FSU football recruiting is a ride of highs and lows. After a week of highs, blue-chip quarterback Nicco Marchiol is no longer considered a commit.
He has not issued an official de-commitment but has removed all things affiliated with FSU from his social media profiles.
Marchiol committed on January 31 while on FSU’s campus and visited several times while helping spearhead an early surge of recruitment momentum along with Travis Hunter Jr.
The FSU coaching staff had always communicated they planned on taking two quarterbacks, but Marchiol’s energy changed once top 100 quarterback AJ Duffy committed.
Marchiol didn’t mention Duffy’s commitment at all on social media and went silent for a few days before posting a Bible verse.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Have a blessed Thursday everyone.
— Nicco Marchiol (@MarchiolNicco) April 29, 2021
The writing was on the wall, and Marchiol proceeded to schedule multiple official visits, which wouldn’t be a good look for FSU after Marchiol recruited so hard for the program.
The situation came down to who was going to budge. I suppose Marchiol called the staff’s bluff and visited Arizona State instead of attending FSU’s Midnight Madness event, and the word came Wednesday night he was no longer considered a commitment.
How does this impact the Noles?
Well, FSU football is in a great position with AJ Duffy committed. Duffy committed while Marchiol was committed, and Marchiol decided to begin looking elsewhere.
That tells me all I need to know about which player I’d want to lead my team. Marchiol was not a player that would have challenged for the job as a freshman, but that’s not the case with Duffy, especially if he can enroll in the spring.
FSU could still take two quarterbacks, but they don’t have to, with Jordan Travis, Tate Rodemaker, and Chubba Purdy having eligibility left after the 2021 season.
I don’t anticipate the coaching staff pursuing another quarterback unless someone comes out of nowhere and impresses them at a camp or something.
Duffy has been their No. 1 target the entire time.
The 2022 recruiting class drops from No. 10 to No. 12 nationally but still maintains the No. 1 spot in the ACC. The 2022 recruiting class consists of eight commitments at the moment.
Parting Thoughts
I think Nicco Marchiol is a good player that may have thought once he committed, the staff wouldn’t pursue another quarterback.
That may have been part of his motivation for recruiting so hard for the program. He may have thought that energy would scare off anyone else the coaching staff was pursuing at the time.
The multiple trips from Arizona to Tallahassee during a pandemic, committing in front of the Westcott Fountain and jumping on tons of podcasts talking about how he wanted to build the recruiting class and help bring FSU back.
While Marchiol was recruiting hard, Duffy is the type of player that attracts a different caliber of player. I’m not sure Marchiol had the cache to do that with where he’s ranked nationally.
Maybe he thought the coaching staff would change their mind and settle on him as the guy? All I know is his energy changed immediately once Duffy committed.
I’m glad the coaching staff nipped this situation in the bud before it could drag out. It would make the FSU coaching staff look crazy to have a quarterback that’s committed, visiting multiple places, and then posting a de-commitment note later down the line.
The coaching staff put it out there he’s not considered a commitment anymore before he could post the de-commitment let’s you know what’s up. Good luck to Nicco Marchiol, he helped FSU football a lot during the time he was committed.