TALLAHASSEE – Florida State redshirt senior long snapper Mason Arnold is on the preseason watch list for the Mannelly Award, presented to the best long snapper in the nation.
 
Arnold, from Tampa, served as Florida State’s long snapper in all 12 games in 2024, joining punter Alex Mastromanno and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald – both first-team All-Americans in 2024 – as the third member of Florida State’s special teams unit.
 
Mastromanno was a Consensus All–American and led nation with 49.3 yards per punt and 30 punts of over 50 yards while setting the ACC single-season punting record and re-writing FSU’s record book for punters. Fitzgerald joined Mastromanno as a first-team All-American from the AFCA and was perfect in 2024, making all 13 field goals and all 14 extra points. Fitzgerald’s five 50-yard field goals were the most in a season at FSU. Both players were finalists for their position’s national player of the year awards.
 
Arnold was named FSU’s Special Teams Newcomer of the Year and a College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-District selection for his work in the classroom.
 
Arnold and the Seminoles will open the 2025 season in the renovated Doak Campbell Stadium on August 30 at 3:30 p.m. against Alabama. The contest will air nationally on ABC.
 
Preseason Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award – Tommy Castellanos
Wuerffel Trophy – Richie Leonard IV
Mannelly Award – Mason Arnold