Florida State has officially announced the hiring of Nick Williams, who previously served as the edge coach at Syracuse. In his new role, Williams will be responsible for coaching the Seminoles” edge rushers, a position he held at Syracuse for the past two seasons.
During his tenure with the Orange, Williams played a pivotal role in the development of defensive talent, including Fadil Diggs, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This addition to the coaching staff comes as Florida State head coach Mike Norvell works to revamp his defensive team following a lackluster 2025 season.
The Seminoles recently parted ways with their defensive backs coach, Patrick Surtain Sr., marking a significant change in the offseason. As Florida State seeks to address its defensive issues, Williams brings valuable experience from previous coaching positions at Colorado, Texas A&M, and Georgia, enhancing the team”s recruiting efforts.
Williams joined Syracuse in December 2023 after a brief stint at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders. His impact was felt immediately, as the Orange achieved a 10-3 record in the 2024 regular season, finishing at No. 20 in the Associated Press poll. According to reports by Pete Thamel, Williams was instrumental in coaching Diggs to All-ACC honors before his selection by the New Orleans Saints in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 34-year-old”s hiring is crucial for Florida State, which struggled defensively throughout the 2025 season, finishing with a 5-7 record overall and a 2-6 mark in ACC play. Williams” experience and connections, particularly in SEC recruiting, are expected to bolster the Seminoles” efforts to improve their defensive squad as they look to bounce back from recent underperformance.
