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NIL thoughts

Several years ago I was with a friend at a game in the Varsity Club. I happened to have been seated 3-4 rows behind this NziL consortium.

I was able to hear much of their conversation.

Mind you, I worked in Sports Promotion in Brazil with professional tennis players and golfers, and we also did Bridge tournaments.

I recognize the business. Many would be upset with me if I said what I really think of it.

I mentioned it to my friend and told her my impressions, but I did not go in depth with what I saw.

Today’s world and the current NIL is a business and not a pretty one.

You cannot expect that the college football you once loved will ever be the same.

Back in the day, kids went to college and played challenger tournaments in the off season. That changed. It’s taken 40 years to come full circle and tennis players going to college again, and be able to play professionally at the same time.

Welcome to the new age of CFB. You may not be around when it comes full circle.

Edited for AI trying to write my script.

Football Updates: FSU vs. No. 15 Clemson (7 p.m. on ESPN)

One of the more anticipated dates on Florida State's 2024 football schedule is upon us.

The Seminoles host ACC rival Clemson Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium (7 p.m. on ESPN). Unfortunately, this year's matchup has lost pretty much all of its luster. And even more unfortunately for FSU, that's because the Seminoles have struggled mightily early this season, entering Saturday's matchup with a 1-4 record (1-3 in ACC) that has all but certainly ended their bowl-game chances.

Clemson, on the other hand, seems to have rediscovered some of what it had lost over the last few seasons. Since a season-opening loss to Georgia in Atlanta, the Tigers have averaged 55 points over their last three games, home wins over Appalachian State, NC State and Stanford. Quarterback Cade Klubnik seems much improved in his second full season as starter and has a much better supporting cast around him.

While FSU leads the all-time series over Clemson 21-15 and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Tigers last year in Death Valley, the Seminoles are hefty 16.5-point underdogs for Saturday's home game.

It's expected to be the first start of the season and third career start for redshirt freshman quarterback Brock Glenn. Mike Norvell confirmed Tuesday that DJ Uiagalelei will miss this game and potentially more because of an injury to his throwing hand suffered last week at SMU.

There could be a few other youth-movement changes to FSU's starting lineup as well Saturday night. True freshman tight end Landen Thomas is one of three co-starters at tight end after catching his first career touchdown last week and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Andre' Otto is listed as a co-starter at right guard.

We'll be monitoring the state of the lineup and how many changes we could see starting around 5 p.m. when the press box opens. We'll also have game updates here once things get underway.

Start a “Coaching Buyout Collective”

A Legitimate Head Coach would have installed a fail-safe “system” by now to have avoided this embarrassing debacle occurring to/with our proud Program. Norvell is quite clearly NOT the right guy to change the trajectory….specifically because HE is the responsible coach for presiding over the current free fall trajectory. That’s an unacceptable reality. We simply can’t afford to wait until the Program is completely irretrievably destroyed under Norvell’s incompetent oversight and direction. I for one would contribute to a purpose-driven Collective earmarked to buyout Norvell and his Bad News Bears coaching staff, and fund the salaries of a Power 4 level competent coaching staff. There can’t be a more important Collective formed than for that singular purpose at this stage. Norvell, nor his Staff belong at FSU based on what we’re witnessing alone.

Two players FSU should and could have landed...

Oronde Gadsden -TE-6'5-230 - Reminds me of a bigger and better version of Johnny Wilson. He has one more season after this. Heading into tonight Gadsden had 16 receptions for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns. He record 10 catches against UNLV for 142 Yards. He now has 26 receptions for 359 yards.

Mason Taylor - 28 receptions for 280 yards and 1 TD. (LSU)


These two should have been recruited by FSU.

Mike Norvell HS Recruiting Transfers

Sam McCall: former 5* safety recruit who converted to corner here. Struggled in limited PT as a corner and got a bag from Texas A&M. Lasted one season there, got hardly any PT there, and transferred again to Georgia St. . No recorded stats on the season. Has 3 years of eligibility remaining.

Malik McClain: former Rivals 100 WR recruit who had 5 tds here as a true freshman and sophomore. Had his reps being carnivores by guys like O Wilson, Pittman, Williamson, etc. the entire time he was here. FSU brought in Coleman the year he decided to transfer. Had limited production in one year at Penn St. Transferred again to ASU where he has no recorded stats on the season. 2 years of eligibility remaining (Covid year)

Vandrevius Jacobs: redshirted after supposedly being one of our best WRs as a true freshman. Transferred to SCar and is a starting WR a on a much team. (4 years of eligibility remaining)

Rodney Hill: showcase big play potential as a 3rd down back at FSU with ~350 yards in his first two years of limited PT. Transferred to Arkansas and is averaging 5+ ypc as their third down back on a much better team (3 years of eligibility remaining).

Omarion Cooper: the one bright spot on a terrible defensive backfield in 2021. Lockdown corner with two picks. Left after his sophomore year to go to Colorado where he started and played well on a bad defense. Transferred back to FSU after the season where he hasn’t bee able to get consistent PT on a bad defense and guys like D Brown, Knowles, Feagan, etc. (likely last year of eligibility)

Treshaun Ward: former walk on who averaged 5+ ypc at FSU. Randomly transferred to BC after getting a light load last year despite having success in limited opportunity. Averaging ~80 ypg and 6.0+ per carry as the lightning back alongside Robicheaux. (1 year of eligibility remaining)

Tate Rodemaker: left after getting replaced by DJU. Starting QB on an awful So Miss team. Has as many TD’S as int’s and a completion percentage over 60, something no FSU QB can say. Averaged 9.1 ypa and 5tds to no ints in his last year here. Can’t help but think he’d be doing much better than anyone we’ve got on the roster this year. (2 years of eligibility remaining)

Not to mention guys like Bishop Thomas, Quashon Sapp, Antavious Woody who might be looked as burned outs by their new schools (harder to come into a new school and be handed PT at most schools not named FSU, but the narrative that Norvell is some personnel genius is laughable. Not to mention the high school recurs that played him until NSD in Hunter, Auburn DE, etc

Those guys would all be adding value to this roster in spades.

Soccer Wake defeats FSU soccer 4-1

FSU sports information:

The No. 6 Florida State soccer team (7-1-2, 2-1-1) fell 4-1 in a top-10 road battle against No. 4 Wake Forest (9-2-2, 4-1-1) on Thursday night. The Seminoles’ historic unbeaten streak came to a close at 32 total games, the longest in program history.

Both sides took time to break into the game before Wake Forest began to record dangerous early chances. Addie Todd made a huge diving save at her right post to keep the game even before parrying away a fiery near post effort. The Demon Deacons scored two goals to close out the first half.

Mere seconds into the second half, Jordynn Dudley played a forward cross to Kameron Simmonds who controlled the ball with her head before poking away the goal just 15 seconds into the second half. This marks the fastest goal in any half of play this season and Simmonds’ fourth goal of the season to put her joint-second in goal scoring this season. Wake Forest responded with two additional goals.

Florida State will look to bounce back as the team plays at Virginia Tech on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and available to stream on ACC Network Extra.

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