The 2019 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Seminoles played their home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, and competed as members of the Atlantic Division in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Florida State was initially led by second-year head coach Willie Taggart. On November 3, 2019, Taggart was fired after losing to Miami (FL) and falling to 4–5 on the season and 9–12 overall. Defensive line coach Odell Haggins was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season, for the second time during his tenure with the program. The Seminoles ultimately finished the season with a 6–7 record, completing consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the 1975 and 1976 seasons. This was the first season since 1976 that Florida State was not ranked in either of the major polls. Running back Cam Akers went on to be selected in the second round of the NFL draft.
Schedule Florida State's 2019 season was set to begin with a non-conference neutral site game at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, against Boise State of the Mountain West Conference, though the game was relocated to Tallahassee due to Hurricane Dorian. In ACC play, the Seminoles played the other members of the Atlantic Division as well as Virginia and Miami from the Coastal Division. To end the year, Florida State played on the road against rival Florida of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Preseason Coaching changes In December 2018, the school hired Kendal Briles to be the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, replacing Walt Bell, who left to take the head coaching job at UMass. Briles spent the 2018 season as offensive coordinator at Houston. In January 2019, the school hired alum Ron Dugans to coach wide receivers. In February 2019, the school fired offensive line coach Greg Frey and hired Randy Clements to the same position; Briles and Clements previously worked together on the Houston staff.
Player news Quarterback Deondre Francois was dismissed from the team in February 2019 after Francois' girlfriend posted a video to Instagram which alleged domestic abuse. Francois had been the starting quarterback for the Seminoles during the 2016 and 2018 seasons (an injury sustained in the first game of 2017 sidelined him for most of that season), and was set to be the starter again as a senior.
In March 2019, former Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook announced that he was transferring to Florida State for his final season of eligibility as an NCAA graduate transfer. In August 2019, Jordan Travis, a transfer quarterback from Louisville, was granted a waiver by the NCAA to be immediately eligible to play.
Recruiting Florida State's 2019 recruiting class consisted of 21 recruits. The class was ranked 21st in the nation and second in the ACC according to the 247Sports.com Composite. This represented the lowest-ranked class for the school since 2007.
Spring game The 'Garnet and Gold Game' was held on April 6 with the Gold team, led by James Blackman, victorious over the Garnet team by a score of 27–21.
Preseason media poll In the preseason ACC media poll, Florida State was selected to finish third in the Atlantic Division. Wide receiver Tamorrion Terry and defensive tackle Marvin Wilson were named to the preseason All-ACC team.
Award watch lists Lott TrophyDeCalon BrooksLBSOMaxwell AwardCam AkersRBJRBednarik AwardMarvin WilsonDTJRDoak Walker AwardCam AkersRBJRBiletnikoff AwardTamorrion TerryWRSOMackey AwardTre' McKittyTEJRButkus AwardDontavious JacksonLBSROutland TrophyMarvin WilsonDTJRBronko Nagurski TrophyMarvin WilsonDTJRRay Guy AwardLogan TylerPSRWuerffel TrophyDeCalon BrooksLBSO Listed in the order that they were released
Game summaries Vs. Boise State
Louisiana–Monroe
At Virginia
Louisville
NC State
At Clemson
At Wake Forest
Syracuse
Miami (FL)
At Boston College
Alabama State
At Florida
Vs. Arizona State (Sun Bowl)
Honors
Weekly awards Cam Akers ACC Running Back of the Week Week 2Week 4Week 9 Marvin Wilson ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week Week 4 Alex Hornibrook ACC Quarterback of the Week Week 5 Cyrus Fagan ACC Defensive Back of the Week Week 5 Amari Gainer ACC Rookie of the Week Week 5 Hamsah Nasirildeen ACC Defensive Back of the Week Week 9Week 11Week 12 Tamorrion Terry ACC Receiver of the Week Week 11
All-ACC The Seminoles had six players selected to the All-ACC team, with four defensive selections and two offensive selections. Marvin Wilson (first team) Cam Akers (second team) Tamorrion Terry (second team) Hamsah Nasirildeen (second team) Asante Samuel, Jr. (Third Team) Stanford Samuels III (Honorable Mention)
Personnel
Coaching staff Florida State Seminoles coachesHead coach Willie Taggart Odell Haggins
Assistant coaches Kendal Briles – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Harlon Barnett – Defensive coordinator/defensive backs Randy Clements – Offensive line Odell Haggins – Associate head coach/defensive line Raymond Woodie – Linebackers Telly Lockette – Tight ends Ron Dugans – Wide receivers Donte' Pimpleton – Running backs Mark Snyder – Special Teams Irele Oderinde – Strength and conditioning George Henshaw – Offensive assistant Stanford Samuels Jr. – Defensive assistant Jim Leavitt – Quality Control Analyst
Players drafted into the NFL
2 52 Cam Akers RB Los Angeles Rams
References