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2025 Recruiting Class-Committed, Uncommited, What is next?

If you look at Rivals' team rankings, FSU has a 4.1 average for their 10 commitments. Ohio State has a 4.0, but with 22 total commits sits atop the leader board. Only LSU, which sits at 10th (4.07-15 Total Commits), and Oregon, which is at (4.0-15 Total Commits) and 4th overall, have a ranking average above 4.0.

Javion Hilson is the No. 1 Weak side DE according to Rivals. That should be good enough for him to eventually land a 5th Star. Solomon Thomas is rated the No. 1 OG according to Rivals.com. He is listed as a 5-Star recruit. If Hilson gets a 5th star, and I would expect him to, FSU will have two legit 5 star prospects in their class.

Let us take a look at the class:

QB Tramell Jones - (4-Star) 6'1-190 - (Committed to FSU) FSU has locked their quarterback up for the 2025 class. After flirting with UF, Jones told The Osceola that he is shutting it down. Don't look for FSU to sign another quarterback.

RB Byron Louis - (4-Star-#7 Overall) 6'1-200 / Ousmane Kromah -6'2-220 (4-Star-#6 Overall) - FSU is going to land one of the two backs. It would be great for them to land both backs but let’s not get too greedy. Louis has been leaning FSU for a very long time. He took a visit to Georgia, and Miami really wants him. I like FSU's chances because of the Patrick Surtain tie. It worked with Gregory Thomas. I see the same thing happening with his recruitment. I say follow the visits with Louis...Jan, March, April and last in June 21. Kromah is going to commit soon. FSU/UGA are the top two. If he goes FSU, does Louis go to UGA or does FSU pull both?

WR CJ Wiley - (4-Star-15th Overall) 6'4-22 (Committed to FSU) Rivals has 14 receivers rated ahead of Wiley. No knock but I have to watch the other 14 guy’s film. Wiley is an elite receiver. I talk about ELITE traits. He has elite size. He has elite or close to elite hands. He is so smooth running routes. Wiley is a special talent. He is Keon Coleman but faster. I think Wiley is another player who could earn a 5th star at some point. I also think there should be two categories for receivers -outside and slot. CJ Wiley is an outside receiver.

Daylan McCutcheon - (4-Star-18th Overall) 6'0-175 - I feel Daylan could be the next commit. He is very good. He plays on the outside but we see him more as a slot receiver at the next level. Add him to this class and FSU has two very good players committed.

Holding Pattern - Joshua Moore (Committed to UF), Vernell Brown (UF Lean)

TE Chase Loftin - (4-Star-17th Overall) 6'5-220-(Committed to FSU) FSU pulled off an impressive win with Loftin. He will need time to develop but his skill set can't be questioned. He has size, speed and pretty good hands. He also runs good routes. There is not much not to like. I thought FSU would try and land two tight ends in this class. That may still happen but I now expect that spot to go to a transfer portal TE.

OL - Solomon Thomas - (5-Star-1st Overall OG) 6'3-280 (Committed to FSU), Peyton Joseph (4-Star-15th Overall-OG). (Committed to FSU)

FSU sits pretty at offensive guard with Thomas and Joseph. Anyone else they are looking at will be tackles. We can't stress this enough. Josh Petty is No. 1 on their board. We feel Petty will end up in the class. He is someone that could commit before the summer is out. If they land Petty, I am sure FSU would like to land one more tackle in their class. Ty Haywood is most likely going to go to Alabama. We will most likely see some more options emerge.

DE Javion Hilson (4-Star-1st Overall-WDE) 6'5-230-(Committed to FSU)
I feel Hilson is one of the best if not the best DE in the country. He reminds me of Dallas Turner, who went round 1 from Alabama and played HS at Saint Thomas Aquinas. Hilson has elite quickness off the edge. Even when Hilson does not get to the quarterback he puts pressure on them.

Jared Smith (4-Star-4th Overall) 6'5-230 - FSU is going to have to fight Auburn for Smith. He took a visit recently and FSU felt so good about him and Grady ao they dropped Nick Clayton. This is big-game hunting. If Smith does not end up choosing FSU, we could see them circle back on Clayton.

