Elite FSU Quarterback Commitment Gets First Chance To Meet New OC Gus Malzahn

This was an important introduction for the Seminoles.

Brady Smigiel/Twitter

Florida State's coaches are hitting the road this week to meet with prospects as the recruiting calendar opens back up. The Seminoles are showing their presence in multiple parts of the country, including on the West Coast for a crucial meeting with the program's top commitment in the 2026 class.

On Monday, head coach Mike Norvell and new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn dropped in on top-100 quarterback Brady Smigiel, who has been pledged to FSU since June. This is the first time Smigiel has been able to meet Malzahn since he was officially hired by the Seminoles a few weeks ago.

Since the coaching changes in Tallahassee, Smigiel has unofficially visited Washington and publicly reported a scholarship offer from South Carolina. Ideally, this introduction should give the blue-chip prospect more confidence that he fits into the system that Malzahn will be implementing at Florida State. It's a priority to get Smigiel back on campus as soon as possible as he hasn't visited town since September.

Thanks to @Coach_Norvell and @CoachGusMalzahn for visiting the 2024 D2 CIFSS Champs today. @NPPanthersONE @BradySmigiel @BrandonHuffman @beausmigiel2424 @GregBiggins @adamgorney @vcspreps @Coach_TokarzQB @clay_fink

— Joe Smigiel (@joe_smigiel) January 6, 2025

Smigiel was recently named high school football player of the year by the Los Angeles Times after a junior season where he guided Newbury Park High School to a 14-1 record and a D2 CIFSS Championship. He completed 219/336 passes (65.2%) for 3,521 yards with 49 touchdowns to three interceptions while adding 435 yards and 11 more scores on the ground. Smigiel cut down on his turnovers, showed off more of his ability as a dual threat, and completed a higher percentage of his passes compared to his sophomore year.

The California native had six games where he threw four or more touchdowns. Smigiel completed a season-high 15/22 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns along with 15 rushes for 57 yards and another score in a 31-28 postseason victory against Murrieta Valley High School on November 30.

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During his prolific career at Newbury Park, Smigiel has completed 729/1,161 passes for 11,222 yards with 147 touchdowns to 28 interceptions. He's 33-8 as a starter and has won at least one playoff game in all three years at the prep level. Smigiel tossed just three interceptions in 2024 while completing 65.2% of his passes. His progress as a scrambler might be the most impressive aspect because Smigiel only had 234 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground during his first two years at the prep level. He nearly doubled that total as a junior (435 rushing yards, 11 rushing scores).

Smigiel stands at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds. He's regarded as the No. 61 overall prospect, the No. 5 QB, and the No. 10 recruit in California in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

Florida State holds six verbal commitments in its 2026 class which ranks No. 7 in the country.

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