(Posting for Curt, who is on vacation but filed ahead of time)

Tight ends often take a big role in Mike Norvell’s offense.

Look no further than the 2023 season, where Jaheim Bell and Kyle Morlock combined for 758 receiving yards to be Florida State’s third- and fourth-leading receivers over the course of the season.

Bell is gone but Morlock is back. And considering FSU didn’t add any tight ends through the transfer portal, he’ll likely be tasked with taking on quite a large role for the Seminoles in 2024. But who else are the candidates to take the next step at tight end this fall?

The Osceola’s FSU football position preview series continues with a look at FSU’s tight end unit.

Four-star safety Jaboree Antoine has announced he will make his commitment public on July 20. Antoine will choose between FSU, LSU and Miami. He was committed to LSU for almost six months but decommitted from the Tigers after taking official visits to both Florida State and Miami.

FSU already has DB Greg Thomas committed to their 2025 class and still have uncommitted DB prospects Max Redmon, Ladarian Clardy and Bryce Fitzgerald on their board.

I was watching a repeat of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and wondered if being a billionaire would bring happiness.

In a way, I think it would. You could literally do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. Fly to Hawaii today or rent a fishing yacht this weekend.

What do you think? Does serious wealth bring happiness?

The Osceola takes a look at the FSU QB room entering the start of 2024 preseason camp. We take a closer look at what we like about the room as Mike Norvell and Tony Tokarz try to replace Jordan Travis and some of the questions we have about DJU, Brock Glenn and Luke Kromenhoek.

Four-star DB prospect Bryce Fitzgerald told me via text this morning that he plans to announce his commitment on August 16. He will select from a group of four schools: Florida State, Florida, Miami and LSU. The Osceola's Charles Fishbein has Fitzgerald ranked as the third best safety prospect in the state of Florida behind Max Redmon and Drake Stubbs for the 2025 class.

Didn't see this posted here. Great stories from Odell to his current DTs

Still climbing

The mayhem we manage today has roots in a Supreme Court ruling 40 years ago

FSU sports information:

Junior outfielder James Tibbs III was named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators, adding to his 2024 accolades. Tibbs is the first Seminole since James Ramsey in 2011 and 2012 to earn first-team Academic All-America honors.

Tibbs, from Marietta, Ga., was also named the ACC Player of the Year, the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a unanimous first-team All-American, earned a spot on the CSC Academic All-District Team and won the ACC’s Postgraduate Scholarship Award. Tibbs was on the ACC Championship All-Tournament Team and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award.

In the classroom, Tibbs graduated in May with a degree in political science and had a 3.53 GPA during his time at FSU. He was on the 2023 and 2024 All-ACC Academic Team and the ACC Academic Honor Roll all three years.

On the field, Tibbs led Florida State with 28 home runs, 95 RBI, a .777 slugging percentage and 58 walks. Tibbs 28 home runs are fifth in a season at FSU and the most since Marshall McDougall also had 28 in 1999. His 95 RBI are seventh in a season at FSU.

Tibbs helped lead the Seminoles back to the College World Series for the 24th time in program history and first since 2019 with a 5-for-6 game against Connecticut in the Super Regional, including three home runs. Tibbs matched his career high with six RBI in the Noles 10-8 win, with three two-run home runs that all either tied the game or gave FSU the lead, including the game-winner in the top of the 12th inning. It was FSU’s first three-home run game for a player since 2010.

Florida State has come back around on a LB target in Florida.

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FSU sports information:

Florida State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford announced the hiring of Matt Kane as Director of Track and Field at FSU. Kane, an assistant at FSU since 2019, succeeds former head coach Bob Braman who announced his retirement in May after leading the program for 21 seasons.

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FSU sports information:

Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame member Kimberly Williams qualified to represent Jamaica at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Williams becomes the first female in FSU history to earn a fourth bid to the Olympics, after coming in 2012, 2016 and 2020. She is the third Seminole to compete at four Games after Jonathan Borlee and Kevin Borlee represented Belgium (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020).

Williams qualified for Paris after finishing fourth in the triple jump with a mark 13.67m at the Jamaica Olympic Trials, after originally earning the Olympic standard at the Indoor World Athletic Championship in Glasgow, Scotland in March.

Williams was inducted into the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021. During her time at FSU (2008-11), she won five individual NCAA titles, marking the most for any female in program history. Williams won 12 individual ACC gold medals over her career, which is the most for any Seminole.

As a rookie, Williams was named the ACC Indoor and Outdoor Freshman of the year in 2008. She swept the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championship titles in the triple and long jump as a sophomore, and she also won three consecutive NCAA Indoor triple jump titles from 2009-11. Williams was named the USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2009.

