Alabama Football Gets a Motivational Boost from Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos
Kalen DeBoer’s first offseason as Alabama’s head coach was already progressing smoothly. With a solid foundation built through staff continuity and transfer portal success, DeBoer was laying the groundwork for a bounce-back season. Then, in an unexpected twist, Florida State’s new quarterback, Thomas Castellanos, delivered the Crimson Tide a verbal gift that Nick Saban himself would have treasured.
Castellanos, a transfer from Boston College, is set to start his first game for Florida State in the season opener against Alabama at Doak Campbell Stadium. The quarterback, whose career completion percentage hovers at 58.6%, didn’t shy away from bold predictions. In an interview with On3, Castellanos exuded confidence:
> “You go back and watch every first game that I played in, we always start fast. I dreamed of moments like this. I dreamed of playing against Alabama. They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.”
That statement, no matter how questionable its foundation, is pure gold for a coach trying to energize his locker room. It’s the kind of quote Saban would’ve broadcast on every screen in the athletic facility. DeBoer, who aims to forge his own path rather than emulate his legendary predecessor, now has a tailor-made opportunity to take a page out of Saban’s motivational playbook.
One can easily imagine someone inside the Mal Moore Athletic Facility feverishly printing Castellanos’ quote, ready to pin it on every locker, hallway wall, and weight room mirror. Opponent trash talk, especially from a player who hasn’t proven much on the field, tends to be rocket fuel for elite teams looking to recapture dominance.
Castellanos’ words may have been misguided, but he did tap into a broader question circulating across college football: Is Alabama still Alabama without Nick Saban?
While his boast that Alabama can’t stop him feels disconnected from reality—Castellanos completed just 2 of 7 passes with an interception in his last game for Boston College—the underlying point about the Saban-less Crimson Tide hits a nerve.
Even the history Castellanos tries to cite doesn’t hold up. His so-called “fast starts” were lackluster at best. In Boston College’s 2023 opener, he managed just 138 passing yards in a loss to Northern Illinois. The year before, he had a mere 106 passing yards in Week 1.
It’s not just Castellanos who’s been chirping. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia also recently declared on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast that the Commodores would beat Alabama again this year. The barbs are flying, and the once-mighty Tide no longer walk into every game with automatic reverence from opponents.
That aura of invincibility vanished after Alabama’s perfect 2020 season. Since then, the Tide have looked mortal. Last season’s 9–4 record marked their worst performance since Saban’s debut campaign in 2007.
And so, DeBoer faces a challenge bigger than wins and losses: restoring Alabama’s intimidation factor. He acknowledged in the spring that the rebuilding process may require growing pains.
> “I feel like we are taking the steps,” DeBoer said in April. “You’ve got to go through some hard times, I feel. More times than not, you go through the hard times to actually realize the big moments.”
That kind of perspective may sound reasonable to most coaches, but Alabama fans aren’t accustomed to patience. They expect dominance, and they expect it quickly. Small steps won’t satisfy the expectations Saban created.
Still, DeBoer’s first offseason was more productive than problematic. His decision to reunite with Ryan Grubb, his trusted offensive coordinator from Washington, added continuity and familiarity to Alabama’s offensive identity. The Tide also bolstered their roster with transfers like wide receiver Isaiah Horton from Miami. Just as significantly, Alabama didn’t lose a single scholarship player during the spring transfer window—a testament to DeBoer’s early leadership.
Meanwhile, over in Tallahassee, Florida State coach Mike Norvell also faces high expectations after a 2024 campaign that failed to meet even the modest benchmarks set during the Willie Taggart era. The Seminoles’ disastrous 2–10 season forced Norvell into the portal again, where he brought in Castellanos to replace DJ Uiagalelei, whose stint at FSU fell flat.
Norvell hopes Castellanos can stabilize the quarterback position, but big talk won’t mask FSU’s recent struggles. The Seminoles haven’t come close to the success they once enjoyed under Bobby Bowden, and any comparison between programs must recognize that Alabama’s “down year” still looks like a dream scenario in Tallahassee.
Regardless of Castellanos’ actual impact on the field, his bold statement has already provided Alabama with an edge. Motivation in sports is often sourced from perceived disrespect, and athletes are experts at finding slights—even imaginary ones. But this? This was a real shot from a real opponent.
That makes it all the more valuable.
Castellanos likely didn’t intend to help Alabama. But in suggesting that the Tide are vulnerable without Saban, he handed Kalen DeBoer a perfect rallying cry. He spoke aloud what many think privately, giving DeBoer a tangible quote to rally his team around during summer workouts and fall camp.
Saban had a knack for leveraging disrespect into domination. DeBoer now has a chance to show he can do the same. And if Alabama emerges fired up and focused this September, they may have Thomas Castellanos to thank for lighting the match.
In the end, it’s ironic. Florida State hopes Castellanos can lead them back to relevance, but before he even takes his first snap for the Seminoles, he’s already made an impact—just not in the way his new team would’ve wanted.
The real question now is whether Castellanos can back up his words. Because come the season opener, he’ll be staring down a Crimson Tide team with something to prove—and a quote to avenge.
