TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Duce Robinson could have left Florida State after a 1,000-yard season. He also felt he couldn’t leave after 5-7 seasons.
Just hours into the new year, the Atlantic Coast Conference first-team receiver announced that Robinson would be back to help the Seminoles continue their rebuild in 2026 after considering entering the early NFL draft. On Friday, Robinson elaborated on his reasoning.
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“We have an opportunity to do something really special,” Robinson said. “I didn’t want to leave last year’s season. It felt unfair to the fans because they gave me a lot, so I just wanted to try and give them something back.
“If we just look at it, I had a very successful season last year, but my success doesn’t represent the team’s success.”
Robinson had 56 catches for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns as a senior in 2025, giving Florida State a better chance of success next season. Keeping Robinson for another year is the biggest move head coach Mike Norvell could make in an offseason that saw more than 35 players declare interest in the transfer portal.
To replenish talent, Robinson acted as a recruiter, meeting with three transfer quarterback visitors — DJ Lagway, Anthony Colandrea and Ashton Daniels. Daniels arrives from Auburn, where he played four games in 2025, and the Seminoles will also have five new offensive line starters as the 2025 group’s eligibility is exhausted. Robinson will lead a receiving corps that also includes deep threat Micahi Danzy and slot machine Jayvan Boggs.
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The defensive plan was slower to take shape, but that has become apparent in recent days. Twins Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir announced their returns Thursday and bolstered the defensive front, turning the corner after testing the transfer portal waters. Defensive tackle Kevin Wynn did the same before returning, and Florida received commitments from transfer linebackers Chris Jones (Southern Mississippi) and Mikai Gbayor (North Carolina) on Thursday. Florida State also retained its top cornerback Ja’Bril Rawls after flirting with the transfer portal.
Norvell compiled a 38-34 record in six seasons at Florida State, including a 2-10 mark in 2024 and a 5-7 mark last fall. He needs Robinson and the upcoming transfer to make an immediate impact in 2026.
Throughout college football’s offseason, Florida State will likely have the highest turnover rate in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The school has announced 13 transfer signees, with more to come, and the Seminoles signed 32 high school or junior college prospects in December.
Robinson transferred to Florida State from Southern California a year ago. He understands players’ decisions to move and says it’s the nature of the sport.
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“I would never blame a person for looking for a new opportunity or looking for a better opportunity,” Robinson said. “I’m a product of the transfer portal. It worked out for me. Coming to Florida State was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
After considering his stay-or-go decision, Robinson said he evaluated areas where he could improve and weighed input from FSU coaches.
“There’s a lot of areas in my game that need to be cleaned up, especially if I want to get to where I want to be,” Robinson said. “My two biggest things are getting in and out of every route, which shows that I can run every route in the book. And then, if I don’t have the ball in my hands, what am I doing? Because that’s just as important as when I have the ball in my hands.
“I’m really excited to be able to work on it this offseason. I’m going to make sure it’s there next year.”
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