Florida State QB Tate Rodemaker's father discusses Louisville, why his son never transferred and more

Alan Rodemaker had an understanding with his fellow Danielsville (Ga.) Madison County football coaches about Florida State’s game at Louisville last Friday.

If the Seminoles are not playing well, he did not want to hear about it. And don’t tell him about the game unless he asks you.

So when Rodemaker finally caved and asked for an update late in Madison County’s game at Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee, he was surprised to hear that his son, FSU backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker, had just attempted a pass.

What?

Why?

Are you sure?

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No one immediately had the context to tell him that Tate replaced Jordan Travis, who went down with a left leg injury midway through the second quarter. Alan quickly got caught up to speed, though, while he tuned in for the second half on his phone during the 30-mile bus ride back to Danielsville.

When Alan returned to the team fieldhouse, he watched on the 16-inch monitor above his desk as the Seminoles completed their dramatic 35-31 win over the Cardinals. He watched as Tate played an integral role in the victory, completing 6 of 10 passes for 109 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

The experience left Alan in tears.

“He didn’t surprise me, but I was certainly happy,” Alan told the Democrat. “I really teared up, because I knew it would change him.”

And specifically, change him mentally.

At least Alan hopes Tate will be able to build off his breakout performance if he is the starter when FSU (3-0, 1-0 ACC) hosts Boston College (1-2, 0-1) in Doak Campbell Stadium at 8 p.m. Saturday (ACC Network).

Because the prevailing notion that Tate lacked the necessary confidence in his two-plus seasons with the Seminoles, Alan explained, was valid.

It’s not that Tate didn’t have the talent. He showed plenty of flashes in practice. It’s that he often struggled in games – from his lone career start as a true freshman against Jacksonville State in 2020 to his limited action in mop-up duty.

So Alan knows how much Tate needed to shine in a game setting. He also knows how much he needed that game setting to actually matter. And he knows how much he needed head coach Mike Norvell to show his belief in him.

“With Travis going out, and him having to be the guy, it put him in a different mindset,” said Alan, an assistant at Madison County and Tate's former head coach at Valdosta (Ga.) High. “I just think he knew it was his job. He was going to have to work it out. After a couple throws, he was into his old confident self that he was in high school.

“When you are not under the lights on Friday night or every Saturday, it is different. Especially being that guy, the quarterback. So I understand it. I think most people don't understand it if you are not a coach or you are not involved in the game. I get it.

“But I also think that was huge. I’m not saying he won’t stumble again, because it is part of the deal. But I just think he shook off a lot of demons after Friday night.”

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Mike Norvell always believed in Tate Rodemaker

In his press conference Monday, Norvell reiterated how much faith he had in Rodemaker against Louisville.

“I believed we could win with Tate. And I had a lot of confidence in that, whenever his number was to be called,” Norvell said.

That belief started during his time as the head coach for the University of Memphis. Had Norvell and his Tiger coaching staff not shown interest in him as a recruit, Rodemaker would have never landed at FSU.

And had the Seminoles hired Norvell even one week later than Dec. 7, 2019, Rodemaker likely would be playing for another program.

“It’s kind of a funny story,” Alan said.

Tate verbally committed to South Florida the June before his senior year. Then that fall, his recruitment started to gain a lot of steam. Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Utah and Northwestern were among programs to offer him a scholarship within a one-month period. Baylor also joined the mix later in the process.

Alan remembers Memphis quarterbacks coach Kevin Johns coming to their practices, “as much as the NCAA would allow it.” He also remembers how much coaches from smaller programs raved about Norvell.

“Every one of them said, ‘Coach, you would love for him to play for Norvell.’ But I also knew Norvell was not going to be at Memphis,” Alan said.

“We scheduled an official visit to Memphis. And then the more I talked to guys, they said, ‘Coach, he is the hot guy. Norvell is not going to be there.’ So the week before we were supposed to go on that visit … he canceled the visit. We didn’t go.

“I said, ‘Norvell is not going to be there once he gets there.’ I said, ‘Tate, just call and tell him we can’t make it. We may reschedule, but Norvell is not going to be there. We are not going to Memphis.’ And he agreed.”

After FSU officially hired Norvell, Alan thought about how much he had heard about him from other coaches. And how Norvell seemed to be significantly interested in Tate. And how Tallahassee is only about 75 miles from Valdosta.

So Alan texted newly-hired Seminole offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham to gauge his interest. Dillingham promptly swung by Alan’s office the next morning, offered Tate and convinced them to cancel their scheduled recruiting visits to Baylor and Northwestern that week.