She excelled in the classroom, earning ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year twice. Williams is a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American and a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree. She was awarded the Weaver-James Corrigan ACC Postgraduate Scholarship following her senior year.

Williams is the 57th Seminole with ties to FSU track and field to compete in the Olympics. She is the fourth Seminole to represent Jamacia. FSU has had a representative in every Games since 1972.

In addition to Williams, Adriaan Wildschutt (South Africa) will be in action. The track and field events will run from August 1-11 at State De France.

Mike Norvell is one of six ACC coaches on the preseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy, which factors in on- and off-field success:

We spoke with Currence at the Rivals Five-Star and he has some good things to say about his relationship with FSU since they offered him last year.
https://floridastate.rivals.com/new...chool-early-for-2026-safety-j-zavien-currence

A tragic car crash in Upper Marlboro, Maryland claimed three lives on Saturday morning, including former Florida State cornerback A.J. Lytton. Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and former Maryland/Charlotte defensive back Isaiah Hazel also perished in the incident.

The latest on Malik Clark, Zech Fort and others:

It’s the 53rd playing of the John Deere Classic, and with just five weeks remaining before the FedExCup Playoffs there’s not much time left to bank valuable FedExCup points.
Jordan Spieth, a two-time winner at the John Deere – more on him below – returns to TPC Deere Run, the site of his first TOUR win. Jason Day is in the field, too, for the first time in over a decade.
We’re entering a busy stretch on the PGA TOUR, with The Open Championship, the Olympics, the FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents Cup all still to come.

Here’s everything you need to know as the PGA TOUR returns to the Quad Cities.
FIELD NOTES: Jordan Spieth makes his return to the John Deere Classic for the first time since 2015. Spieth is a two-time winner at TPC Deere Run including in his last appearance nine years ago when he shot a third-round 61. Spieth’s 2013 victory at the John Deere was his first TOUR title … Sepp Straka aims to become the first repeat winner at the John Deere since Steve Stricker won three in a row from 2009-11. Straka has three top-five finishes this season … Jason Day returns to TPC Deere Run for the first time since 2011. Day has never missed the cut at the John Deere in five appearances, with his best finish (T15) coming in back-to-back years, 2009-10. Day has four top-10s this season … Michael Thorbjornsen continues to find his way as a pro after finishing atop the PGA TOUR University ranking to earn his TOUR card. Thorbjornsen finished T39 at the Travelers Championship but missed the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He finished T17 at the John Deere Classic last season when he got into the field on a sponsor exemption … Sungjae Im, eager for another spot on the International Team at the Presidents Cup, is back at TPC Deere Run for the first time since 2021. Im has five top-10s this season and made the cut in both of his previous John Deere Classic starts.
SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS: Luke Clanton, the standout from Florida State who made the cut at the U.S. Open and contended at the Rocket Mortgage Classic before a 72 on Sunday (T10), will try to stay hot at the Deere … Harry Higgs has won twice already on the Korn Ferry Tour, securing his PGA TOUR return next season. This will be his sixth TOUR start this season … Jackson Buchanan, the Big Ten Golfer of the Year in 2024, will make his non-major PGA TOUR debut. Buchanan, a junior at the University of Illinois, missed the cut at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst … Cole Sherwood will make his PGA TOUR debut after playing two Korn Ferry Tour events and last week’s PGA TOUR Americas event. Sherwood, who finished No. 7 on the PGA TOUR University rankings, helped Vanderbilt win seven team titles this season and was All-SEC First Team … Neal Shipley is back in action after finishing T20 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Shipley finished as Low Amateur at both the Masters and the U.S. Open before turning professional … Andrew Landry, Adam Long and Kyle Westmoreland round out the sponsor exemptions.
COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10: There was no movement inside the TOUR TOP 10 last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, with Scottie Scheffler continuing his strong hold on the top spot … Byeong Hun An continues his impressive run as the only golfer to be inside the TOUR TOP 10 every week so far this season … Akshay Bhatia, who finished tied for second at Detroit Golf Club, moved from No. 15 to No. 11 in the standings, just 14 points back of An at No. 10 … There are five weeks remaining before the FedExCup Playoffs.
FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points
COURSE: TPC Deere Run, par 71, 7,289 yards. D.A. Weibring, a three-time winner of the John Deere Classic, utilized the best of the Mid-Mississippi River Valley landscape for TPC Deere Run. There’s an old-time feel with the course, established in 1998, with plenty of birdie opportunities but risk/reward scenarios as well. There’s lots of dramatic elevation on the course, which used to be an Arabian horse farm. The club has played host to the PGA TOUR since 2000.
72-HOLE RECORD: 257, Michael Kim (2018)
18-HOLE RECORD: 59, Paul Goydos (Round 1, 2010)
LAST TIME: Straka fired a 9-under 62 Sunday – tied for low round of the week – to win the 2023 John Deere by two over Brendon Todd and Alex Smalley. Straka zipped up 13 spots on the leaderboard to capture his second TOUR title by two shots despite making a double bogey on his final hole. At one point, Straka was 11-under for the day and just needed to play the final four holes in 1-under to shoot 59. He ended up missing a 9-foot birdie try on No. 17 before finding the water with his approach on No. 18. It ended up being a moot point. Adam Schenk and Ludvig Åberg, in his fourth start as a pro, tied for fourth.

