Florida State went over to Tuscaloosa and nearly conquered Alabama before a 30-minute delay allowed the floodgates to open in the second quarter. A 23-point quarter was enough to create a gap that the Seminoles could not overcome, especially when the Crimson Tide was able to fly through the defense with ease.
The result was far from what the program needed at this moment after a difficult loss to SMU in Week 1. Florida State entered Week 3 with plenty of questions that needed to be answered, but with the game now behind them, two particular questions that could define how the rest of the 2026 season goes.
1. When will Florida State make the necessary staff changes?
With a 1-2 record to start the 2026 season and rumors of a Jimbo Fisher reunion swirling, coach Mike Norvell may very well be hitting the curb soon. However, Norvell will not be the only one, nor should he, be given the unacceptable performance of the defense. Defensive coordinator Tony White is another person who has been on the hot seat as of late, and the loss to Alabama seems like the ideal time to make a change.
Florida State has been "considering" moving on from Norvell for quite some time now, and pulling the trigger on the move has been an issue. All signs point to a Norvell split before the 2027 season, which means his staff is likely hitting the door as well. New coaches rarely carry staff members over, and with the poor defensive performance, firing White is nowhere near as drastic as getting rid of Norvell.
The Seminoles will be playing Week 4 at home against Central Arkansas, which would give the program a perfect opportunity to make the coordinator change without the pressure of facing an ACC opponent. The timing is ideal for Florida State, but there are more changes that need to be made that go beyond the potential staff changes.
2. What should Florida State do next after the loss in Tuscaloosa?
While staff changes may be coming in Tallahassee, the Seminoles need a real plan moving forward, and there does not appear to be one at the moment. Florida State should start by shedding some of the weight with a change like letting defensive coordinator Tony White go after the disappointing defensive performance. The defense simply did not have any sort of toughness or serious physicality on the field against Alabama, and as the game went on and players began to get tired, the result only became worse.
Firing Norvell still appears to be in the cards, but letting go of White is the first step in attempting to salvage the 2026 season before it is too late. The offense deserves credit for putting together a 36-point performance against a notably strong defense, particularly after struggling to move the football through the first two games. There should realistically not be a game on the schedule where the Seminoles score 36 points and still lose, but doing so and losing by 14 is rather embarrassing.
Moving on from White would certainly be a step in the right direction, but the next issue that Florida State needs to tackle involves personnel. The defense, as mentioned, has been rather terrible this season while allowing an average of 490 yards and 31.3 points per game. Regardless of who the coordinator is, those are not acceptable averages, and at some point, the blame needs to be pointed at the team.
Perhaps the easiest position room to start with would be the defensive line, which has been arguably the least effective part of the defense. Florida State could essentially run out onto the field without a line and achieve the same results, as the line generated virtually no pressure in games against SMU and Alabama. The opponents might be tough, but the lack of production is forcing the rest of the defense to try to pick up the slack, which has clearly gone poorly.
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