Everything Noles: For Florida State Seminoles Fans

Florida State spring football is over -- but the Seminole Wrap is back. Perry Kostidakis takes up hosting duty with fearless leader Brian Pellerin out on paternity leave, joined by staff writer Jordan Silversmith who has been up-close and in the trenches all spring long. After a quick recap of everything in the FSU sports world, Jordan shares his answers to some burning questions after Florida State’s Spring Showcase, including: What was there to like the most from Saturday’s showcase? Who was an expected stand out that lived up to the hype? Who was a surprise? What position groups to feel the most confident and most concerned about at this point What has been seen throughout spring that wasn’t on display Saturday? Offensive and defensive spring MVPs The two also discuss the way that the annual spring exhibition has been held under Mike Norvell, while Jordan shares some thoughts on the NFL Draft and the upcoming week in FSU baseball. All that and more on the Seminole Wrap podcast. ---------- 00:00 Introduction 00:13 Quick Recap of Florida State Sports 02:03 Deep Dive into Spring Showcase 02:57 Defensive Standouts and Potential Improvements 06:17 Offensive Analysis: Progress and Concerns 12:10 Transfer Portal Speculations and Team Needs 16:52 Spring MVPs and Standout Performers 20:59 Final Takeaways from Spring Football 26:35 The Spring Game Debate: Showcase vs. Traditional Game 39:22 NFL Draft Prospects and Predictions 45:49 FSU Baseball’s Challenging Week and Outlook 49:36 Wrapping Up: Host Reflections and Audience Engagement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I told (the team) after practice, I’m a head coach going into my ninth year, and you get a pretty good sense of a team by how the practice before the spring showcase or game (goes) and what their approach to it is.” Mike Norvell appreciated the effort exemplified by his players on Thursday. Florida State had its last “physical” practice of the spring today before the gates of Doak Cambell Stadium open, and the public gets to see what the team looks like. The Seminoles went out with a bang with explosive plays, competitive situations, and a couple of emotional moments that crossed the line. Although the headman did not admit it, the defense won the final practice. Poor offensive execution, mainly drops, helped Adam Fuller’s unit stay in front, as the offense did not know where to go with the ball most of the day. The key to success came from the stout secondary play that suffocated the wide receivers. Patrick Surtain stapled Azareye’h Thomas and Fentrell Cypress to the field, and they delivered with sticky coverage and pass break-ups. As Mike Norvell mentioned in his press conference, the offense worked heavily on the short passing game and screens, which meant Jaylin Lucas played a featured role. As noted, the Seminoles will suit up inside Doak Cambell Stadium for the first time in 2024 at 4 P.M. on Saturday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Usually, Florida State football takes center stage in Tallahassee. Not today. As the football team started doing their outside work, the baseball team began batting practice. At the same time, Lottie Woad started doing an interview about her accomplishments at Augusta National this past weekend. Of course, Mike Norvell does not care about the outside noise, and he guided his team to one of their cleanest practices of the spring. Both sides of the ball focused on fundamentals in the early portion of practice, such as blocking and tackling. The offense and defense battled competitively throughout the day, each taking turns and winning consistent reps. The day started with the defense dominating, as they only allowed one positive play during 11-on-11 in the first portion of practice. However, the offense responded, and their receivers later led the charge. Momentum swung when Lawayne McCoy caught a pass over the middle, and instantly, AZ Thomas drilled him into the ground. He held on, and it sparked the group. A few plays later, Hykeem Williams found himself wide open as his corner route busted the defense’s zone, drawing praise from Mike Norvell. One of the keys to the resurgence came from the offensive line. Today felt like one of their most consistent days, as they picked up blitzes nicely and gave the quarterbacks a clean pocket to throw in. Of course, the defensive line did what they do during run-blocking drills, but Alex Atkins seems pleased with the group's progress. With positives all around, it felt like the scrimmage on Saturday could be a catalyst for the rest of the spring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida State football held its second spring of the scrimmage on Saturday, April 6, with the offense in particular putting on a performance that head coach Mike Norvell was excited to see after an up-and-down week. Some really good moments defensively, a couple big stops, a couple created takeaways — but I thought overall, the