Tate Rodemaker is certainly a bit of an anomaly in today's college football.

While quarterbacks rarely start as true freshman nowadays, it's becoming more and more rare for a signal-caller to stick around for a third or especially fourth season while still serving as the backup on the team's depth chart. Especially in the era of the transfer portal and NIL compensation, where the drop-off from starting quarterback to backup is probably significant.

And yet, that's just what Rodemaker is. He was the first player to commit to Mike Norvell at FSU in December 2019, flipping his commitment from South Florida. Almost four full years later, he's still a Seminole even though he's only started one game.

"Coach Norvell, he took a chance on me when he first got the job here. I was one of his first offers," Rodemaker said Wednesday when asked why he's stayed at FSU. "He really believed in me so I'm going to give the same back to him and stay committed, stay true to where I'm at."

Now a redshirt junior, the Valdosta, Ga., native's faith and patience will be paid off Saturday. He's set to make his first start in over three years Saturday for the No. 5 Seminoles (11-0) at Florida (5-6) in the place of Jordan Travis, who suffered a season-ending leg injury last week.

"After last season, he could have said, 'I'm going to find a place I can start.' Because there's a lot of places he could have started this year..." Norvell said. "He's gotten better throughout the course of this year, through the course of last spring. I think we've seen glimpses of that and how he's been able to play when he's gotten opportunities so far this season."

Rodemaker says now that he'd rather forget his first career start as a true freshman vs. Jacksonville State back in 2020. It was only the third game of his collegiate career when he was thrown into the starting job after James Blackman suffered an injury. He completed 8 of 12 passes for 58 yards, yes, but also threw a dreadful interception that was easily returned for a touchdown. JSU led 21-7 when Rodemaker was benched in favor of Jordan Travis, who would make his first career start the following week and largely claim the starting job from there.

It took a little while for Rodemaker to improve from there. He started his career throwing five interceptions before finally recording a touchdown pass last season at Louisville. Starting with that touchdown, he's thrown seven touchdown passes with no interceptions over the last 14ish months.

"It's been remarkable. Just watching his approach and how he's continued to work and take ownership in the offense," FSU quarterbacks coach Tony Tokarz said of Rodemaker this week. "I keep using the word reps and repetition and everything, that always helps, it helps with anybody, but as you've seen his confidence grow just throughout the years. What you see now from him is a confident quarterback that will stand back there and throw the football and when things break down. he's athletic enough to go make some things happen."

Added Norvell: "Tate has stayed the course and he's continued to work. His confidence, his understanding, he's gotten bigger, he's gotten stronger. He can make all the throws. But also just the ownership of the offense is something that I think he has a really good understanding of. There were a couple mistakes that other day that showed up, but we've all had them. He understands immediately if there is a mistake, this is the reason why. So that's something that is sometimes hard with a young quarterback, but he's already been able to go through that process. I think it's a high ceiling for what he'll be able to do."

Rodemaker has certainly benefitted from FSU's success of late. He's appeared in 12 of the 17 games during the Seminoles' active winning streak, almost exclusively in garbage time with FSU well in the lead before he relieved Travis last week after his injury.

That experience has been exactly what Rodemaker needed to gain some much needed confidence after his rocky start with the Seminoles.

"I think my poise and my confidence have gotten a lot better over time here. It wasn't the best my first year here, my second year here, but over time, it's gotten a lot better..." Rodemaker said. "In-game experience really helps me the most. I've gotten in a lot of games this year, which is fun. That means you're doing good. In-game reps helps my confidence, doing good in those games."

Saturday's game in Gainesville will be the 23rd appearance of Rodemaker's FSU career over four seasons. And yet, it was somehow the first time that he began a game week knowing he would be the starting quarterback. While some may think that comes with more nerves, Rodemaker looks at it the other way.

"I think it's probably a lot easier on my nerves, I know that's probably surprising," Rodemaker said. "As the backup, I'm one play away and that happened unfortunately this week. You never know if you're going to play or not as a backup, but now I know I'm going to play so it's a lot easier to prepare. It's better. I like it."

The potentially good news for Rodemaker entering his first start since September of 2020 is UF's pass defense doesn't appear to be one of the toughest the Seminoles have faced this season.

The Gators are 124th nationally out of 133 FBS teams in yards per pass attempt allowed (8.6) and 125th nationally in passer rating allowed (151.7). They have allowed more than 250 passing yards in each of their last six games and over 300 passing yards in four of their last five games, with 18 passing touchdowns allowed and just three interceptions this season. Their 20 pass plays of 40-plus yards allowed this season are four more than any other team in the country has given up.

Given the skill-position talent Rodemaker will have to work with between wide receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, tight end Jaheim Bell and quite a few others, that should provide quite a safety blanket for him Saturday.

"It's fun working with them," Rodemaker said of his offensive teammates. "We've got a lot of skilled players out there."

Obviously, no one around the FSU football program is happy about the circumstances that have led Rodemaker to assuming the reins of the offense 11 games into the season with plenty on the line the next few weeks as FSU looks to prove it is still a team worthy of College Football Playoff selection.

But it's clear from talking to those around the program that there's belief from these very same people that Rodemaker will be ready for the moment.

"I'm excited for him..." Tokarz said. "He's continued to prepare. He's continued to work at it. He's continued to get better and it's gonna be fun to watch him go out there on Saturday night."

Rodemaker's development: Lessons learned on FSU's practice field

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