Florida State acquired many pieces for its roster via the transfer portal and high school recruiting ranks. The Seminoles had a rough patch in 2025 after starting the season with a 3-0 record, but they crumbled as the season went along, losing seven of their last nine games.
Head coach Mike Norvell is at the top of many people's hot seat lists in the preseason. However, Coach Norvell doesn't and shouldn't care about that. There are always doubters in this business of college football when things don't go well.
He has alluded to this in media sessions, saying he has lowered his head and will work relentlessly this offseason to change the program's narrative, which many expect to win championships. There is no spring game this year, and the media has limited access again. The time is now for Florida State to be successful.
Spring practices are underway for the Florida State football team
It might seem like we are so far from the start of college football again, but we will be here before we know it. The Seminoles open up with New Mexico State in Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, August 29th.
Head coach Mike Norvell has the difficulty of adding new pieces to the roster via the transfer portal and high school recruiting ranks, as well as trying to gel them together. This is the landscape of college football nowadays, and coaches have to adjust to it quickly.
With spring practices being limited, Norvell's media sessions become a great resource for a status update on how the team is performing. He recently mentioned how he is impressed with the linebacker position. The unit is led by assistant coach Ernie Sims, who used to be a player here.
The linebacker unit let the Seminoles down at times last season. Fans can look at the season finale against the arch-rival Florida Gators, where running back Jadan Baugh had over 200 rushing yards. Something had to give with the unit.
Sims has a talented room filled with pieces such as Chris Jones, Mikai Gbayor, Omar Graham Jr., Blake Nichelson, Caleb LaVallee, Izayia Williams, Karon Maycock, AJ Cottrill, and others. Jones will likely be the leader of the room with his production, but it is nice to hear that the linebackers are becoming a meaningful piece in the defense.