offense did a nice job in how they executed.” “The quarterback play was really good: DJ had a couple long, extended drives [and the] offense had some explosive plays put in there...I thought today was his best day. He’s had some good days in spring practice, but today he operated at a very, very high level. You saw the confidence of the ball getting out [and] where it’s going, even on a couple throwaways — you could tell he was in control.” [Brock also] had some good plays, moments. Obviously any time in spring scrimmages, we keep the quarterbacks in tag mode so there are some times where maybe they would get out, maybe they wouldn’t — but it’s still opportunities to have to react to whatever the situation calls for.” “I thought the receivers did a good job, because there had been some missed opportunities throughout the week and I thought they really rose up...It was definitely good to see guys take advantage of those balls coming their way. Lawayne McCoy had a big play, Camdon Frier had a big explosive play.” “[The tight ends] made some tough catches. Brian Courtney had a couple, Landen Thomas continues to show he’s on the fast track. Jackson West had a really big play, explosive pass and Kyle [Morlock]...has really taken a step in who he is. I thought he had a great week of practice this week. I think that group, they’re really about the right things.” While the offense seemed to carry the momentum of the day, he still had plenty of praise for the defense, specifically offering compliments to the defensive front, who said continue to showcase their explosiveness “especially when we get into longer situations,” where “you see those guys pin their ears back.” “Marvin Jones, you saw him, Sione [Lolohea], Tomy [Durojaiye] even had a couple really good plays.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Norvell rarely makes definite statements during his media availability after practice. Today, he changed his tune. “I thought the defense was definitely the winner today.” After a mistake-filled practice on Tuesday, Adam Fuller’s group wanted to respond on Thursday. An interception from Justin Cryer on the first snaps of 11-on-11 work sent them in the right direction. All three levels worked in tandem together and wreaked havoc for the offense. The defensive line dominated as they squeezed the pocket against the pass and exploded into the backfield against the run. The linebacking core, led by DJ Lundy, communicated more effectively today than last practice and put all the players on the same page. With everything smooth in front of them, the secondary did its thing as the QBs were frequently forced to pull the ball down, and coaches needed to blow the play dead from coverage sacks. The day was not all bad for the offense as their young freshman stepped up and made plays. Luke Kromehoek, Kam Davis, and Camdon Frier impressed and will be written about later. The coaching staff wants to continue to give their young guns more run, and they trust the work they have put in. Specifically, the Luke-Camdon connection grows every day in practice, and they hooked up for a couple of nice throws and catches during the 1-on-1 portion of practice. After the day ended, Mike Norvell announced Destyn Hill and Jerrale Powers would be out for the rest of spring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The start of conference play came with a rather tough week for the Florida State softball team. In one week, the Noles played five games against three ranked opponents — the Alabama Crimson Tide, Duke Blue Devils and Texas Longhorns. By week’s end, the Noles found themselves going 1-4 with a 10-0 run-rule loss to Texas as the exclamation point of it all. But since then, the Noles have looked like the dominant force we’re accustomed to seeing. Across the following two ACC series. the Noles swept both the Pitt Panthers and NC State Wolf Pack, run-ruling four of six games and outscoring their opponents 64-22 in that stretch. In this episode of the Seminole Softball Wrap, Gwyn Rhodes and Brian Pellerin discuss the rough week before and rebound that followed. Which version of the Seminoles is the real deal? Who has stepped up to help this team find its stride? How does FSU’s upcoming schedule set them up for the close to the season? All that and plus Gwyn shares some of her FSU memorabilia haul from the First Pitch Party when FSU opened the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boys are back. Not the Florida State Seminoles men’s basketball team, who are missing from the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, but rather Matt Minnick and Michael Rogner, hosts of The Gospel of Ham. In this episode, Minnick and Rogner reflect on Florida State’s 2023-2024 basketball season — an inconsistent and frustrating year from the Seminoles that the duo attributes to a lack of competitiveness and defensive issues. The two also talk about the ACC’s performance in the tournament, noting the conference’s overachievement relative to