How to follow (all times ET)​

Television:

• Thursday-Friday: 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
• Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

PGA TOUR LIVE ON ESPN+
PGA TOUR LIVE is available exclusively on ESPN+

• Main feed: Primary tournament coverage featuring the best action from across the course
• Marquee group: New “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group
• Featured groups: Traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups
• Spanish-language main feed: Primary tournament coverage presented in Spanish featuring the best action from across the course
• Spanish-language featured group: PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups presented in Spanish

Radio on SiriusXM and free at PGATOUR.com/liveaudio:

• Thursday-Friday: 1-7 p.m.
• Saturday-Sunday: 1-6 p.m.

Congratulations again to last week's winner @Bill From Tampa

Mrs BFT maintains the overall season lead.



Good luck to everyone this week, enjoy the tee markers

FSU is mentioned here with WR Malik Clark as well as a pair of 2026 prospects

FSU sports information:

Florida State junior Luke Clanton birdied four of his last five holes – including his final three of the afternoon – and closed with a 63 in the fourth round to finish in a tie for second place at the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour at the TPC Deere Run on Sunday.

With his runner-up finish, Clanton became the first amateur with top-10 finishes in back-to-back starts on the PGA Tour since Billy Joe Patton in the 1957 U.S. Open and 1958 Masters.

“It’s been awesome the last couple of weeks,” Clanton told CBS following his round. “Being in the last couple of groups and having the chance to win a golf tournament; that’s kind of what we dream for, and look for. It’s been unbelievable.”

Clanton worked his way up the John Deere leaderboard with a clean card on Sunday – eight birdies and 10 holes at par. He birdied six of his nine holes on his back nine to finish with his second score of 63 during the championship. Clanton also carded a 63 in the tournament’s first round.

He carded 26 birdies and one eagle in finishing as the low amateur in a PGA Tour event for the second consecutive week.

Clanton now has back-to-back top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour.

Clanton is third in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and finished the college season as the highest-ranked player in the NCAA Golf rankings.

Clanton, who set the Florida State record for the lowest single-season stoke average (69.33) this past season, was a Jack Nicklaus and Haskins Award finalist as a sophomore. He earned All-American First-Team, All-Southeast, and All-ACC honors as he led the Seminoles to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championship Finals at the Omi La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. In May.

Clanton and his Seminole teammates begin their 2024-25 schedule at the Folds of Honor Collegiate at Grand Haven, Mich. (Sept. 9-11).

Clanton's recent results / schedule​

June 13-16: US Open (T41, 76-69-69-74=288; 2nd Lowest Amateur; One of two amateurs in the top 50)

June 27-30: PGA Tour Rocket Mortgage (T10, 69-68-75-72=274; Low Amateur; Only Amateur in the top 40)

July 4-7: PGA Tour John Deere Classic (T2, 63-67-67-63=260; Low Amateur)

July 11-14: PGA Tour ISCO Championship (Keene Trace Golf Club, Nicholasville, Kentucky)

July 25-28: PGA Tour 3M Open (TPC Twin Cities, Blaine Minn.)

Aug. 12-18: US Amateur (Hazeltine National Colf Club, Chaska, Minn.)

Is one heck of a player. I hope he finds a top notch tax CPA because he’s going to need one when he turns pro. Congrats to him.

The Osceola's preseason preview series continues with a look at FSU's wide receivers:

Curious to hear your thoughts and ideas

following Bob Braman’s retirement. Let’s Go Noles!!

Four-star OL Lamont Rogers is set to announce his commit at noon on Saturday. The Mesquite, TX product took an official visit to Florida State on June 12. He also took OV's to Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and SMU.

Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma are believed to be the leaders heading into his announcement. There are three FutureCast in for Rogers on the Rivals network with two FC's for Missouri and one for Texas. One of the two other recruiting services gives Missouri the best chance to land Rogers while the other has no predictions in for Rogers.

FSU would appear to be a longshot for Lamont Rogers. But he has the Seminoles among his final six and will commit on Saturday: