Florida State head coach Mike Norvell needed reinforcements in his special teams and brought two kickers from the transfer portal. One was Gabe Panikowski, who came from Oklahoma State and is a former first-team All-American. And the other was Conor McAneney, a lesser-known kickoff specialist from Division II’s Quincy University. But now, according to reports, he was arrested on a serious battery charge and may even lose his spot in the program.

McAneney was arrested in Fort Lauderdale early Wednesday morning, March 18, 2026, while on spring break. He faces multiple charges, including two third-degree felonies, following an incident at a beach bar that reportedly turned violent. He was booked into the Broward County Jail with a total bond set at $2,750. McAneney has been suspended indefinitely from ‌all ⁠team activities, the university confirmed on Thursday.

The arrest occurred around 2:30 a.m. near the Elbo Room Beach Bar and Rock Bar. Officers were called after McAneney was reportedly removed from several bars throughout the evening for causing disturbances. When police attempted to detain him for trespassing, he allegedly became “uncooperative and violent”. During the struggle, McAneney reportedly grabbed an officer’s arm and shirt, attempting to pull him down near a roadway with active traffic. In the ensuing struggle, the officer had to hit the FSU kicker to subdue him. The photo taken after his arrest showed him with a swollen lip and a bruised face.

He is facing the following charges: Battery on a law enforcement officer, which is a third-degree felony, resisting an officer with violence, another third-degree felony, and trespassing in an occupied structure, which is a first-degree misdemeanor. Each charge is currently listed on the County Sheriff’s record as “pending trial.” South Florida reporter Andy Slater was the first to break the news and share the photo of McAneney after his arrest.

The 6’3″ and 191 lbs kicker played 11 games last season at Quincy University, Illinois. He converted 7 of his 10 on-field goal attempts, and his 45-yard attempt stood the longest. During that time, McAneney also won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Special Teams player of the week award. In total, he averaged 60.2 yards on 49 kickoffs and had 16 touchbacks. But now that he is arrested, what will happen to his place in FSU’s roster?

Florida State, under Mike Norvell, has gone through several instances like Conor’s. In November of last year, redshirt freshman defensive back Ricky Knight III was arrested in Tallahassee following a reported burglary incident. Knight reportedly entered a residence to retrieve items he claimed he had purchased for an individual, including a laptop. Witnesses stated that Knight was yelling and got physical with one of the occupants after entering the dwelling.

Knight faced four specific charges: Two counts of Burglary with Assault or Battery, which is a first-degree felony, one count of Burglary of a Dwelling, and one count of Criminal Mischief. He was granted pre-trial release but was ordered to remain in Leon County and be monitored via GPS tracking. Quickly after the charges, head coach Mike Norvell suspended Knight indefinitely from all football-related activities. He was even removed from the official depth chart prior to their Virginia Tech game on November 15. But as of March, media reports indicate that Knight has returned to the team and is listed on the active 2026 spring roster.

Similar was the case with Charles Lester III when he was arrested in February last year. However, his fate wasn’t like Knight’s.

Will Florida State retain Conor McAneney in its roster

Though McAneney faces some serious charges, his football career may still be salvaged, as can be seen by the outcome of the Lester case. Redshirt freshman cornerback Charles Lester III was arrested on February 17, 2025, in Manatee County, Florida. He was charged with driving under the influence, speeding, and driving with a suspended license.

Officers stopped Lester for reportedly driving 61 mph in a 40 mph zone. The arresting officer noted an odor of alcohol, “bloodshot glassy eyes,” and a slight slur in Lester’s speech. Lester allegedly admitted to consuming “one cup of wine”. Moreover, his license had been previously suspended in late 2024 because he failed to submit a certificate for an online traffic safety course.

He posted a $500 bail bond and was released immediately after the arrest. Many speculated about his place in the Seminoles’ roster, but FSU decided to address Lester’s situation internally. “We are aware of the situation and are gathering all information. We will be addressing it internally,” an FSU spokesperson said. Following the arrest, he played in the 2025 season, appearing in multiple games including matchups against Wake Forest and Stanford. As of March 2026, Lester remains on the active Florida State football roster. So there is a way for McAneney to find his way back to the gridiron with the Seminoles.

Apart from Charles Lester, in the summer of 2024, Syheim Brown was also charged with a DUI and arrested. FSU suspended him for a game against Memphis in 2024, but he wasn’t removed from the team’s roster either. When you zoom out and consider the trends, Florida State’s policy, in recent years, often mandates temporary suspension for felony arrests and misdemeanors, which also includes internal discipline as the case warrants.

However, since Conor McAneney’s case looks serious from its facts, an indefinite suspension had to be handed out in the beginning to send out a message. The program, though, hasn’t released a statement yet. But since Conor is the starting Kickoff specialist and the deputy place kicker behind Gabe Panikowski, he may as well be let off with few game suspensions, if the charges turn out to be true.