How FSU Football has succeeded in recruiting South Florida over years

FSU football has been, over the last four decades, the only program who has consistently been able to go into the area and take loads of top talent.

For years, FSU football fans have had to hear their annoying friends or family members who root for the rival Miami Hurricanes talk about what the program perceives as the” State of Miami” – a notion where what used to be “The U” thinks they can get any recruit they want from the South Florida area just by asking.

While the Canes have been successful in getting some top talent to stay home – as any school should be able to do – the Seminoles have been able to be, judging by the numbers, the only school that has come into the talent rich area and won more than a rare recruiting battle with the hometown team.

Florida State Seminoles Football

While Florida State had its share of players from the six county area – the east coast greatness that is Miami-Dade. Broward and Palm Beach counties along with the west coast of Lee, Collier and Monroe counties – through the first few decades, it wasn’t until legendary former coach Bobby Bowden came to town in 1976 that an emphasis was put on the area.

Over the first seven seasons of Bowden’s tenure (1976-82), FSU football built up the number of players from the region that culminated with 20 players on the 1982 squad. The numbers predictably went down during a seven season period between 1983 and 1989 – including a low of 10 players – as Miami was the dominant force in football with three national titles.

Then came the 1990’s – and a decade where the Seminoles didn’t just dominate college football but also South Florida recruiting. Bringing in players like Marvin Jones, Andre Wadsworth, Rock Preston, Devin Bush and more, the Seminoles never had less than 20 South Florida players on their roster during a 12 season period between 1990 and 2001 – a period that included nine ACC crowns in 10 seasons and two national titles.

The success during that time was possibly because of the attention Bowden put toward recruiting the area, particularly using longtime assistant Chuck Amato in the area to make connections. When Amato went to N.C. State, he took that with him as the Seminoles had just 20 South Florida players just once between the 2002 and 2009 seasons.

When Jimbo Fisher arrived back on the scene, so did an emphasis on the 305, 954, 561 and 239. In his eight seasons as head coach, FSU football has never had less than 23 players on the roster from the area – including a program high 31 players during the national title winning season of 2013.

All of that is because of an emphasis on recruiting the area, with longtime South Florida recruiters like Tim Brewster and Bill Miller (and Jimbo himself) bringing in players like Dalvin Cook, Devonta Freeman, Lamarcus Joyner, Kelvin Benjamin and current stars like James Blackman and Matthew Thomas.

Next: Top FSU Football Wins Over Miami and Florida

The Miami Hurricanes can brag about being the team that runs South Florida – but just like the recent seven game losing streak they have to FSU football proves, the Seminoles run the ENTIRE STATE…including the Canes’ backyard.