Florida State dropped a huge piece of news this morning after revealing that a former blue-chip recruit had been dismissed from the program. Warchant confirmed with a school official this morning that defensive back Chuck Kennon was removed from the roster on Monday and has been effectively dismissed from the program for detrimental conduct.
A more specific reason for his dismissal was clearly not mentioned, but the loss of Kennon is a significant one. The defensive back battled injuries at the start of the season and failed to dress for multiple games. Kennon played a single snap against Virginia in Week 5, but was absent again in Week 6 against Louisville.
Kennon previously received plenty of praise ahead of the season from the coaching staff, who believed the defensive back could notably crack the rotation. The 2026 season did not pan out that way for Kennon, however, and now the two sides will be moving in different directions.
The sudden loss of the highest-rated recruit from the 2026 class is certainly a bad look for the program, but the timing of the dismissal is what makes the situation look worse for coach Mike Norvell.
Florida State dismisses two players in two weeks amid growing concerns surrounding Mike Norvell
With the dismissal of Kennon official, Florida State has now dismissed two players from the program in a matter of two weeks. Former FAU running back Gemari Sands was dismissed from the program on October 6, ahead of the Week 6 game against Louisville. Sands had not played this season, but even a general reason for the decision was not given.
The dismissals also come at an awkward time for Norvell, as former players have been taking less-than-subtle shots at the coach. Former Seminoles' receiver Lawayne McCoy, who is now a member of Louisville, posted a photo to Instagram where he celebrated a big catch directly in front of Norvell, with the location of a business called "Play Your Cards Right!" attached.
If the photo from a former player was not a bad enough look for Norvell, the comments from current and former players certainly are. Former Florida State stars Azareye'h Thomas and Shyheim Brown both commented on the post with laughing faces.
The public support from Florida State players and fans has been dipping dramatically this season, and with multiple players who have been coached by Norvell clearly displeased, there are no ringing endorsements left. The results on the field have been nowhere near what they should be, and dismissing players is often a sign of a culture issue.
If losing on the field has not been bad enough to buy Norvell out, losing the team in the locker room might do the trick. The idea of a potential midseason split seems unlikely at the moment, which means the current problems Norvell has can continue to spiral.
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