Florida State University Athletics
Staff Directory
Papuchis, John
John Papuchis
- Title:
- Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
John Papuchis enters his sixth season at Florida State and first as linebackers coach in 2025. He continues to serve as the special teams coordinator, a role he has held since arriving in Tallahassee prior to the 2020 season.
Papuchis’ players have earned 55 all-conference recognitions, four conference Player of the Year awards and one Rookie of the Year. He has coached 16 NFL Draft picks, highlighted by Jared Verse’s selection at No. 19 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, and seven All-Americans, including the first defensive player to earn Associated Press Player of the Year honors. Papuchis won the 2007 national championship as part of the staff at LSU and has coached in seven conference title games.
In 2024, punter Alex Mastromanno led the country and set an ACC record with 49.3 yards per punt and was a consensus first-team All-American, just the second punter in Florida State history to earn that distinction. Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald joined Mastromanno as an AFCA first-team All-American to become the first punter and kicker duo to earn first-team All-America honors from the same school in the same season.
Mastromanno was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award for the second consecutive season, while Fitzgerald was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. Fitzgerald was perfect on the season, connecting on 13 field goal attempts and 14 point after tries. He was 5-for-5 from over 50 yards to tie a school record. His 59-yard field goal against Georgia Tech was the second-longest in FSU history, third-longest in ACC history and the longest in an ACC game.
The 2023 team completed a 13-0 regular season that culminated in the program’s 16th ACC championship with a victory over No. 14 Louisville in the ACC Championship Game and earned a berth in the Orange Bowl. Florida State ranked sixth in the country with 3.29 sacks per game and by holding opponents to a 28.8 percent third-down conversion rate. The Seminoles broke ACC Championship Game records with 14.0 tackles for loss and 188 yards of total offense allowed and also became the first team in at least 20 seasons to hold their opponent to negative yards in the fourth quarter in back-to-back games.
First-team All-American Jared Verse continued wreaking havoc in his second season under Papuchis’ guidance, becoming FSU’s first two-time first-team defensive end since 1995-96 after registering 12.5 tackles for loss with 9.0 sacks in 2023. Sophomore Patrick Payton built on his ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year season by leading the team with 14.5 tackles and becoming the first ACC defensive lineman with 10 pass breakups since 2016. In the final two games of the regular season, wins at Florida and in the ACC Championship Game, Patrick and Verse combined for 10.0 tackles for loss as the FSU defense held the Gators and Cardinals to a total of 21 points and 420 yards of offense.
Florida State’s 2023 ACC championship team was heavily impacted by the special teams units, producing a first-team All-American long snapper, second-team All-American punter and three All-ACC performers, including first-team all-conference return specialist Keon Coleman. James Rosenberry became the inaugural AFCA first-team All-American long snapper after the organization added that position for the 2023 season. Punter Alex Mastromanno was a second-team All-American and Florida State’s first Ray Guy Award finalist, while kicker Ryan Fitzgerald earned third-team all-conference accolades.
Fitzgerald was 19-of-21 on field goals and a perfect 58-for-58 on PATs in 2023. He led the ACC with 115 points, 58 made PATs, 14 more than second place, and 77 total made kicks, and became the first player in FSU history with multiple seasons of at least 57 made PATs. His made PATs total was the second-highest single-season total without a miss in program history, while his 90.9 field-goal percentage was the third-best in program history and his points total ranked 10th on FSU’s single-season list. Mastromanno ranked second in the ACC with an average of 45.5 yards per punt, helping FSU post the nation’s third-best net punting average of 43.21 yards per punt.
Papuchis continued his development of one of the most productive defensive ends groups in the country in 2022, helping lead Florida State to a 10-3 record and a final ranking of No. 10 in the Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP poll. The Seminoles led the ACC and ranked in the top-15 nationally in passing defense, yards per pass attempt allowed and total defense. FSU’s average of 165.4 passing yards allowed per game ranked fourth in the country, its average of 6.2 yards per pass attempt allowed was 12th nationally, and its 321.8 total yards allowed per game was 15th in the country. The Seminoles also ranked 12th nationally with an average of 3.08 sacks per game, 14th with an average of 4.85 yards per play allowed, 20th in scoring defense holding opponents to an average of 20.6 points per game and 22nd in passing efficiency defense with opposing quarterbacks having a 120.63 rating.
