Mike Norvell spent four seasons at Memphis, his first head coaching job, before getting the nod to lead Florida State in 2020. Now, after six years in Tallahassee, Norvell is suddenly losing recruiting battles to the stepping-stone program he left to take over the Seminoles.
On Monday, after his official visit to Memphis, three-star offensive tackle Jonathan Toney chose the Tigers over the Noles and Appalachian State. The 6-foot-6, 268-pound Dublin, Georgia, product is the No. 1,428-ranked prospect in the 2027 class, and with this commitment, it’s unclear whether he’ll make his scheduled official visit to Florida State this upcoming weekend.
With very few targets on the board for offensive line coach Herb Hand, who is desperately trying to build more organically in the trenches after graduating all five starters from a transfer-laden group in 2025, even losing a three-star who hardly cracks the top-1,500 in the nation is still a problem.
After a lot of prayer & discussion with my family, I am excited to announce that I am committed to @MemphisFB‼️ #GTG 🐅🐅🐅#CloseTheGap
— Jonathan Toney (@JToney_65) June 15, 2026
Appreciate my family & everyone who helped me make my decision.
Tiger Nation‼️ #LetsWork #ToughAllDay #SufferWell @CoachAKwon @CoachHuff… pic.twitter.com/618leR6dVO
Jonathan Toney opts for Memphis over FSU before OV to Tallahassee
Florida State is in a brutal position on the recruiting trail. Norvell is seemingly entering a lame duck season, so there’s obviously been very little investment from the donor base to build out this year’s roster and the 2027 recruiting class. It may be a moot point if a new head coach is in place by the Early Signing Period this December, but if Norvell somehow saves his job, even three-star misses like this will guarantee that he doesn’t hold onto it for long.
If FSU is going to overcome its spending disadvantage against actual Power Conference contenders, and in some cases, maybe even a program like Memphis that is flush with cash from its FedEx partnership, it needs to find diamonds in the rough. Toney was that.
An overlooked recruit who flashed at the Seminoles’ Elite Camp this spring and received an offer from FSU in late May. Fast-tracking a recruitment process isn’t easy, but it’s desperate times in Tallahassee, so Norvell will need to adapt to win a few of these battles.
Most of the players FSU would typically target are opting for programs with more stability and more lucrative offers. So, when it comes to the 2027 class, Norvell is like a hungry teenager hunting for a snack who lowers his standards each time he opens this fridge. Only this time, his younger brother stole the string cheese he found on his third trip back to the kitchen.
For Florida State to be in recruiting battles with Memphis and Appalachian State is a reflection on the state of the program. To lose them outright before ever getting the prospect onto campus for an official visit is even worse.
Norvell currently has just 10 commits in the 2027 class, which ranks No. 58 in the country. As far as OT pivots go after missing out on Toney, Hand gained some traction with Swedish prospect Oscar Webersink after he attended a prospect camp in early June. However, Penn State appears to be the clear leader for the three-star who plays his high school football at St. Thomas More High School in Connecticut.
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