I know Seminole fans do not want to hear this. It hurts and angers Florida State fans enough to watch the Canes' improbable run to the national title game. Ignoring reality does not foster growth or lead to improvement.
This is not a Miami love fest, but there is a template to enhance the Noles’ fortune in the upcoming seasons. It starts with defining and building a culture and a coach that can galvanize alumni and fans.
When searching in the transfer portal, it seems that skipping names and finding playmakers and players that have shown proof of concept and success would improve the Seminole’s plight.
Culture
I remember watching The U, Miami’s 30 for 30 series from ESPN. Ryan McNeil mentioned that “Florida State is a Miami Wannabe.” It is not my intention to turn Florida State into Miami, so let's push them to the side for a moment. Ryan Clark often advocates for LSU; Alabama players are not hard to find during big games.
Florida State seems to lack that kind of connection, and I can only point to the head coach. In addition to managing players and decisions, successful head coaches, much like seasoned CEOs, know who the key players outside the buildings are. I am more specifically talking about the Derrick Brooks’ of the world and players of that ilk
I am not advocating for any Michael Irvin belt lashings on the sidelines, but alums often provide light into the temperature around a program. With this new era of college football, “celebrities” and former players help a lot more than they hurt.
When Nick Saban retired, Florida State panicked when Mike Norvell’s name was attached to the Alabama job. Was that the point where everything shifted? I do not want to lay the decision of players to leave Tallahassee at Mike Norvell’s feet, but currently, FSU has somewhere between 27 and 32 players in the portal.
That is a lot of depth and players that could have an impact as soon as the upcoming season, at the very least, flirting with other teams. Schools like Auburn, Iowa State, and Florida are dealing with a similar problem, but all three are in the middle of replacing their head coach.
Vision
In the vein of Mario Cristobal, FSU has produced coaches and players elsewhere who love the university. How can the players buy in if the coach always takes shortcuts and forgoes development? With respect to the transfer portal, it appears that FSU is pursuing names.
Miami went with a veteran, albeit coming off an injury, who led teams to success. Obviously, having Georgia’s defense helps, but you get the point. The last two portal quarterbacks brought in to start were, for all intents and purposes, chased away from their previous teams. Recently, FSU chased DJ Lagway and signed Ashton Daniels. Lagway was a top recruit and has shown flashes, but for someone fighting for their job and has aspirations of being in the playoff race… not so much.
Tre Wisner is a great talent, but I would not say that outweighs the needs at linebacker and defensive line. I am happy that Norvell has brought in some offensive line talent, as that’s another area in which Miami had the right idea.
To challenge the Ohio States and SEC teams, as much as those skill players help, the formula starts in the trenches. Speed will always be available for a school in the state of Florida, but the big boys up front determine the outcome of a lot of games. Good teams accrue top talent, elite teams maximize the “right” talent.
The Final Spear
Florida State has the athleticism to match up with most teams. Penalties, blown assignments, and an overall lack of discipline are impeding forward progress. These are things that coaches can fix. Are the players listening? Has Norvell’s voice and easygoing nature (at times) gone stale?
Responding to mistakes and hiccups boils down to culture, which is what the rival to the south has shown us. The path back to glory is clear for Florida State. Are they ready to walk it instead of trying to run to the finish line?
For more College Football Analysis, Michael can be found on the Sports Reports as Ordered Podcast on YouTube, X, TikTok, and all DSPs.