FSU football: Filling needs and player development keys to Nole revival
By Kelvin Hunt
Player Development
Player development is the area where FSU football has failed the most under the last two coaching staffs. There’s no question changing head coaches and coordinators makes it tough on players, but the sheer lack of physical development across the board is telling.
FSU has had more blue-chip players than 90 percent of the teams they’ve faced over the last three seasons. However, we’ve seen them get physically whipped across the board against teams they have no business struggling with.
We’ve seen the same blue-chip players over the last 2-3 years make the same mistakes repeatedly.
Here’s the crazy part about the lack of development. FSU football had 25 top 100 players to sign between 2015-2018. How many of them can you name? How many got drafted? How many made All-ACC First Team?
It’s great when a coaching staff can land elite talent, but if they can’t help that player become a dominant player, then it doesn’t count for anything. That’s why FSU football fans crying about where FSU ranks in the recruiting rankings makes me laugh.
“We’re only ranked No. 21 and Mike Norvell can’t recruit,” like getting all those top players the last 5-6 years made a difference.
Pittsburgh just demolished FSU last week, and guess what their recruiting rankings the past three years have been? They finished No. 48, No. 55, and No. 45 with one of the best defenses in the nation. They’ve signed ONE blue-chip defensive player since 2017, and he didn’t even play against FSU last week.