Mike Norvell missing out on 4-star QB target is another gut punch for FSU

Mike Norvell put in all this time into recruiting four-star quarterback Israel Abrams, and it amounted to nothing more than the likelihood of coaching against him if he's in Tallahassee long enough to see that happen since Abrams committed to the Miami Hurricanes earlier today.

I get that it's just April and there's plenty of time for things to change and maybe FSU will get another shot if he takes an official visit to campus over the summer. But Abrams was one of the major targets for Norvell and a player they have been pursuing for months. It's not only a disappointment that he didn't choose FSU, but it's telling that he chose the in-state conference rival instead.

4-star QB Israel Abrams spurns FSU and commit to Miami

Abrams could've been the guy that saved Norvell's job. That's not hyperbole. We can all safely say that DJ Lagway saved Billy Napier's job in Gainesville for a couple of years even though that didn't work out like expected. Bringing in a top recruit, a top-three quarterback prospect in the country, is the type of move that energizes the fanbase and gets people thinking about what might be a brighter future. Instead, FSU fans were once again reminded that their guy repeatedly fails to bring home the bacon in recruiting.

We can get mad at Miami for beginning to have success again and pumping a lot of resources into trying to sustain that success, and we can blame the ACC for being a trash conference that doesn't have the leadership to help some of the top programs compete for the top kids. But all of that would be misguided, because even if FSU had twice as much money to spend on NIL and transfer portal recruiting, top kids are weary of playing for this program and under this coach. They say all the right things in public and most of them probably genuinely like Norvell. They just don't believe in him.

FSU is in on other quarterbacks, namely Jake Nawrot and Wonderful "Champ" Monds IV. It would be nice to receive a commitment from one of them, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see both of them go elsewhere. That's just where FSU football is right now and it stinks.