seeding and discussing reasons behind this trend, such as the ACC being undervalued by metrics and poor conference scheduling: a reflection of ACC leadership’s strategies and the conference’s overall management, especially in comparison to other conferences. They also discuss FSU’s roster, from the impact of departing players (De’Ante Green, Baba Miller and Primo Spears) to potential transfers and recruits for Florida State, emphasizing the need for experienced players from winning programs to improve the team’s competitiveness and toughness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida State switched things up with its first scrimmage of the spring on Thursday, giving head coach Mike Norvell and his staff an early glimpse into where the team sits after putting four practices in the books. “I thought it was a good opportunity for guys to see exactly where they are,” he said following the scrimmage, noting that it was the earliest he’s held one in spring. “No coaches, no extra assistance, having to go out there and communicate, operate, understand the play that you have but also know the details and fundamentals.” “For the most part, I thought the guys did a really good job of understanding. It was a lot better than what I really expected.” With ACC referees in attendance to emphasize a need for mindful reps, the coach said “there a few focus penalties, things that showed up” that will be targeted as the team moves to a more cohesive place. “In the understanding of what to do, we’ve got to continue to improve on how to do. The techniques and the fundamentals, some things with our footwork, our eyes — those are all things that we get an opportunity go and get better.” The offense, in Norvell’s eyes, missed a few opportunities (“throws we’d definitely like to have back, missed opportunities where we had a chance to finish a play but didn’t”) but still managed to execute on some big plays, saying running back Kam Davis and wide receiver Malik Benson both found the endzone while also namedropping running back Caziah Holmes. The offensive line, in Norvell’s eyes, did a solid job while the staff mixed things up with a variety of personnel groupings. Speaking on his quarterback room, he offered some high praise for early-enrollee Luke Kromenhoek, calling his performance “outstanding” for a first-time out. Speaking on the defense, Norvell said the linebackers have “been one of the pleasant surprises to start the spring,” complimenting DJ Lundy for looking “like what we needed him to look like” in a veteran role. Byron Turner, Sione Lolohea, Marvin Jones Jr., Tomiwa Durojaiye, Darrell Jackson and Pat Payton, who had a sack, were pinpointed when talking about the defensive front, who Norvell said “did a really solid job” while making the same caveat that there are fundamentals and finer details still deserving of polishing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Seminole Softball Wrap and hosts Brian Pellerin and Gwen Rhodes are back, chatting about why they took a little break (hint: Perry got married, got lazy and forgot to upload the last pod.) The duo jump right into the thick of Florida State softball's early season performances, including the games in Clearwater, how the weather messed with the Oregon tournament, some key wins, and finally, looking forward to the big game against Alabama. Joining them this time is Sydney Supple, a former Northwestern pitcher currently diving into journalism, covering college softball for big names like ACC Network and ESPN Plus. Sydney adds a ton of great insight into what's going on with FSU softball, specifically calling out the team's solid offense, the evolving pitching strategies, and giving a shoutout to some of the newer players who are stepping up in big ways. The conversation takes a deeper dive into specifics like how disciplined FSU is at the plate, the potential for the pitching staff to shape up as the season progresses, and highlighting a few players who have made a significant impact. It's not just about praising the good stuff, though. They also get into areas the team is working on, like finding the right mix in the pitching rotation and getting the batting lineup just right. Sydney expresses optimism for the pitching staff, calling out some fresh faces that have been promising, and everyone weighs in on how the team is shaping up as they head deeper into the season. They also touch on how FSU's team dynamics play into their strengths and areas for growth, emphasizing the team's work ethic and the culture within FSU softball. Wrapping up, they look forward to FSU's upcoming matchups and the crucial learning opportunities these high-stakes games represent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Florida State Seminoles softball season is officially underway after Team 41 hosted the JoAnne Graf Classic this weekend in Tallahassee. The Noles got off to a disappointing start with a 5-6 extra-inning loss to Charlotte but quickly rebounded to finish the rest of the