DT Kevin Wynn - (4-Star-22nd Overall) 6’4-320 (Committed to FSU) / Myron Charles – (4-Star-1Oth Overall SDE) (Committed to FSU) FSU is sitting in a position of strength at DT. They have two of the better defensive tackles in the Southeast. Charles chose FSU over Texas and Miami. Wynn comes from Georgia, where they are loaded at that position this year. With these two committed FSU can wait and see what happens with Jalen Wiggins and Justus Terry. I expect Wiggins to flip eventually and Terry to end up at Georgia.

LB Ethan Pritchard - (4-Star-21st Rated OLB) 6’2-200 - (Committed to FSU) Ethan has flown under the radar because he committed early to FSU and did not show interest in any other programs. He is a good athlete. Believe he played in the secondary and is now a backer. Can be an every-down backer. He can run. He can play in coverage. You can have him come off the edge and rush the quarterback. FSU has a major need at LB and is now going to have to rely on its ability to FLIP someone. Tavion Wallace just committed to Arkansas and TJ Alford is committed to Ohio State. Ty Jackson is also another option at linebacker.

DB - Gregory Thomas - (4-Star-22nd Overall) 6’2-200 (Committed to FSU) After landing a stellar defensive back class in 2024, FSU is on the verge of doing so again in 2024. Thomas is a kid that can play either CB or S. FSU will look to bring in 2-3 more defensive backs in this class. We expect Max Redmon to become a Seminole.

Final Thoughts: FSU had a nice hot streak going and then all of the sudden the LB misses seemed to put a halt to that momentum. FSU is going to land a top rated running back in the next two months. They are also leading for Josh Petty. He would be the best OT prospect FSU has landed in over a decade. I know there are some that are upset with the linebacker recruiting but I do believe that Wallace will end up in FSU class in December and the Noles will land one other backer (Alford or Jackson) in this year’s class. The one thing is FSU coaches are looking for quality over quantity. They are in a position of strength and you could not say that 2-3 years ago.

Football How do you rank the Head Coaches on FSU's schedule this season?

How do you rank the head coaches on FSU's schedule for 2024?

1) Dabo Swinney-Clemson: The Osceola's always talks about football being a merit-based profession, hard to argue with Dabo's results.

2) Bill O' Brien-Boston College: His time as a college head coach is limited but he did a great job in a short-time at Penn State and has success as an assistant at the college level at GT. Very good play-caller. 15-9 with the Nittany Lions under some severe sanctions by the NCAA. Was 52-48 as a head coach in the NFL.

3) Mack Brown-UNC: Wins everywhere he goes but father time is catching up with him. 282-149-1 as a college coach. One national title. I think his best days are behind or I would have him at number two and I think he more of figurehead at this point in his career so probably should go more towards the middle of the pack but out of respect, he is at three. And the fact that he just can't seem to beat FSU should knock him down the list.

4) Billy Napier-Florida: The deck is stacked against him in 2024, if he is as good as I think he is, he will be back in 2025. He is 11-14 at Florida but 51-26 overall as a head coach.

5) Marcus Freeman-Notre Dame: He is entering his third season at ND. Has won 70-percent of his games in two seasons.

6) Brent Key-Georgia Tech: He is 11-10 in two seasons at GT and got the Jackets to a bowl game last season. GT is noticeably tougher under Key than they were under Geoff Collins, and you would expect that out of someone who played and coached for George O'Leary as well as coached for Nick Saban. I almost put him in front of Freeman since he took over a more difficult program.

7) Rhett Lashlee-SMU: went 7-6 in his first year at SMU followed by an 11-3 season in 2024. He is a Hugh Freeze disciple and a very good play caller. Brings the Mustangs into the ACC with some momentum.

8) Ryan Satterfield-Memphis-He took over for Mike Norvell at Memphis and has not had a losing season. Came into last year under some pressure after going a combined 13-12 in 2021 and 2022. The Tigers went 10-3 last year which probably saved his job. He is 31-19 in four plus seasons.

9) Mario Cristobal-Miami: He should be ranked higher based off his record as a HC, but I still can't unsee what I saw at the end of the Georgia Tech game last season when all he had to do was take a knee to win. He doesn't, and you know the rest of the story. Also, he lost a game at Oregon in similar fashion. He is 12-13 at Miami and 74-73.

