The college football season is back in full swing across the nation, and nearly every program is looking to fill up part of the stadium with talented recruits. Week 1 for Florida State is bound to be a crucial game with the important extra sets of eyes. Week 0 was a productive recruiting opportunity overall for coach Mike Norvell, but the performance was not quite enough to help sway the commitment of a top 2027 target.
Nebraska commitment Timi Aliu made the trip from Locust Grove, Georgia, to Tallahassee for the Seminoles' Week 0 win. Aliu is considered to be a four-star offensive tackle in the 2027 class and the 270th-ranked recruit per Rivals.
Coach Mike Norvell has not been ready to give up on the pursuit of Aliu despite his commitment, and Florida State is making a serious push for the offensive tackle at the moment. Norvell may seriously want Aliu as part of the Seminoles' 2027 class, but the offensive tackle is not going to flip his commitment that easily following his visit.
Aliu announced his commitment to Nebraska back in May following a visit, but the athlete has not fully shut the door on his recruitment just yet. Florida State has been knocking on the door, but the Seminoles need more than just a productive visit to force a change.
Florida State's heavy push for Timi Aliu is not enough to force a commitment flip anytime soon
There are a couple of reasons why Norvell has been able to keep his job despite putting together losing records, and the success the program has seen in the recruiting department is one of the most glaring.
Florida State brought in one of the top recruiting classes in the country in the 2026 cycle, even though the team won just seven games in the last two seasons. Norvell often seems to have the right pitch when talking to recruits, but fewer recruits are likely to be interested in the program the farther away from a winning season Florida State is.
The talented offensive tackle from Georgia has quickly become arguably the top flip target in the 2027 class for Florida State. Norvell has put together a solid class in the cycle so far, but Florida State still does not have an offensive line commitment. Aliu would instantly become someone who could compete for a starting role as a freshman, and Norvell appears to be banking on hitting a home run to try to save the offensive line.
Recruits take notice of plenty of things during visits, and often the play on the field is what can sway the mind of a recruit the easiest. Florida State struggled along the offensive line against a weaker opponent like New Mexico State, which likely does not instill any confidence in Aliu or other offensive linemen.
Florida State is beginning to strike out on the last layer of options in the 2027 class despite still having some holes, and the rest of the class is now in danger after an unconvincing Week 0 performance. Other programs are beginning to work on Seminoles' commitments, which could force Norvell to find new replacements on top of offensive line help.
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