That weekend, Tate took an official visit to FSU. He left Tallahassee as a verbal pledge and made it official during the three-day early signing period the following week.

“I really learned about him from other people,” said Alan about Norvell. “And he probably learned about me and Tate from some other people as well. But it was not much of a relationship at all until we took the visit.”

Soon, Alan would learn a lot more about Norvell firsthand. Despite his son’s initial struggles, Alan’s opinion on Norvell has not changed. Neither has Norvell’s view on Tate.

“Coach Norvell sent me a nice text Saturday and said, ‘Really proud of Tate.’ I sent him one back and said, ‘I would not want him to play for anybody else,’” Alan said.

“Because I have been at a ton of practices. I like the way he handles his business. He is all business. He does things the right way and is a guy you want your son to play for.”

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The backflipping athlete

Javonte Sherman recounted a time in which Rodemaker did his best Odell Beckham Jr. impression.

Sherman – who is now a wide receiver at Middle Tennessee State – watched Rodemaker flaunt his athleticism throughout their lone season together at Valdosta in 2019. Nothing, though, compares to when Rodemaker, as the team’s punter, snagged a high snap at its highest point with one hand before cleanly booting the ball.

“He is so fun to play around,” Sherman said. “This man was running around (in practice), he would throw a pass or something and then out of nowhere he would do a backflip.

“Coach was just looking at him like, ‘What are you doing, Tate?’”

Tate still flashes some solid athletic traits for a college quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 196-pound Rodemaker may not be able to frequently elude defenders in space. But his straight-line speed likely is even faster than the impressive 4.63 40-yard dash time he clocked in 2019.

The ball zips out of Rodemaker’s hand, too.

“Strong arm,” said Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley about Rodemaker in his press conference Tuesday. “Maybe the strongest arm that I have seen so far this year on tape, just watching him throw the ball and release it.”

Whether Rodemaker could translate those skills in college immediately came into question after his poor start against Jacksonville State. FSU replaced Rodemaker with Travis not long after he threw a pick-six in that game. With the Seminoles trailing 14-0, Rodemaker had only 58 yards on 8-of-12 passing. Travis eventually saved FSU, completing a 41-24 comeback victory.

Rodemaker also threw interceptions against Miami and Duke that season. Behind Travis and UCF transfer McKenzie Milton last season, Rodemaker only attempted two passes. His last two spring game performances did not inspire much confidence, either.

Then came his interception against Duquesne and another one on his third pass attempt against Louisville.

“I’m not pissed at anybody. I get it,” said Alan about the initial perception surrounding Tate. “I understand all of it, because I see him in practice. He has just not performed well in the games yet.

“So that is why this (Louisville game) was so huge.”

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Why Rodemaker never transferred

Alan insisted that Tate never considered or talked about possibly entering the transfer portal.

But after Tate’s disappointing freshman season, one question piqued their curiosity.

Do FSU and Norvell still believe in Tate?

“Because when they don’t believe in Tate anymore, it’s still Tate’s choice, but it may be a sign that you need to go somewhere else,” Alan said. “Well, they told me they believed in him. They felt like he could do it. He just needed to go out and do it.

“So that’s why that thing Friday night was so good, because it was the first time he had really done it under the lights.

“So when Norvell said that the other night, that he knew they could win with Tate, he was being honest. Because he told me the same thing last spring.”

Norvell did not disclose who will be his starting quarterback against the Eagles. Travis might be available. He practiced Wednesday. But the Seminoles could conceivably hold him out for valid or precautionary reasons.

If Tate earns the start, it’s an opportunity for him to prove that the Louisville game was no outlier.

“We all hope that was all he needed,” Alan said. “If he ends up playing a lot or starting this game Saturday, goes out there and does well – he doesn't have to necessarily light it up. But if he goes out there and plays well, that will solidify it.

“Getting back out there immediately, like Saturday for instance – and if Travis is well, I hope he’s playing – if he goes out there and does well, I think it will be locked in then. You’ve got to do it again. And maybe he has an opportunity to do it again soon.

“If he can stack two of them back to back, I think you've doubled your confidence. I really do. That is how you sustain it, you go out and do it again at some level.”

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GAME INFORMATION

Who: FSU (3-0, 1-0 ACC) vs. Boston College (1-2, 0-1)

When/where: Saturday, 8 p.m.; Doak Campbell Stadium

TV/Radio: ACC Network/94.9 FM.

Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @CarterKarels on Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY on Twitter

Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Seminoles QB Tate Rodemaker could build off Louisville game