10) Manny Diaz-Duke: He went 21-15 at Miami after taking over for Mark Richt. Just never seemed like a good fit. He never had a losing record in ACC play, though.

11) Justin Wilcox-California: Wilcox hasn't had a winning season since 2019 and only two at Cal since he took over in 2017. He is 36-43 overall with the Bears.
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Football Intangibles help Jacob Rizy transition into FBS football at Florida State

Tim Murphy just retired at Harvard, compiling a 200-89 record at the school and wrapping up 45 years of coaching at various levels of college football. He readily acknowledges the opportunities to earn a degree at Harvard but also the ability to prepare football players for the next step.

Harvard has produced grad transfers, sending all-Ivy League prospects on to finish their college careers at SEC, ACC and Big Ten schools as well as Notre Dame in recent years. This includes grad transfer Jacob Rizy, who earned a pair of degrees this spring and is now at Florida State.

“He's a legitimate major college athlete, body type and football player,” Murphy told the Osceola. “He's also such a bright kid that he can play multiple positions. What makes him special are his intangibles. He's tough, he's physical, he's a great leader and teammate, and he's always that guy that comes to practice and workouts with an infectious smile. Plays through pain when he's banged up. His teammates will love this kid because of all of those things.

“He should be playing at this very high level of college football, but I think it's intangibles that make him special.”

Rizy played in 22 games, starting 20, in his three seasons at Harvard (the 2020 Ivy League season was cancelled due to COVID). He was a two-time All-Ivy League selection, including a first-team pick in 2023 as the Crimson went 8-2.

Swimming Logan Robinson to compete for Team USA at Junior Pan Pacific Championships

FSU sports information:

Rising Florida State men’s swimming and diving freshman Logan Robinson was selected to represent USA Swimming for the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships that will be held in Canberra, Australia, from Aug. 21-24.

Robinson earned his spot on the roster after finishing as the top available junior at the 2024 U.S. Olympics Trials in the men’s 200-meter fly, where he finished 13th behind a personal best of 1:58.08.

“We could not be happier for Logan,” FSU head coach Neal Studd said. “He has worked hard for this, and we are excited to begin working with him to continue his development.”

A native of Pensacola, Fla., Robinson was the 2023 FHSAA 3A state champion in the 100 fly (47.18) and 200 free (1:36.72).

While representing Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club, Robinson was a seven-time finalist at the 2024 NCSA Spring Championship finalist. He was also a two-time finalist at the Speedo Junior National Championships in 2023 where he finished fifth in the 200 free (1:50.62) and sixth in the 200 fly (2:00.04).
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Football DJ Uiagalelei explains why he is skipping ACC Kickoff (media interviews) later in July

I view this is a classy statement. And of course he would be fielding a bunch of Clemson-related questions. Three FSU veterans will represent the team along with coach Mike Norvell at ACC Kickoff on July 22:

"I was honored to be invited by the conference office to represent Florida State at this year’s ACC Kickoff. The experience of attending that event in 2021 and 2022 is among the highlights of my time in college, and I appreciate being viewed as one of the conference’s top players heading into this season. However, I feel strongly that Florida State should be represented by players who were part of last year’s ACC championship team. The players who helped put this program back on top of the ACC should have the opportunity to be recognized for their contributions. This team is more than its quarterback, and I’m excited for my teammates who will experience this fantastic event."

Football Recruiting Safety Max Redmon set to announce commitment at 7pm tonight

2025 safety prospect Max Redmon will announce which of three schools he will commit to tonight. Redmon will choose between Florida State, USF and Illinois. Redmon is ranked as the number one safety prospect in the state of Florida for this recruiting cycle by the Osceola's Charles Fishbein. He ranks just ahead of Hylton Stubbs (Miami commit) and Bryce Fitzgerald who will commit to either FSU, LSU, Miami and Florida on August 16.

Both Fish and I have FutureCast in for Redmon to commit to Florida State. Both of us have believed for quite some time that Redmon has wanted to commit to the Seminoles.

Defensive back Greg Thomas committed to FSU last week. FSU is also still involved with uncommitted defensive backs Bryce Fitzgerald, Ladarian Clardy, Jordan Young and Jaboree Antione which could have an impact on Redmon's decision to commit to FSU or FSU's decision to take Redmon.