weekend 4-0, blowing out their opponents in three games by a total of 28-2 and a walk-off win over Texas Tech in the other. On this episode of the Seminole Softball Wrap, Gwyn Rhodes and Brian Pellerin recap the weekend that was and look ahead to what’s to come to this weekend in Clearwater. What did we learn from not just the performance but also the usage of the pitchers over the five-game slate? The freshmen across the roster — especially Jaysoni Beachum and Isa Torres — made a strong impression in their first weekend wearing garnet and gold. What could that mean for the pitching staff and this already deep lineup? Gwyn is already looking for help with nicknaming one freshman’s home runs. The defensive puzzle pieces begin their shuffle. Torres appears to lay claim to shortstop, but third, first and the corner outfield spots could have some hot competition throughout the season. Plus, a big weekend coming in Clearwater. What can fans expect in ranked matchups with Stanford, UCLA, Georgia and Tennessee? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a tough last year for the Florida State Seminoles baseball team. Coach Link Jarrett’s first year at the helm in Tallahassee saw a postseason streak end, a losing record, coaching turnover, and most recently, the loss of the legendary Mike Martin Sr. In his first season, Jarrett and the staff suffered at the hands of bad timing as their arrival at Florida State was late in the transfer portal season. The result was poor depth in the rotation and an inability to target problem areas in the lineup. Still, the Seminoles started out strong before falling into multi-game losing streaks at several points in the season. The staff struggled to make it deep into games and the lineup looked lost at times. To combat last year’s struggles, Florida State revamped the staff with coaches Micah Posey and Ty Megahee. On the field, the pitching staff added seven arms from the transfer portal including likely weekend starter Cam Leiter. The Seminoles also bolstered the bats with six transfers including a pair of slugging middle infielders in Alex Lodise and Drew Faurot. These additions along with the returns of Cam Smith, Jaime Ferrer, and James Tibbs should improve an offense that slumped last year. With all the new faces, just how will the Seminoles handle the 2024 season? We’ll discuss this with Noles247’s Brett Nevitt. The former Tomahawk Nation contributor is the best on the beat when it comes to Florida State Baseball. Nevitt will break down which arms to expect in the rotation, which names will make an impact, how the lineup will look, and more. All this and more in our special preview podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Florida State softball team is less than three weeks away from opening their season in the JoAnne Graf Classic in Tallahassee against Charlotte. With Team 40 finishing as the Women’s College World Series runner-up, the expectations for Team 41 remain high. This week, Brian Pellerin and Gwyn Rhodes of the Seminole Softball Wrap podcast wrap up their pre-season previews with a look at the Seminoles' roster as they head into 2024. With the loss of star senior Kat Sandercock in the circle and the return of seven top offensive players from the 2023 lineup, the offense figures to be the strong suit of this roster. But they’re not without their options in the pitching staff. In this episode: How does this lineup compare to last year’s? Can they replicate the success of 2023? Where does the lineup still need to improve? Who could step up to fill the spaces vacated by Josie Muffley and Mack Leonard? How will Makenna Reid step into the ace role? Who else could we see step up to add depth to the rest of the staff? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday, we looked at Florida State football’s transfer portal additions on the offensive side of the ball. Today, we switch over to defense, where the Seminoles have seemingly plugged quite a few holes, although some questions remain heading into spring. DE Marvin Jones Jr. DE Sione Lolohea DL Tomiwa Durojaiye DT Grady Kelly LB Shawn Murphy LB DJ Lundy DB Earl Little Jr. DB Davonte Brown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Three Stars are back! On today’s episode, we discuss each offensive addition from the transfer portal and where we think Florida State football could still use some help after spring on that side of the ball. QB DJ Uiagalelei: Measures 6’4 250 pounds. Began his college career for the Clemson Tigers, before transferring to Oregon State and playing in 12 games for the Beavers this past season, completing 57% of his passes, while throwing for 2638 yards (220 yds/game) on a career-high 8.4 yards per attempt and 21 touchdowns (against 7 interceptions). He also added 219 yards on the ground along with 6 touchdowns.He has an incredibly strong arm and should be an asset with his legs in short-yardage situations, as well. RB Roydell Williams: Brings a ton of experience with him to