Luke Petitbon shares Thomas Castellanos played role in recruiting him to Florida State

The FSU quarterback took his shot in Petitbon's DMs and it paid off.
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Florida State needs leadership now more than ever. Following arguably the most disappointing season in program history, it's up to the returning Seminoles and newcomers to revitalize a culture that was missing in action in 2024.

Quarterback Thomas Castellanos is already doing his part to rally the locker room and show why he could be the voice of the Seminoles next fall. Castellanos even helped recruit Florida State's likely starting center to Tallahassee.

As the story goes, told by offensive lineman Luke Petitbon during his introductory press conference, Castellanos shot him a direct message on Instagram when he entered the portal. Petitbon kind of shook his head at the time but the signal-caller has been in constant communication with him since he committed to Florida State.

"Tommy Instagram DMed me when I went into the portal and was like, 'come to Florida State' and I was just like 'alright, we'll see what happens' and then I committed," Petitbon said on Tuesday. "We started texting right away and through that, Tommy, he helped me when was I moving in. He was already down here so he helped me move in. Was checking up on me, making sure I felt comfortable so that was cool. He's a really good dude and in the three weeks I've gotten to know him, I can only say good things about him. He's a really genuine good person."

READ MORE: FSU Football's full 2025 schedule announced

Petitbon, in his own right, was a leader and key locker room figure at Wake Forest. He believes that leadership isn't something that is forced, it's an aspect that you build over time. Petitbon is focused on playing his role on the team and if that includes stepping into a point of authority, he's willing to do it.

"I don't think leadership can be faked. I think as a new guy, the first thing you have to do is build trust if you want to be a leader. I was a captain at Wake Forest and I was a leader at Wake Forest for a good amount of time and that was in part because I built trust over such a long period of time," Petitbon said. "I'm not going to force anything and that's not my position to do. I'm not going to sit here and try to force myself into a leadership role because that's not how good leaders are born. So I think I'm just going to do my part, try to be the best teammate I can possibly be and if that brings me into a leadership role I'm more than happy to take that on but it's got to be natural and I think that everyone knows that leadership has to come naturally."

When the offseason began, Petitbon had no question that he'd be finishing out his college career with the Demon Deacons. That all changed when head coach Dave Clawson stepped down, instantly causing a massive transition throughout the program. When the Seminoles came calling, Petitbon looked at their track record of success and also felt at home on his visit.

Luke Petitbon
Sep 9, 2023; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons offensive lineman Luke Petitbon (74) during the second quarter at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

"I weighed all my options and talking to coach Norvell, coach Malzahn, coach Hand, getting down here and visiting, it felt like home to me and it felt like home to my parents. They embraced my parents and myself and right away I felt like it was a good fit," Petitbon said. "You look at what coach Norvell has done in the past, I've been in the ACC for five years so I've been able to watch Florida State from afar. Obviously, last year was not great but just a year ago they were undefeated, the year before that I think they won eight or nine games in a row. Steady improvement was what I saw from Florida State from afar and I'm excited to be a part of it."

Offensive line coach Herb Hand was instrumental in Petitbon's recruitment. Hand's coaching style and ability to connect with Petitbon and his family at a personal level both meant a lot to him.

"Football-wise, from talking to coach right away I could tell he was super knowledgeable. He's talking to me about techniques, talking to me about schemes, stuff like that. When I came down here we were breaking down tape and I liked everything he had to say and I liked the way he approaches coaching so that was something that was cool," Petitbon said. "I think that on a personal level, something that's important to me is having someone who you feel comfortable having a normal conversation with. He's your coach, yes, but there should also be a sort of relationship there that's on a personal level and I felt that with coach Hand. He was supercool to my parents and that's something that's important to me. I just felt like coach Hand was the best of both worlds."

One thing Petitbon was worried about when he arrived at Florida State was how he would be welcomed by his new teammates. He's fitting right along with the Seminoles and credits the people around him for easing the adjustment to his new home.

"I think that getting here, something that was super important to me was making friends on the team and immersing myself into the culture in the locker room. It's something new for me, I hadn't done it in five years, I did it when I was a freshman at Wake Forest and now I'm 23 years old so it's a little different," Petitbon said. "I'm sure it's hard for guys that have been here to welcome in a transfer but honestly, they've been super welcoming. The O-line room's been super welcoming to me. Everyone's welcomed me with open arms and it's something I really appreciate. I think that made the transition for me a lot easier."

Petitbon was one of four experienced transfers that Florida State secured to rebuild its offensive line which was among the worst in the country a season ago. With so many new faces, the Seminoles are at the early stage of forming relationships and bonds that will be crucial when the fall arrives.

"Getting together, doing drills, lifting together, being around each other, that's kind of the start of building continuity I think. I think it's a process and I think once spring ball gets here, that's the time where you can kind of really start ironing stuff out. I think that'll be a big time for us," Petitbon said. "For now, I think that the biggest thing is being around each other, getting to know each other, doing what we can football-wise, and more importantly, bonding on a personal level."


READ MORE: four-star 6-foot-9 offensive tackle Chastan Brown commits to Florida State

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Dustin Lewis
DUSTIN LEWIS

Lewis joined NoleGameday in 2016 and is currently in the role of Editor-In-Chief. A graduate of Florida State, Lewis contributes to football, recruiting, and basketball coverage. Connect with Dustin on Twitter at @DustinLewisNG.