FSU football: Transfer portal number tells story of last few years

FSU football head coach Mike Norvell may have taken the job in Tallahassee at one of the worst times possible. When he took over in early December 2019, the Noles had less talent on the roster and more roster holes at several different positions compared to at the end of the 2017 season.

Of course, we didn’t know they wouldn’t have normal practices in the spring, summer, and fall of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that inability to practice stunted player evaluations and development. It’s not uncommon to see a mass exodus from a roster after a coaching change, and that’s what happened during 2020.

FSU had about six scholarship players hit the transfer portal within the first six months after Norvell assumed the position. Two of those players found homes a Power 5 schools, with one signed by Jimbo Fisher and the other signed by Willie Taggart.

They had another six to leave before 2020 ended, and four of those players signed with Power 5 schools. Two of those players signed with Fisher, and the other two signed with Taggart.

The beginning of the 2021 season saw more attrition from the roster as Mike Norvell added players from the transfer portal. FSU has six more players enter the transfer portal before August 2021, with two of them find homes at Power 5 schools.

One player signed with Fisher, and three had committed to Fisher, and Taggart signed those and two more. However, there has been even more attrition since August 2021.