Entering 2022, Papuchis had to replace two NFL defensive ends and he guided a first-team All-American in Verse and the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in Payton. The 2022 defensive ends were responsible for an increase of 0.33 sacks per game from the 2021 season, led by Verse’s ACC-best average of 0.75 sacks per game. Verse, who as a first-team All-ACC selection garnered the most votes among defensive players, also ranked 10th nationally with an average of 1.4 tackles for loss per game and blocked a field goal in FSU’s 24-23 win vs. LSU. Peyton led all ACC freshmen with 5.0 sacks while becoming Florida State’s third ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and first since 2012.
In 2021, Papuchis guided the development of first-team All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jermaine Johnson II as well as third-team all-conference defensive end Keir Thomas. Johnson authored one of the best seasons in recent memory as the defensive end ranked first in the ACC with 12.0 sacks and 18.0 tackles for loss – both the highest totals for an FSU defender since 2016 – and led all defensive linemen nationally with 70 tackles. Johnson and Thomas, who recorded 12.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks with 15 quarterback hurries, were the only teammates in the ACC, and one of only three pairs in the country, to average at least 1.3 tackles for loss per game in conference play.
Johnson was picked 26th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets following his impressive senior season, marking the 11th straight year at least one player coached by Papuchis was selected.
Florida State’s special teams featured redshirt freshman punter Mastromanno and redshirt freshman kicker Fitzgerald continuing their ascent as primary contributors for the Seminoles. Mastromanno averaged 42.7 yards per punt, the sixth-highest average in the ACC, and landed 18 punts inside the 20-yard line with none of his 61 punts resulting in a touchback. Fitzgerald scored 67 points in his first season as FSU’s primary kicker, including a career-high 11 points in the 31-28 victory vs. Miami and the 59-3 win vs. UMass.
Papuchis made an immediate impact on special teams his first season on staff, vaulting FSU back into the realm of the nation’s elite in 2020. The Seminoles tied for second in the NCAA with five blocked kicks, including two blocked field goals, two blocked punts and one blocked PAT. FSU was one of only two teams in the country to block multiple field goals and multiple punts in 2020. Additionally, the Seminoles ranked 16th in the nation with a net punting average of 41.34 yards per punt.
Florida State tied multiple single-game school records in 2020. The Seminoles had a school-record-tying three blocked kicks, including tying the single-game record of two blocked field goals, in the season opener against Georgia Tech. In FSU’s 31-28 victory over No. 5 North Carolina, the Seminoles tied a single-game school record with two blocked punts, both of which came in the first quarter. Florida State’s punt coverage unit registered three takeaways in 2020 by recovering fumbles on punt returns.
His defensive ends made an impact in 2020 as well, led by Janarius Robinson and Joshua Kaindoh. Kaindoh gave FSU a 24-0 lead in the win over UNC with a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown, the first pick-six by a Seminole defensive lineman since 2009, and Robinson had 3.0 tackles for loss with a career-high 2.0 sacks against the Tar Heels. The 2021 NFL Draft featured both Robinson and Kaindoh being taken in the fourth round.
Papuchis came to Tallahassee after coordinating Maryland’s special teams and coaching inside linebackers in 2019. He previously was the defensive coordinator at North Carolina and Nebraska and also served as special teams coordinator at Nebraska.
In 2019, Maryland had a special teams efficiency rating of 67.4 to rank 11th in ESPN’s efficiency rankings. The Terrapins were one of only four Power 5 teams with at least one kickoff return touchdown and punt return touchdown. Maryland led the Big Ten and ranked 11th in the country with an average of 13.67 yards per punt return, and the Terrapins allowed only 4.00 yards per punt return to rank 17th nationally. Maryland’s kickoff return average of 22.73 yards per return was fourth in the Big Ten.
