A promising Florida State University football recruit faces a serious legal challenge after his arrest in South Florida on felony charges, casting immediate doubt on his future with the storied programme.
Conor McAneney, a 21-year-old sophomore kicker who recently transferred to FSU, was booked into the Broward County jail on Wednesday, March 18. He remains in custody at the Broward Main Jail, with bond set at $2,750.
Court records show the Irish-born athlete is charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence, both third-degree felonies, alongside a charge of trespassing an occupied structure. The arrest, which took place in Fort Lauderdale, was first reported by sports reporter Andy Slater.
A mugshot from his booking file shows McAneney with a visibly bloodied and swollen lip, swelling on his jaw, and bruising in several places on his face. Local 10 News has submitted a request to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for the full arrest report to ascertain the circumstances leading to the alleged altercation.
A Transatlantic Football Journey Interrupted
McAneney’s path to Tallahassee was unconventional. A native of Plumbridge, Ireland, he previously played Gaelic football for CBS Omagh and the Drumragh Sarsfields club before focusing on American football. He first moved to the United States to play at Quincy University, a Division II school in Illinois.
There, he established himself as a reliable specialist. During the 2025 season, McAneney converted seven of his ten field goal attempts, with a career-long of 45 yards, and handled kickoff duties, averaging 60.2 yards per kick. His performance, which included a game-winning 45-yard field goal in overtime, earned him the Great Lakes Valley Conference Special Teams Player of the Week award in October 2025.
Seeking a step up, he entered the NCAA transfer portal on January 2 of this year and committed to Florida State just two weeks later on January 16. His physical transformation was noted; his listed weight increased from 175 pounds to 191 pounds in early March, suggesting he was preparing for the rigours of top-tier college football.
A Critical Void in the Seminoles’ Lineup
McAneney’s arrival was seen as a potential solution to a glaring weakness for the Seminoles. The team’s kicking game was a significant liability in the 2025 season, where starter Jake Weinberg converted only 63.2% of his field goal attempts (12 of 19). That percentage was the worst in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the seventh-worst among all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams.
Weinberg himself transferred to rival University of Miami in January, leaving the placekicker position wide open. McAneney was expected to compete for the starting job during spring practice, which had begun last week before being paused for the university’s spring break.
The arrest now throws that competition into disarray. A spokesperson for Florida State University did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding McAneney’s status with the team.
Broader Team Context Amid Spring Preparations
The Seminoles are currently in a period of transition. After a dominant 13-1 season and ACC Championship in 2023, the programme has struggled, compiling a 7-17 record over the past two campaigns, including a 5-7 finish last year.
Spring practice, which is split around the spring break period, is a crucial time for rebuilding. Coaches have noted increased leadership and buy-in from the squad. On-field storylines include a significant quarterback competition between Ashton Daniels and Kevin Sperry, concerns over defensive tackle depth following an NFL departure, and the promising return from injury of defensive lineman Deamontae Diggs.
The team is scheduled to resume practice on March 24. Whether Conor McAneney will be present, as a player or otherwise, is now a pressing question. Under Florida’s public records laws, his arrest details will become more clear; the Broward Sheriff’s Office maintains an online arrest search portal, noting that the information is for reference and an arrest does not imply guilt.
For now, a young athlete’s transatlantic sporting dream and a major college football programme’s plans for a key specialist role are on hold, pending the resolution of serious legal proceedings in a Fort Lauderdale courtroom.
