Link Jarrett admits he feels an obligation to reward Florida State fans

The Florida State Seminoles are getting set to host the Tallahassee Regional as the ninth-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Being the ninth-seed will end up being incredibly important because it means there’s no guarantee that Florida State is going to host beyond the opening NCAA Regional round.

For his part, Florida State head coach Link Jarrett is a little disappointed by that seeding. After all, while he thinks that it can actually be easier to play road games in the postseason, there is a desire to reward Florida State fans for their loyalty throughout the year with postseason games in Tallahassee.

“Well, I’ve been to some really tough places,” Link Jarrett said. “I feel the obligation to the fans. That’s why I want it. That’s why I want it. I don’t mind taking the group on the road. There is some simplicity to being on the road. I know that sounds crazy, but you’re a little bit more compartmentalized in what you’re doing when you’re at the hotel and you have your team meeting space and it’s a little bit more in a bubble than when you’re here.”

Florida State is set to host the Tallahassee Regional with Northeastern, Mississippi State, and Bethune-Cookman coming to try and knock the Seminoles off. Assuming that Florida State is set to move on, they’ll be ready to take on the winner of the Corvallis Regional. That means, if chalk holds, Jarrett will need to take his team across the country to a difficult place for fans to travel to see the Super Regional against eight-seed Oregon State.

“The obligation to have these games in Howser Stadium for the people that are sitting around the corner,” Jarrett said. “That want this more than anything, our plays of course, but the fans and the animals, I do feel that desire and obligation to have these things here. I know this round will be phenomenal here, but my heart wants it for the next round too. For the guys, but also for the people that are in that stadium every single pitch of our entire season, pulling for us.”

This is the third season for Link Jarrett at Florida State. After failing to make the postseason in his first year, the Seminoles bounced back in 2024. They’d make it all the way to the College World Series, finishing as a semifinalist. That included hosting the Super Regional after a dominant Regional.

Fans would love more opportunities to see Florida State again this season. They’d also love Link Jarrett to take his team back to Omaha this season. To do that, he’ll take the Seminoles wherever they ultimately need to go, be it Corvallis or hosting another team in Tallahassee.

To Jarrett’s point, while baseball has some obvious homefield advantages, like batting in the bottom of the ninth and knowing the dimensions of the park, Florida State has played well on the road. The Seminoles are 12-6 in true road games. At neutral sites, they’re 2-1. So, while neither of those is as strong as their 24-7 home record, it’s not like Florida State has struggled on the road.

First thing’s first, though, and that’s the Tallahassee Regional. There, Link Jarrett and Florida State open against Bethune-Cookman on Friday.