Some went right, but a lot went wrong for both teams in the Week 0 matchup between Florida State and New Mexico State. Florida State returned to play after an awful 2025 season, and the changes fans expected to see were not on display. Among the culprits in the 34-17 win for the Seminoles was the secondary, as the Aggies managed to score and injuries stacked up.
Coach Mike Norvell was critical of the secondary following the win and noted that the execution, communication, and positioning of the unit need to improve. The Seminoles allowed the Aggies to record 272 yards and two scores through the air while stealing away an interception.
Norvell again addressed questions about the secondary while also providing a quick injury update during his recent presser ahead of the clash against No. 19 SMU.
Florida State could get Chuck Kennon back against SMU, while Jordan Crutchfield remains a mystery
The Seminoles have a few guys banged up from the rigors of preseason work and the first game of the season. Norvell provided an update for fans on two specific players who both could serve in notable roles for the remainder of the season.
True freshmen Chuck Kennon and Jordan Crutchfield are currently in the process of recovering from minor injuries. Norvell noted Kennon does not appear to have anything serious going on, which should be a positive development for the young defensive back. Crutchfield, who left the game against New Mexico State, is still under evaluation, and his status remains up in the air until the evaluation is completed.
Kennon, a former blue-chip recruit in the 2026 class, did not dress against New Mexico State due to an injury but has not been ruled out yet for any future games. The freshman could be in line to make his collegiate debut against SMU, barring any setbacks, which would be great news for the struggling secondary. The Seminoles' staff faces a similar situation with Crutchfield, which is going to force Florida State to quickly find solutions.
Florida State did not have the best outing as a team against New Mexico State, even while playing near full strength. Losing Crutchfield outright could hurt the depth of the secondary and force the Seminoles to rely upon a combination of Kennon and Max Redmon to get the job done at safety.
Redmon played sparingly as a freshman in 2025, recording three tackles before seeing action early in 2026 during Week 0. Ideally, without Crutchfield available, a healthy Kennon would take over the role for the time being, but there is still the possibility that both players are not available. Redmon would make the most sense to take over some of the duties at safety with his experience playing the position in high school.
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