The Seminoles entered the offseason with some serious momentum and it didn’t take long for the coaching staff to pick up their first new addition to the 2024 class of the year. Earlier this month, kicker Jake Weinberg, regarded as the No. 1 prospect at his position by Kohl’s Kicking, announced his commitment to Florida State over Florida Atlantic, Youngstown State, and others.
FSU offered Weinberg a full scholarship in the days leading up to his decision. That was the final domino that needed to fall before he felt comfortable enough to pull the trigger in favor of the ‘Noles.
“Everything about Florida State is on the right path. It’s been a dream school and I’ve just been waiting for the opportunity,” Weinberg said to NoleGameday’s Dustin Lewis. “When I was on campus, everything was going great for me, the staff was treating me in an unbelievable way, and I just felt like it was the right time for me. I just feel like it’s a perfect fit for me, especially in the state of Florida.”
Prior to publicly announcing his decision, Weinberg informed head coach Mike Norvell and defensive ends coach/special teams coordinator John Papuchis that he was ready to jump on board. Both coaches were excited, to say the least.
“Everyone was pumped. Coach JP was jumping up and down and coach Norvell,” Weinberg said. “It was a cool moment, it shows how much they believe in me and how excited they are for me. I can’t wait to get back up.”
The Florida native camped with the Seminoles over the summer and unofficially visited during the fall for the win against Georgia Tech. During his recruitment, he’s grown close to special teams analyst Carter Barfield.
“At first I started off with coach Barfield, he’s the special teams analyst and he deals with a lot of the kickers. We have a great bond,” Weinberg said. “Coach Barfield is just such a great guy, welcoming me and my family, everyone’s excited down there. It’s pretty cool to know that they believe in me and they’re giving me this opportunity so early.”
During his junior season, Weinberg connected on 5/8 field goal attempts with a long of 57 yards while hitting all 17 of his extra points. Over the last two years, he’s made 16/24 field goal attempts and 42/45 of his extra points. 68 of his 73 kickoffs over that duration have gone for touchbacks, showing the strength of his leg.
“What I would say is that I gained more trust in myself, especially making the long field goal, it just shows that I have the leg to kick from any spot on the field,” Weinberg said. “It was a fun year. The more time you get on the field, the more confidence you get.”
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Prior to the new year, Weinberg competed at the 2022 Kohl’s Texas Winter Showcase Camp. He won both the field goal competition and the kickoff competition at the camp with a 63-yard field goal, and an 85-yard kickoff. Regardless, there are still areas of his game that he wants to shore up.
“There’s always room for improvement, I’m always trying to get better. The more you do something, the more you get better at it,” Weinberg said. “It’s just about staying consistent with my form and making sure I don’t do anything wrong, if I do then try to fix it. Make sure to stay positive mentally and I just want to make sure I’m in the right mindset all the time.”
Following a successful season where the Seminoles won ten games and came back to defeat Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl, Weinberg believes Florida State is moving in the right direction. He joined the class at the right time, in his opinion.
“It just shows that they’re on the right path,” Weinberg said. “They just keep getting better and better and I’m glad I’m joining at the right time.”
Florida State’s kicking situation was up and down throughout the year as Ryan Fitzgerald went through a midseason slump. During the struggles, Mike Norvell publicly stuck by his kicker and it culminated with Fitzgerald hitting a game-winning field goal against the Sooners.
“I think Ryan’s a great kicker and a great dude. I mean, every kicker has those moments,” Weinberg said. “I think Ryan bounced back perfectly and he made the game-winning field goal, which is a huge moment for him. With coach Norvell believing in him, it’s a cool moment too because it shows how much coach Norvell believes in his kickers and how seriously he takes special teams.”
It won’t be long until Weinberg returns to Tallahassee for his first visit as a commitment. He plans to be at Florida State at the end of the month for a junior day on January 28.
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2023 offseason