistry or a bond off the field or outside of the locker room, then you won't really have one on the field. You need to be able to trust each other and be able to demand and respect each other," he said.
After last week's loss to Virginia, Castellanos redirected the conversation to resilience as a key trait for the Seminoles. "We know we're going to continue to fight no matter what's going on. A little adversity will just push us and make us work harder," he said.
Looking ahead, Castellanos' focus remains on leading the team. "I'm here now, I'm part of something special, I'm a Seminole. My main focus is just leading these guys and helping this community and fan base bring back the excitement everyone is used to," he said.
From growing up in Georgia to multiple stops in college, Castellanos' path reflects both adaptability and experience, qualities that have now been showcased in his role as Florida State's starting quarterback.
"I've had that interest since I was a kid," Castellanos said. "I have family that went here, it's been my dream school, so I'm just excited to be here and be a part of this team."
The senior quarterback transferred to Florida State after two seasons at Boston College and a freshman year at UCF under current FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. With the Eagles, Castellanos became just the fifth different ACC quarterback with 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season in 2023, the same year he was MVP of the Fenway Bowl.
He wasted no time making an impact in his Seminole debut. In a 31-17 victory over No. 8 Alabama, Castellanos completed 9-of-14 passes for 152 yards and added a game-high 78 rushing yards with a touchdown. His performance earned him recognition as the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week.
"From experience, my freshman year at UCF, it's an offense that's going to be explosive, going to be high tempo," Castellanos said of Malzahn's system. "I'm really excited to be back and be involved and to have him as my coach again."
Castellanos described his versatility as a quarterback, mentioning his ability to both pass and extend plays with his legs. "I feel like I can do everything. With the right tools, the right structure and system, I feel like I can be unbelievable. I can extend plays and make things happen off schedule," he said.
Through four games, Castellanos has been the steadying presence for the Seminole offense he thought he could be. He leads the country in yards per completion and yards per attempt, with four passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns.
Building chemistry with teammates has been a priority for Castellanos throughout his transition. "Being the first quarterback to commit coming out of the portal means a lot because then it gives guys kind of whereabouts about where they should go, knowing who their quarterback's going to be," he said.
Castellanos also contributed to the recruitment process, helping coaches evaluate and bring in key players. "Helping recruit and stuff like that with Duce (Robinson), Squirrel (White), Micah (Pettus) and Luke (Petitbon) has been amazing. I've gotten to create bonds with those guys on and off the field and I feel like our chemistry is continuing to grow every day."
Before Florida State, Castellanos left UCF after his freshman season in search of more opportunity. "I felt like I was ready to go get an opportunity and go prove to the world that I can play and be that leader," he said. "I'm so excited to be back with Coach Malzahn, he's a great leader, great coach and we had a great bond when I was there. Excited to be his guy."
At Boston College, Castellanos became the first player in school history to record 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. He started 20 of 21 games for the Eagles over two seasons, passing for 3,614 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Castellanos has stressed the importance of leadership, trust, and communication in his role as quarterback. "If you don't have chemistry or a bond off the field or outside of the locker room, then you won't really have one on the field. You need to be able to trust each other and be able to demand and respect each other," he said.
After last week's loss to Virginia, Castellanos redirected the conversation to resilience as a key trait for the Seminoles. "We know we're going to continue to fight no matter what's going on. A little adversity will just push us and make us work harder," he said.
Looking ahead, Castellanos' focus remains on leading the team. "I'm here now, I'm part of something special, I'm a Seminole. My main focus is just leading these guys and helping this community and fan base bring back the excitement everyone is used to," he said.
From growing up in Georgia to multiple stops in college, Castellanos' path reflects both adaptability and experience, qualities that have now been showcased in his role as Florida State's starting quarterback.
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