Sports Business FSU, Legends agree to 10-year multimedia rights partnership

(The agreement between FSU and Learfield was up. This deal with FSU-Legends includes radio broadcast and other multimedia rights)

FSU sports information:

Florida State University Athletics and Legends, a global premium experiences company, announced today a new 10-year multimedia rights partnership. This strategic collaboration aims to enhance the university’s multimedia rights and maximize its commercial platforms, positioning Florida State for success in the evolving collegiate landscape.

This agreement expands the relationship between FSU Athletics and Legends. Legends also currently supports premium seating for the $260 million renovation of Doak Campbell Stadium and manages hospitality, including concessions, premium suites and clubs, and catering for FSU Athletics.

“This partnership between Legends and Florida State Athletics creates a dynamic collaboration between like-minded organizations at a time when the importance of alignment has never been greater,” said Michael Alford, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Florida State. “Together we can capitalize on a limitless array of new opportunities for revenue streams while also maximizing our potential in established avenues as well. This will enable us to meet the growing needs of our student-athletes while also maintaining financial stability for the services we provide in areas of fan engagement and experience.”

Legends brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the partnership, having established itself as a trusted partner for numerous marquee institutions that are leveraging the company’s best-in-class expertise in revenue generation and premium experiences.

“Florida State University is a forward-thinking institution that understands the importance of aligning revenue streams to position for success in the new collegiate landscape,” said Mike Behan, President of Legends College. “The recent NCAA settlement has further emphasized the need for universities to explore innovative ways to optimize their commercial potential. Legends is proud that FSU has entrusted our team to build on our partnership to capitalize on this opportunity and further solidify its position as a trailblazer in collegiate sports.”

As part of the partnership, Legends will collaborate closely with Florida State Athletics to enhance multimedia rights, including broadcasting, licensing, and sponsorship opportunities. The company has formed Florida State Global Partnerships and will build a resolute staff that will be integrated with the FSU Athletics team to drive success for the multifaceted partnership.

This is the latest partnership for Legends burgeoning college business, which includes multimedia rights partnerships with the University of Notre Dame, the University of Miami, and Georgia Tech. Legends provides leading universities, collegiate organizations, and events with an industry-leading, comprehensive service solution covering research, project development, premium ticket sales, sponsorships, food and beverage, merchandise, business intelligence, marketing, and philanthropic fundraising and engagement.

  • Poll
Football FSU's toughest home game in 2024

Which home game do you think will be Florida State's toughest in 2024?

  • 9/2 Boston College

    Votes: 1 2.3%
  • 9/14 Memphis

    Votes: 1 2.3%
  • 9/21 Cal

    Votes: 1 2.3%
  • 10/5 Clemson

    Votes: 36 81.8%
  • 11/2 North Carolina

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 11/30 Florida

    Votes: 5 11.4%

July is always a fun time to start talking about the upcoming season. Maybe more so this year than ever before with FSU just over two weeks away from reporting for fall camp.

Last week we did a poll on which road game we thought would be toughest for Florida State so I wanted to get your thoughts on which home game you think will be toughest this season.

  • Poll
Football Who is the best QB FSU will face in 2024?

Who is the best QB FSU will face heading into the 2024?

  • Cam Ward-Miami

    Votes: 20 31.7%
  • Riley Leonard-Notre Dame

    Votes: 26 41.3%
  • Haynes King-Georgia Tech

    Votes: 5 7.9%
  • Thomas Castellanos-Boston College

    Votes: 2 3.2%
  • Preston Stone-SMU

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Seth Henigan-Memphis

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Cade Klubnik-Clemson

    Votes: 5 7.9%
  • Graham Mertz-Florida

    Votes: 2 3.2%
  • Max Johnson-North Carolina

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Maalik Murphy-Duke

    Votes: 1 1.6%

FSU's schedule features some teams with some proven commodities at QB and others teams who have QB's with some big potential.

Who is the best QB FSU will face heading into the 2024?

Football FSU preseason preview: Tight ends

(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.

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Football Recruiting DB Jaboree Antoine set to choose between three schools on July 20

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.
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Football Recruiting The Osceola's 2024 FSU Football Position Preview: Quarterback

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.

Football Recruiting Four-star DB Bryce Fitzgerald sets commit date

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.

Baseball James Tibbs selected as an academic All-American

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.
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