Tallahassee. He played in 45 career games for Alabama over four seasons, both as part of the Crimson Tide’s stacked running back rotation and on special teams. He totaled 234 rushes for 1,165 yards and 11 touchdowns, good for a career average of 5.0 yards per attempt. He also caught 21 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. ATH Jaylin Lucas: Makes his impact in the return game.In his true freshman season in 2022, Lucas earned first-team All-America kick returner honors from numerous outlets after returning 22 kicks for 591 yards and two touchdowns. This year, he returned another 22 kicks for 572 yards and a touchdown. WR Jalen Brown: From NT&T when Brown was being recruited by FSU out of high school: The first thing you notice about Brown is his advanced footwork and ability to change direction on a dime. Though he’s still a raw talent, this skillset will help him greatly with mastering routes and improvising when the quarterback scrambles. He’s able to make over-the-shoulder catches look routine and has great spatial awareness when using the sideline against defenders. His confidence is a blast to watch because he often backs up smack talk, and he has the potential to develop into a dependable starter who can break big plays every game. WR Malik Benson: His 247Sports projection out of JUCO: Standout high school track athlete running as low as the 10.4’s in the 100-meter dash. Also had great marks in the 200-meter dash and the long-jump. Is not just a track athlete playing football though. He showed in high school and two seasons of junior college that he can be productive on the gridiron. Uses his explosiveness and top end to take a top off the defense and is also a threat to score on short passes. Is not just fast, but is a slippery open field runner who shows he can break tackles and has good balance. Sudden on double moves and has improved a lot in his route running craft. Adequate size and physical strength but a special athlete who has major big-play ability. Shows he can make contested catches when need be, but remains to be seen if he can consistently do that against Power Five competition. But he projects as a high-impact guy at a major program and has clear NFL early-round upside. IOL Terrance Ferguson Played in 11 games for Alabama over three seasons due to the Crimson Tide’s extensive depth in the OL room. He was considered a prime candidate to become a starter next season for Alabama. Heading into his redshirt-junior season with two years of eligibility remaining, Ferguson has the versatility to play either guard or center and will be a welcome and talented addition to the offensive line unit. IOL Richie Leonard Started all 12 games at left guard for the Gators in 2023, leading the offensive line in snaps with 755 and grading at 65.9 per PFF. He played in 31 total games for UF over three seasons. Heading into his Senior season, Leonard will slot into the rotation at guard and has a ceiling of a starting role, with a floor of bringing experience to the offensive line room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, you’re reading this correctly — Florida State is on a four-game win streak, now 10-6 on the season and 4-1 on the ACC just a month after dropping a buy game to Lipscomb. With the resurgence of the Seminoles, its only fitting to drop a new episode of the Gospel of Ham — the only Florida State basketball-focused podcast around. On the latest show, Matt Minnick and Michael Rogner recap everything that’s happened with the Noles since they last spoke — from disappointing losses via blown leads to a newfound spark within the squad buoyed by the defense. In a detailed breakdown, they analyze FSU’s rise in KenPom rankings, scrutinizing the team’s struggle in December and its subsequent upturn in January — as well FSU’s chances of making the NCAA tournament. The conversation also centers around key players like Primo Spears, Baba Miller, Jaylen Gainey, and Bol Bowen, discussing their pivotal roles in the team’s improvement. In addition, the duo breaks down FSU’s next two opponents: the Miami Hurricanes and Clemson Tigers, the latter of which sees Matt calling his shot for the Seminoles to upset the Tigers by 10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boys are back in town. Since the Three Stars last convened in the aftermath of the Early Signing Period, there’s been a ton going on in the world of Florida State football — and there’s more to come. From Mike Norvell’s new FSU contract after spurning the Alabama Crimson Tide in the wake of Nick Saban’s retirement to the sanctions that were announced by the NCAA against the Seminole football program in the wake of the Amarius Mims (Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle) recruitment last offseason and updates on a couple prospects the Noles might add to round out the prep signings for Tribe 24, we’ve got a chock-full Florida State of Recruiting podcast for you. Topics covered today include: Florida State, under the leadership