Week 5 preparations are officially underway, and Florida State faces a very tough battle against a familiar ACC foe in the Virginia Cavaliers. The Seminoles lost to the Cavaliers in double overtime last season, but must avoid a similar fate to bring some sort of promise to the 2026 season.
Everyone has heard this story before at this point; coach Mike Norvell needs to win to keep Florida State relevant. Saving his job and saving the jobs of the rest of the staff may already be too far gone, but that does not mean the Seminoles can afford to look below average any longer. Sometimes changes are needed to find better results, and without any coaching changes, the next place to look is the lineup.
Heading into the season, defensive back Jordan Crutchfield became a major talking point due to his success in camp. Injuries have held Crutchfield back thus far, but it might be time for the Seminoles' staff to give the defender a true role moving forward.
Mike Norvell asked about #FSU's younger players who caught his eye on Saturday. He mentions three: LB Karon Maycock “had a couple space plays,” which included a TFL. DB Jordan Crutchfield “you see the flashes.” WR Jasen Lopez got “a little bit more extended play.”
— Bob Ferrante (@BobFerrante) September 28, 2026
Giving Jordan Crutchfield a spot within the defense could give Florida State a much-needed spark
While many of the younger players were unable to see much of the field in Week 4 against Central Arkansas, the Seminoles managed to get Crutchfield a decent chunk of action. The former four-star recruit notched his first collegiate tackle against the Bears and now looks to build off his success from his first real college football experience.
The freshman impressed the Seminoles' staff early ahead of the season, and quickly became someone who was destined to be worked into the lineup. A few nagging injuries have kept Crutchfield away from the playing field for the most part, but with his health no longer an issue, it is time to fully unleash his potential.
It is no secret that defensive coordinator Tony White and the Florida State defense have had issues being consistently effective in 2026, but now there needs to be answers to the questions. Florida State has walked through four games without showing any true, long-lasting improvements that carry over into the next game. White certainly needs to shoulder a good portion of the blame, but as long as he is in the picture, the next solution is giving more players more chances.
Playing Crutchfield, or any other players, means someone needs to see less of the field, and a possible swap could be with the likes of Nehemiah Chandler or Ashlynd Barker moving forward.
Chandler entered the season as a defensive back who was on the outside looking in, hoping to break into a role for the Seminoles. A good Week 0 performance and an interception against SMU helped propel his ascent, but Chandler has struggled in the two games since. No Quindarrius Jones meant someone had to step up, but it might be time to give Crutchfield a shot at making something happen with a portion of Chandler's snaps.
Florida State has been banged up in the secondary all season, and even before the games started, there were injury concerns. Barker has been dealing with injuries all season and has recently been seen sporting a cast during games. Barker broke a bone in his forearm and has still been out on the field due to injury concerns elsewhere.
Credit to Barker for powering through the issues, but Florida State needs to work on a real solution, and giving Crutchfield a chance to play a more natural position is the best option.
Perhaps the worst thing Florida State could do moving forward is keep Crutchfield in the limbo he is currently in. Playing the talented young defensive back is the best way to ensure his development is on track, and failing to do so would be a terrible look for the staff.
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