Javon Leake was the 2019 Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year and a first-team All-Big Ten return specialist. He led the conference and ranked third in the nation with 804 kickoff return yards, while his school-record-tying two kickoff return touchdowns were the most in the Big Ten and fifth nationally and his Big Ten-leading average of 26.8 yards per kickoff return was 13th in the country.
Papuchis spent the 2015-18 seasons at North Carolina, serving as linebackers coach his first two seasons before being promoted to defensive coordinator for 2017 and 2018. He made an immediate impact in 2015 as the Tar Heels posted the most improved Power 5 defense in the country. North Carolina allowed 14.5 fewer points per game than the season before and also had the highest jump in pass efficiency defense and yards allowed per pass attempt. The Tar Heels led the ACC in interceptions, total takeaways, turnover margin and passes defended while tying the single-season school record with 11 victories, breaking the program record with an 8-0 ACC mark, advancing to the ACC Championship Game for the first time and ranking 15th in the final national polls.
The 2016 UNC defense led the ACC in passing touchdowns allowed and passing yards allowed per game, while allowing the fewest touchdowns by receivers in the country. The Tar Heels held their opponents to only 11 passing touchdowns, tied for fourth-best in the nation, and ranked 12th in FBS with an average of 180.8 passing yards allowed per game.
In his first season as defensive coordinator, Papuchis helped direct M.J. Stewart, a second-team All-ACC performer and second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville native Andre Smith who was taken in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers. Stewart ended his career with a school-record 41 pass breakups.
Papuchis spent seven seasons at Nebraska and was the Huskers’ defensive coordinator for the last three. He was the youngest solo defensive coordinator in the country when he was promoted to the post in 2012. In his three seasons coordinating the defense, Nebraska held 11 opponents to 14 or fewer points. In 2014, his defense ranked second in the country by allowing a completion percentage of just 48.5 while also ranking fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense at 104.83 and fifth in third-down percentage at 30.1.
His first four seasons in Lincoln were spent coordinating special teams and coaching the defensive line. He was one of four finalists for the 2010 Football Scoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year. On defense, he coached back-to-back Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winners in Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukamara. In 2009, Suh won the Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award and Bednarik Award while also being a Heisman finalist. Suh, the first defensive player to earn AP Player of the Year honors, was picked second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. Papuchis also helped Amukamara become a unanimous All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 before being drafted 19th overall by the New York Giants.
From 2004-07 Papuchis was on staff at LSU assisting in every aspect of the defensive gameplan and scouting reports. He helped the Tigers rank among the nation’s top defenses, placing in the top three in total defense each season from 2005 through 2007.
The 2007 team won the SEC and national championships, defeating Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS National Championship Game. The 2006 Tigers allowed only 242.8 yards per game, the lowest average at LSU since 1976, and led the SEC in six defensive categories while ranking in the top-five nationally in points allowed, total defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense. LSU had the nation’s third-best total defense, third-best scoring defense and sixth-best rushing defense in 2005.
Papuchis also coached the punters at LSU. In 2007, Patrick Fisher led the SEC with an average of 44.5 yards per punt and was a first-team All-SEC selection. Papuchis’ first year on Nick Saban’s staff was 2004, and he helped the Tigers reach the Capital One Bowl.
Papuchis began his career as a graduate assistant at Kansas from 2001-03. In 2001, he worked with the secondary and assisted coaching the linebackers. In 2003, Kansas earned a berth in the Tangerine Bowl.
Papuchis graduated from Virginia Tech in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Kansas in 2003.
Papuchis and his wife, Billie, have three daughters, Addyson, Sophia and Rylee, and two sons, John and Jack.
| Years | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2025- | Florida State | Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers |
| 2020-24 | Florida State | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Ends |
| 2019 | Maryland | Special Teams Coordinator/Inside Linebackers |
| 2017-18 | North Carolina | Defensive Coordinator |
| 2015-16 | North Carolina | Linebackers |
| 2012-14 | Nebraska | Defensive Coordinator |
| 2011 | Nebraska | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2008-10 | Nebraska | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line |
| 2004-07 | LSU | Defensive Intern |
| 2001-03 | Kansas | Graduate Assistant |
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