of President Richard McCullough, and especially Athletic Director Mike Alford, were able to hold off Alabama for Mike Norvell after Nick Saban’s retirement. What does it mean on and off the field for FSU going forward? What do the NCAA sanctions mean for the FSU football program and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins? Update on the recruitment of four-star defensive end prospect Amaree Williams. Update on a new name at quarterback: four-star signal-caller and former Ole Miss Rebels commit Trever Jackson has received some crystal balls in FSU’s favor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the opener about one month away, the Seminole Softball Wrap podcast continues its Florida State softball season previews with a look at the Seminoles non-conference schedule. Trips to Clearwater, Fort Myers and Eugene, Oregon headline the non-conference schedule for FSU, but they also host two tournaments and have some marquee, midweek SEC matchups. Four of the seven other teams that played in the Women’s College World Series — the Washington Huskies, Stanford Cardinals, Tennessee Lady Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide — are on the schedule this year plus the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, Florida Gators, McNeese Cowgirls, Charlotte 49ers and Texas Longhorns, who all made the tournament a year ago with the Ducks and Longhorns losing in the Super Regionals. Will they all still be as good heading into the 2024 season? Who could surprise from the teams not mentioned? And which tournament stands out the most for the Noles? Brian Pellerin and Gwyn Rhodes discuss on this episode of the Seminole Softball Wrap podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a busy holiday season for the Florida State Seminoles football program. An appearance in the Orange Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs didn’t go very well. Plus, a wild transfer portal carousel at the quarterback position that had a handful of options spinning around ended with former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei joining Mike Norvell’s team. On the first off-season episode of the Seminole Wrap podcast, Brian Pellerin, Jon Marchant and Ben Meyerson will dive into what we learned from the Noles mostly reserve roster getting beat up by the two-time defending champs. And what can the FSU faithful expect from DJU? After three years with the rival Tigers in the ACC, many weren’t very impressed with the former blue-chip prospect. But did the year in Corvallis with the overperforming Beavers change our perspective on Uiagalelei’s potential? All that on this episode of the Seminole Wrap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida State’s Board of Trustees took the first step of leaving the ACC today, with members voting unanimously to legally challenge the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Grant of Right agreement. “Today we’ve reached a crossroad in our relationship with the ACC,” FSU Board of Trustees chair Peter Collins said. “I believe this board has been left no choice but to challenge the legitimacy of the ACC grant of rights and its severe withdrawal penalties” FSU outside council David Ashburn laid out what FSU will argue to challenge the Grant of Rights, among them: The ACC’s exit fees and Grant of Rights penalty violate Florida antitrust law The GOR presents an unenforceable penalty Breach of contract Breach of fiduciary duty Violation of Public Policy Fundamental failure of contractual purpose Several new bombshell pieces of information came to light during today’s meeting The ACC is not guaranteed any television revenue after 2027 — something that was unable to be known unless members took the time to fly to Charlotte and review the locked-down contract. ESPN has a unilateral right to extend the ACC’s media deal after 2027 but hasn’t exercised that option yet. The ACC also extended the window for ESPN to pick up that option until 2025 without a vote of the schools or conference directors as was required by the conference bylaws. Ashburn stated that FSU signed the 2016 Grant of Rights agreement because ESPN gave an ultimatum that it would not enter into any additional media agreements unless the GOR was extended through 2036. He immediately followed that with “We don’t believe that holds water.” Speculation began stirring when reports surfaced earlier this week about FSU exploring its future in the ACC. