To say Mike Norvell is coaching for his job in 2026 would be a gross understatement; however, there still needs to be an emphasis beyond that. What is the bar? What is the assignment? Could sevenwins keep Norvell around another year?
In theory, it would be an improvement. Going from two wins to five counts as improvement, but anyone who watched Florida State this year did not see a "good" team. Would it matter who the wins and losses are against?
Last year, FSU finished with the sixth-ranked transfer portal class, according to 247 Sports. Four of the five teams that finished ahead of Florida State (Texas Tech, Oregon, Ole Miss, and Miami) all made the playoffs, with three of them in the semifinals. The other was LSU.
You would have to go down to number eleven to find the next team that made the playoffs (Texas A&M). Taking out the two Group of Five entries, and that gives you six of the top twenty portal classes that made the playoffs.
Going Forward
Florida State cannot expect to be a fly-by-night operation. While Norvell is saving himself in theory with one pick at a time, there is just too much volatility within the portal year over year to maintain as a priority.
Schools like Georgia and Ohio State were FSU’s peers at one point, and they can self-sustain and contend each year. What message is Florida State sending to high school players? The name of the game is to win, but at what cost?
Bringing Duce Robinson and Ja’Bril Rawls back has been great, but it would have been nice to keep Cai Bates, as well. With Kevin Sperry and now Ashton Daniels. Where does that leave Jaden O’Neal and Michael Grant beyond the next season?
The Final Spear
What will John Garrett’s stamp be? It is year one for Garrett, so let's see how things play out and if the vision becomes clear. Let's enjoy these moves in a vacuum, while not forgetting the formula. To return to that upper echelon, the portal will have to be used for must-haves and needs.
Florida State already recruits talent. Employ those assets and worry about a minimum number of impact players later. Development and in-house culture still pave the way to the ultimate success. Build the foundation to put Florida State where it belongs.
For more College Football Analysis, Michael can be found on the Sports Reports as Ordered Podcast on YouTube, X, TikTok, and all DSPs.