A 5-7 season a year ago was tough on the football psyche of the Florida State Seminoles, adding to the 17 total losses over the last two disappointing campaigns. But according to Seminoles linebacker Caleb LaVallee, it was a teaching moment for him.
“Last year was a really tough year,” said LaVallee, “but I wouldn't trade anything. I learned a lot. It taught me a lot about just how to handle adversity on and off the field. And it gave me a whole new perspective just to how I approach everything I do each and every single day.”
LaVallee began his college football career at North Carolina, where he saw action in 15 games over two seasons. Last season, he collected 14 tackles and one tackle for loss for the Tar Heels. LaVallee’s lone collegiate start for North Carolina came in the Fenway Bowl in 2024 against UConn, logging nine tackles against the Huskies.
This season, LaVallee is coached by former Florida State linebacker Ernie Sims, a first-team All-American in 2004 who went on to play nine seasons in the NFL. Sims was a first-round pick, ninth overall, by the Detroit Lions in the 2006 NFL Draft. Sims brings his intense demeanor for playing the position to his coaching style in his first year as a linebackers coach.
“I mean I've been super fortunate and blessed to be coached by great coaches and then coach Sims,” said LaVallee. “He demands that we uphold the standard be alphas on the field we're resilient we can command the field and that we always finish with violence on the ball.”
Sims should be counting his blessings that he gets to coach players like LaVallee and transfer linebacker Chris Jones. While LaVallee did not play much at North Carolina, he did rack up 425 tackles, 18 sacks and 57 tackles for loss in three seasons of high school ball. So, the talent is definitely there in LaVallee. Sims needs to bring that production out of LaVallee at the collegiate level.
Jones comes from Southern Miss, where he logged 135 tackles last season, and ranked in the top ten in the nation in tackles per game, 10 per contest. LaVallee believes the linebackers are the most talented group on the team.
“I'd say that our room is top to bottom, one of the best, if not most talented groups that we have on the whole team,” said LaVallee. “And we really push each other to strive to get better each and every single day. Coach Norvell, coach Ernie talked about that, getting 1 percent better each and every single day.”
That violence of action on the football is sorely needed in one area of the defense that was deficient last season, and that is turnover margin. LaVallee, Jones and company have the will, Sims needs to show them the way.
In the undefeated regular season of 2023, the Seminoles were tied for No. 17 nationally in turnover margin at +8. In addition, their top three tacklers were linebackers.
Last season, Florida State ranked No. 105 in the FBS in turnover margin at a paltry -5. And, their top two tacklers played at the third level of the defense, the defensive backs. That says that the linebacker and defensive line play needs to be better.
It appears that coach Sims is teaching a ball-hawking style to LaVallee and Jones, who want nothing more than to separate the ball from the opposing ball carriers at every opportunity.
Improved play in this area, and by the linebacking corps as a whole, could drive the Seminoles to new heights not seen since the 2023 season. LaValle is there to ensure that happens and to uphold the standard of all the dominant Florida State linebackers that came before him.