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Florida State will likely partner with Sixth Street Partners to help fund the ACC exit. Florida State’s relationship with the conference has become increasingly strained over the last year. Florida State Athletic Director Michael Alford gave a presentation to the FSU Board of Trustees last February outlining the growing financial gap ACC schools will be facing compared to those in the Big Ten and SEC. Alford gave a blunt summation of the situation with “Something has to change.” Just prior to the annual ACC meetings in May 2023 news of the “Magnificent Seven” in the ACC sent shock waves across the college football landscape. It became known that Florida State, Clemson, Miami, UNC, NC State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech had explored possible avenues to leave the conference. The ACC then undertook a controversial western expansion adding Cal, Stanford, and SMU despite objections from Florida State, UNC, and Clemson. This was speculated to be a move to act as a buffer against future defections. Florida State’s snub from the College Football Playoff was the straw that broke the camel’s back. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips was largely absent while SEC commissioner Greg Sankey was on ESPN constantly lobbying for a spot for his conference. FSU becoming the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to be left out of the playoffs confirmed the ACC’s spot as a 2nd tier league going forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida State has the No. 9 ranked class in the 247Sports Composite Rankings, while ranking No. 11 in the On3 Industry Rankings. Although many wanted to act like the sky was falling for FSU on National Signing Day, on the whole, the Noles had a really solid class with a blue-chip ratio of 68% according to 247Sports and 59% according to On3. However, there were two major flips on the day: five-star safety KJ Bolden to the Georgia Bulldogs (fairly unexpected) and five-star defensive lineman Armondo Blount to the Miami Hurricanes (100% expected) — echoing a trend that we’ve seen two years prior of high-profile flips (Travis Hunter and Keldric Faulk) when it’s time to seal the deal. In the latest episode of the Florida State of Recruiting, the Three Stars break down overall thoughts on the class, as well as: Favorite offensive and defensive players Who has the highest NFL potential Which overlooked player fans should get familiar with Who sees the field the quickest Signees: 3-star defensive line commit Jayden Todd 3-star kicker Jake Weinberg 4-star running back Micahi Danzy 4-star wide receiver Elijah Moore 4-star defensive back Charles Lester III 4-star defensive back Cai Bates 4-star wide receiver BJ Gibson 4-star defensive back Jamari Howard 4-star wide receiver Lawayne McCoy 3-star defensive line Jamorie Flagg 4-star offensive line Jonathan Daniels 4-star wide receiver Camdon Frier 4-star tight end Landen Thomas 4-star offensive line Manasse Itete 4-star defensive line DD Holmes 4-star quarterback Luke Kromenhoek 3-star offensive line Tye Hylton 3-star linebacker Timir Hickman-Collins 3-star linebacker Jayden Parrish 4-star defensive back Ricky Knight 4-star running back Kameron Davis 3-star defensive line D’Nas White Flips 5-star defensive back commit KJ Bolden (switched commitment to Georgia Bulldogs) 5-star defensive line commit Armondo Blount (switched commitment to Miami)\ 247Sports Composite Rankings No. 1: Georgia Bulldogs, 28 Commits, 93.58 Avg, 315.22 Points (4 five stars, 20 four stars) No. 2: Alabama Crimson Tide, 25 Commits, 92.82 Avg, 300.75 Points (3 five stars, 17 four stars) No. 3: Miami Hurricanes, 27 Commits, 90.78 Avg, 289.44 Points (2 five stars, 11 four stars) No. 4: Ohio State Buckeyes, 21 Commits, 92.92 Avg, 288.81 Points (5 five stars, 12 four stars) No. 5: Oregon Ducks, 25 Commits, 91.91 Avg, 285.80 Points (0 five stars, 20 four stars) No. 6: Texas Longhorns, 21 Commits, 92.33 Avg, 285.57 Points (4 five stars, 14 four stars) No. 7: Auburn Tigers, 20 Commits, 92.20 Avg, 277.33 Points (2 five stars, 13 four stars) No. 8: Oklahoma Sooners, 28 Commits, 90.81 Avg, 276.39 Points (1 five star, 18 four stars) No. 9: Florida State Seminoles, 22 Commits, 91.07 Avg, 274.63 Points (0 five stars, 15 four stars) No. 10: Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 23 Commits, 91.41 Avg, 274.44 Points (1 five star, 15 four stars) On3 Industry Rankings No. 1: Georgia Bulldogs, 28 Commits, 92.20 Avg, 94.513 Score (3 five stars, 19 four stars) No. 2: Alabama Crimson Tide, 25 Commits, 91.98 Avg, 93.657 Score (3 five stars, 16 four stars) No. 3: Ohio State Buckeyes, 20 Commits, 91.81 Avg, 92.708 Score (4 five stars, 10 four stars) No. 4: Miami Hurricanes, 27 Commits, 90.08 Avg, 92.650 Score (2 five stars, 11 four stars) No. 5: Texas Longhorns, 21 Commits, 91.43 Avg, 92.582 Score (3 five stars, 14 four stars) No. 6: Oregon Ducks, 25 Commits, 91.08 Avg, 92.546 Score (0 five stars, 18 four stars) No. 7: Auburn Tigers, 20 Commits, 91.46 Avg, 92.125 Score (2 five stars, 11 four stars) No. 8: Oklahoma Sooners, 27 Commits, 90.34 Avg, 91.864 Score (1 five star, 15 four stars) No. 9: Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 23 Commits, 90.77 Avg, 91.764 Score (1 five star, 12 four stars) No. 10: LSU Tigers, 27 Commits, 90.04 Avg, 91.707 Score (0 five stars, 17 four stars) No. 11: Florida State Seminoles, 22 Commits, 89.96 Avg, 91.593 Score (0 five stars, 13 four stars) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices