Mike Norvell is joined by Jeff Culhane to begin Monday night's show, Inside Seminole Football:

Norvell: The things that we see in practices have to show up on game day

Monday's Seminole Sidelines with Patrick Burnham, Mark Salva, Curt Weiler and myself. Taking a second look at FSU vs. Memphis. We also unpack the coachspeak from Mike Norvell as well as coordinators Adam Fuller and John Papuchis.

Thanks to Seminole Sidelines' sponsors: Alumni Hall, Mowrey Law Firm and Backshore Apparel.

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I think most of us feel we will really have success on the ground this season, between the OL, the variety of running back styles, a Paul Bunyon style QB, and a deep threat in the passing game. . .all signs point to it.

I believe GT struggled on the defensive side of the ball most of the year, but started to figure it out more by the end of the year. I see they picked up a few in the transfer portal, but nobody who seems to be real game changers. Admittedly, I don't follow GT very closely, thus the reason for my post for those in the know.

They have some pieces on offense, and will probably score a bit, but I sure like our defensive talent.

Games are won and lost in the trenches, and I think our trenches are just way, way, way better, especially our O-line vs their D-line.

There's lots of talk about this game being one of the most difficult games on our schedule, but when I sit and look at it closer. . .I think we just control this game from the kickoff and maintain control throughout.

If I remember correctly, Toafili saved our butt in the ACC title game last year out of the wildcat. With immobile DJU why hasn’t Norvell run the cat this year with Toafili or Cam Davis. Our formations and play calling are bland, boring and predictable.

Norvell has to start playing Glenn with the expectation that he’s your QB next year to open that game in Doak. No point in playing DJ any longer. Glenn needs these reps.

Start getting the young guys playing time or the roster for next year will be worse than when Norvell took over.

FSU sports information:

The No. 18 Florida State volleyball team (7-1) will take the big stage on Tuesday night as they head to Gainesville to face the No. 16 Florida Gators (6-2) on Tuesday night. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville. The game can be seen live on ESPN with Paul Sunderland and Missy Whittemore on the call.

Noles Take Center Stage in Rivalry Match Against the Gators

• It is always a big-time matchup when the Seminoles and Gators get together, but the stakes will be even higher on Tuesday night.
• Tuesday will be just the 13th time in 77 matches that both teams will be ranked, and it will be the first time since 2016 that both teams are ranked in the top 20.
• FSU will be looking to beat Florida in Gainesville for the first time since 2016. 2016 also marked the only season that FSU has beaten a ranked Florida squad in Gainesville.
• The Noles are also looking for its first road win over a top 25 team since Oct. 15, 2021, when they beat No. 11 Miami in Coral Gables.
• Tuesday night will be just the second time that FSU will have appeared on ESPN.

Noles Off to Hot start

• FSU is off and running so far in 2024 as they look to defend its ACC Championship.
• FSU started 4-0 for the first time since 2017 including a win over No. 25 Georgia for their first ranked non-conference win since 2021.
• FSU opened up the season at home for the first time since 2011 and went 3-0 against USF, UC Santa Barbara and No. 25 Georgia. Both Georgia and UC Santa Barbara qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament while USF finished 22-12 last season.

Not Slowing Down on Offense

• FSU has proven to be one of the top offenses in the ACC and the country so far this season.
• As a team, FSU ranks in top 25 in kills per set, assists per set and hitting percentage.
• The Seminoles have been spreading the wealth as they have three players who have recorded 75 or more kills this season and four players who have recorded 60 or more kills this season.

Climbing the Ranks

• FSU was ranked No. 18 in this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches Poll. The Noles were ranked 17th two weeks ago which was the program's highest ranking since 2017.
• FSU opened the season ranked 20th in the preseason poll. It was the first time FSU was ranked to start the season since 2017.
• FSU picked up a ranked win against No. 25 Georgia. It was FSU's 41st ranked win in program history and was the first time FSU beat a ranked non conference opponent since defeating No. 14 Florida in 2021.

SHE'S BAAAACCCKKKKK

• The reigning 2023 ACC Co-Player of the Year Audrey Koenig is back for one last season with the Seminoles and will look to solidify herself as one of the top players in FSU history.
• Koenig was just the fourth Seminole to win the ACC Player of the Year award and was the first Nole to accomplish the feat since Payton Caffrey in 2018.
• Koenig leads the team with 85 kills through eight matches and is averaging 3.40 kills per set.
• Koenig has recorded 10 or more kills in her last five matches.
• Koenig also leads the team with 67 digs.
• Koenig also earned 2023 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors for the first time in her career.
• Koenig's 13 double-doubles last season were the 13th-most in FSU history.
• Koenig has recorded 1,052 kills during her career with the Garnet and Gold. Koenig became just the sixth player in FSU history to surpass 1,000 career kills in the rally scoring era. Her 1,042 kills is the fifth-best mark in school history. Koenig needs 25 kills to move into fourth. Koenig also ranks second all-time in the rally scoring era with 2,841 attacks.

Louis Coming Off Her Best Season as a Nole

• FSU senior and Tallahassee native Khori Louis put together her best season as a Seminole in 2023 as she earned First Team All-ACC honors and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention for the first time in her career.
• Louis hit a career-high .432 in 2023 which ranked fourth in the nation and was the fifth-best mark in school history and the best mark since Sareea Freeman in 2012.
• Louis has picked up right where she left off as she is hitting .455 with 84 kills to go along with 34 blocks.
• Louis holds a career hitting percentage of .374 which is currently the best mark in FSU history.
• Louis was second on the team with 271 kills and 93 blocks in 2023.
• In her career, Louis has recorded 841 kills which is 11th in program history in the rally scoring era. Louis needs just 16 kills to crack the top 10 list.
• Louis also ranks top 15 in program history in the rally scoring era in solo blocks, assisted blocks and total blocks.

Noles Make Transfer Splash with Taylor Head

• The Seminoles made one of the biggest transfer moves in college volleyball last season as they picked up transfer Taylor Head from Arkansas. Head will have one season with the Seminoles after three seasons with Arkansas.
• Head was one of the best hitters not only in the SEC but the entire country last season as she picked up AVCA Third Team All-America honors after recording 494 kills with a .231 hitting percentage for a Razorback team that qualified for the Elite Eight.
• Head is currently second on the team with 66 digs and is third on the team with 76 kills.
• Head was one of the best all-around players in the country last season as she was third in the entire nation with 22 double-doubles.
• Head ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in total kills, kills per set, total attacks, attacks per set, double-doubles, points and total digs.
• Last season, Head would've led the ACC in total kills, points, double doubles and total attacks. Head also would've ranked in the top five in kills per set, attacks per set and points per set.
• Head spent her spring with the Florida State beach volleyball team where she finished the season with a 8-2 record.

Dupes Ready To Get Back on the Court

• After a knee injury kept her off the court in 2023, libero Emery Dupes is ready to become a force for the Seminoles' defense once again.
• Dupes has played in all 28 sets so far this season and has recorded 30 digs.
• Prior to injury, Dupes led the team with 287 digs in 2022 while playing in 94 sets.
• As a freshman, Dupes earned All-ACC honors and became the first freshman libero in FSU history to earn All-ACC honors.
• Broke the school freshman record with 3.88 digs per set and was also just the 12th player in FSU history to record over 400 digs.
• Dupes is currently averaging 3.29 digs per set in her career which ranks ninth all-time in FSU history.
• Dupes has also been terrific behind the service line recording 58 aces in three seasons. In 2021, Dupes recorded six service aces in a single match which is tied for the third-most ever by a Seminole in a single match.

Perry Shines on Opening Weekend

• After redshirting at Iowa State last season, Perry shined on opening weekend for the Noles.
• Perry is currently second on the team with 27 blocks and 1.04 blocks per set.
• Perry had seven total blocks against No. 25 Georgia which was just one block off her career high.
• Perry also has recorded 16 kills on 45 attempts.

Filimaua: A True Swiss Army Knife

• Kyleene Filimaua is a true do-it-all for Florida State volleyball.
• Returning to her main position as an outside hitter after playing libero last season, Filimaua has recorded 60 kills this season and has recorded four double-digit kill matches after recording just one double-digit kill match last year.
• To go along with her 60 kills this season, Filimaua has also recorded 62 digs, 16 assists, 12 aces and 7 blocks.

Phelan Becoming a Force on the Service Line and On Defense

• Kenna Phelan has shown off her nasty serve this season, and it became a game-changer for FSU.
• In 10 sets on opening weekend, Phelan recorded 10 aces from the service line. Her 10 aces were the eighth-most in the entire country on opening weekend.
• Phelan has recorded 15 service aces in eight matches so far this season.
• Phelan has also come on defensively as she has recorded 47 digs the last four matches.
• Phelan recorded 19 digs against Auburn and 15 digs against North Florida. It was the first time in her career that Phelan has had back-to-back matches with 10 or more digs.
• Phelan has also been great as a setter in FSU's 6-2 system as she has recorded 136 assists.

Henke Off to Strong Start for the Garnet and Gold

• After missing opening weekend, Iane Henke has come right in and been a very valuable asset for the Seminoles.
• In her debut, Henke tallied 10 kills and six blocks against Cal Poly.
• In total, Henke has had 30 kills, 22 digs, 17 blocks and five aces in five matches for the Noles.

Noles Going Through Gauntlet of a Schedule

• The Seminoles will get tested early and often in the 2024 season.
• In 10 non conference games, four of those games will come against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
• Nine out of the 10 teams that FSU will play in the non conference had a winning record in 2023.
• FSU is still slated to play the No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 13, No. 16 and No. 22 teams in the country.
• FSU has already played Georgia and Auburn and each received votes in this week's poll. FSU still has to play Miami twice who received votes in this week's poll as well.

Florida State’s big-picture aspirations are effectively eliminated. But the Seminoles’ coaches shouldn’t lose sight of the big picture.

The future is now. And it’s about opportunities in the next nine games. Opportunities for freshmen to play.

FSU’s coaches began something of a youthful infusion on defense already. Whether by performance or injuries to backups, the Seminoles have played sophomores Blake Nichelson and Justin Cryer at linebacker. Nichelson has started FSU’s last two games, while Cryer didn’t play in the opener yet earned more playing time against Boston College and Memphis. Cryer earned the highest PFF grade of any FSU defensive player. We’ve also seen defensive tackle KJ Sampson earn more playing time.

It's not always going to look pretty. But they’re learning and being given a chance to evaluate their film with coaches.

And it’s time we see more of this on offense. Here are five offensive players we want to see earn more playing time.

I woke up this morning and it seems like a dream. I still can't wrap my head around 0-3. From 1980 till Bobby's last year which FSU went 6-6, the Seminoles were the envy of college football. 6-6 and a Bowl Win against West Virginia seemed like hitting rock bottom. FSU fans used to get upset with a loss to Miami. They would get upset with the random loss to Virginia when Warrick Dunn seemed to get into the end-zone but came up a yard short. That one loss which derailed many of seasons from FSU winning another national title would seem to ruin WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN. Bobby steps down and in comes Jimbo Fisher. A fan base that was spoiled from the Bowden years thought FSU football was dead. The questions were will FSU EVER RISE Again. Many fans were upset and felt Bobby was forced out. Another group of fans while sad about Bobby retiring were happy to see a new era of FSU Football. Being a Cowboy fan it reminded me of when Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys and Tom Landry was let go. There was some fans who were bitter and felt Bobby and Tom should leave on their own terms. Tough decisions are never easy ones but usually are the right ones. What Jimbo did was truly remarkable. He came in and followed a legend and went 7-1 against Miami and Florida. In a short amount of time he took FSU which had hit what most of us felt was rock bottom and won a national title. FSU fans the following year saw a team make it the playoffs in year one of the event but lose to Oregon. Fans were outraged...Many felt Jimbo had lost it. Those were the expectations. What we saw next is Jimbo saw the future before anyone else. FSU had fallen behind in the race to the top. He won FSU last national title under the OLD RULES.....HE SAW THE FUTURE. College football was changing and FSU had stayed behind. After he left there was a mess left behind. Whose FAULT....Does it matter anymore? In a panic move without doing a national search FSU did what many programs have done, hired the wrong coach Willie Taggart. He was the anti-jimbo....He was nice to the media, he was nice to fans, he was nice to the recruits. Well he was not nice to your mental health as FSU program went right into the tank. Taggart got fired before his 3rd season even ended....

WHAT NEXT. I am not going to lie, I wanted James Franklin who I have known for 20 years. I was a big fan of PJ Fleck. I had spoken to Fleck earlier that year and told him Taggart was going to get fired and he told me Fish, if they offer I would take the job. I passed his number along to someone in FSU administration and mentioned our conversation. I had a great relationship with Mark Stoops. He wanted the job. While FSU rumors were his brother was getting the HC job at FSU.....It was Mark that FSU was targeting. What happened next.....?

Mike Norvell....He was hired as the head coach at FSU. I met Mike for the first time at the coaching convention in Nashville. I always remember that because it was in the Opryland hotel. My friend who knew Mike at Arizona State introduced me to him as he was about to be announced as the new head coach at Memphis. Mike was so young at the time and my thought was wow....Someone this age is going to be a head coach in college football. He was super nice and very polite. Quite the opposite of what most head coaches are like. I never really dealt with Mike after that as Memphis never recruited Florida. So when the time came that Mike Norvell became the head coach I had serious doubts about him being named. It was nothing personal as I had met him years earlier as mentioned. My biggest fear was his lack of contacts in the state of Florida for recruiting. I got into some heating discussions about it. My friend who introduced us calmed some of the fears by telling me how the transfer market and juco route would help Mike turn FSU around quickly. He convinced me that Mike was the right guy for the job. Little by little he won me over....And now I am a supporter of Coach Mike Norvell. Going 10-3 and following that up with 13-0 whipped away any of those fears. My biggest concern was with the current college football landscape now was MAINTAINING. I did some podcast and said that fans in college football better learn how to deal with 12-1, 11-2, 10-3 and a 5-7 type team the following year. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that was possible with FSU.

FSU now sits in that chair...0-3....Yup, that is still hard to believe. I see FSU fans upset and rightfully so. I see some wondering if Mike can turn it around AGAIN. We don't know. This is not college football back in 91-and 92 where wide-right was not just an annual loss to Miami but National Title dreams were CRUSHED. One loss did that. Now the playoffs allow you to lose a game and still potentially win it all. 0-3 though....it means every box you check off before the season is now gone...PLAYOFFS-NO, New Years day bowl-NO, ACC Title Game-No....Now we have to wonder if this team can recover, go 6-6 and make a bowl game. That is the hard part. Where does FSU go now? I do feel that 10-3 and 12-0 give Mike the chance to answer that bell again. He is a good coach....That I believe. He now will need to self-evaluate which I think he will after seasons end and make the right choices.....FSU will rise again.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS……
Scoring Offense: 118th
Rushing Offense: 128th
Passing Offense: 62nd
Total Offense: 116th
Yards per Play: 107th

Scoring Defense: 98th
Rushing Defense: 123rd
Passing Defense: 20th
Total Defense: 83rd
Yards per Play: 99th

Passing: DJ Uiagalelei: 40-69 58% 465 Yards – 1 TD / 1 INT
Rushing Leader: 15-48 3.2 (AVG) 1 TD
Receiving Leader: Jakhi Douglas 8 Receptions-121 Yards and 0 TD

They are not pretty!!!! The numbers don’t lie....THEY U-G-L-Y.

Around College football...

THAT SEAT IS HOT: Billy Napier better hire a real-estate agent as UF will be hiring a new head coach. Will it be today, tomorrow, next week? We really don't know but what we do know yesterday’s embarrassing loss at home to Texas A&M was IT.....Billy has only himself to blame. He hired 100 plus staffers, hired two offensive line coaches and he and his staff said we know how to do it...we will do it alone. Well a lot of people are about to lose jobs. BILLY IS TOAST. Three losing seasons in Gainesville is not pretty.

Who do they choose...You will hear Lane Kiffin from their fan base. You will even hear some say Urban Meyer. Why not Spurrier himself. My top three: Eli Drinkwitz (Missouri Head Coach). The Tigers pulled one off yesterday but now sit at 3-0 in the SEC. He has proven to be a winner and Missouri is not an easy place to win. He has shown the ability to recruit 5 star talent (Luther Burden). Believe he has landed some five star defensive lineman. Eli is a no brainer but we have seen administrations before F--K it up. Next on the list should be James Franklin. I have seen some Gator fans say NO WAY....He is terrible. Can't win the BIG GAME. You know who they said that about in the past - Jimmy Johnson when he left Oklahoma State and went to Miami. Saban could not win the big one at Michigan State but did at LSU and Alabama. Georgia could never win the title but then came Kirby. Franklin He has won 11 games three times at Penn State. He won 10 games last year. He is 90-39 at Penn State. He beat Ohio State one time....Not many other programs in the Big 10 can claim that. Penn State does not have access to the same players of an Ohio State, a Florida, and an FSU. They don't have access to top five classes...Maybe 10 but mainly 15 in most years. College football now is about one thing and one thing only TALENT AQUISITION. LOOK AT MIAMI. Coaching matters....but TALENT IS MORE GLARING EVEN NOW. Franklin and Jajuan Seider would absolutely kill it recruiting at Florida. Gator fans want top five classes...HIRE FRANKLIN. It is not that hard.

Two other names - Jed Frisch -Washington Head coach / Jamey Chad well-Liberty. Frisch would have to pull a Willie Taggart and leave a program after one year and that is not a good look. Chad well comes from G5 which is where Billy came from. I feel he is the next great head coach in college football.

I AM IMPRESSED Curt Canetti - Indiana is 3-0. Yes, I said it-Indiana FOOTBALL IS 3-0. Curt Canetti is on pace to be named college football coach of the year. Indiana is one of the hardest schools in the country to recruit and win at. When his team was dismantling UCLA yesterday do you think the administration on the other side was thinking WHY THE F did we not hire this guy. I believe I mentioned this to Jerry one time and have others...HOW do administrators who get paid MILLIONS OF DOLLARS have such a hard time hiring GOOD COACHES. They are there....Most of the time RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. This guy can coach and win....If Ohio State finds a way to come up short this year....Curt is probably the guy. UF should consider taking a look at him. He is for real....

There is a saying or myth in football that having two quarterbacks means you really have NONE...LOL - Tell that to Texas. For those whose said Arch Manning is only rated a five star because of his last name. PLEASE....STOP EVALUATING TALENT. Arch is for real....9-12 for 223 yards and four touchdowns. FSU quarterback DJ...I can’t say his last name could not go 9 of 12 if he handed the ball to our receivers. Texas is going to play for and potentially win the National Title. They have two first round picks at QB....Texas is stacking talent like Kirby and Saban. REMEMBER WHAT I SAID...Talent Acquisition. Sark is not a great coach....Good-sure. Great -No....

THEY ARE BACK....Yes, Texas is back....So is Miami and Tennessee. The Vols and Hurricanes took forever to get there but they are for real. Miami put up over 730 yards of offense yesterday. Their QB is a front runner for the Heisman Trophy. ONCE AGAIN...TALENT AQUISITION. The game has changed....You better have talent. Coaching is great but ask the guy at Rice what matters more...COACHING or TALENT.


Rankings.....

1) Texas (3-0) vs. Louisiana Monroe – Texas is playing the best football in the country right now. They lose their starting QB Ewers and in comes Arch Manning and he lights up the score board. There may not be a team better suited to play a 12 team playoff than Texas.

2) Ole Miss (3-0) vs. Georgia Southern: Ole Miss is smoking everyone. I expect Georgia Southern to be next on the list of programs that gets lit up. You can’t argue with the success of Kiffin in 2024. He has a team ready to make a run at a playoff
.
3) UGA (3-0) BYE WEEK : UGA is a tough out, no question. That being said they have some questions on offense that need to be answered. I just feel that Texas and Ole Miss are playing better football right now.

4) Ohio State (2-0) vs. Marshall - Ohio State will be in the conversation for a National Title because of TALENT. They are loaded but can this team play tough man football in December and Jan. We are about to find out.

5) Miami-(3-0) UM has a very favorable schedule. They will be favored in every game the rest of the way. Can they avoid a slip up? If they do this will be the best Miami team since 2001-2002.

6) Tennessee-(3-0) at Oklahoma - Tennessee coach was fired at OU. The last person who had a grudge like this was Spurrier when other teams in the SEC passed on him as their coach. I think Josh H is about to open up a can of whoop ass next weekend. The Vols have a big road test in Norman...Will they pass it?

7-Alabama-(3-0) BYE-Alabama had a weird road game at Wisconsin. They went up there and basically showed Wisconsin fans and coaches how far they are away from being a real program.

8-Penn State-(2-0) vs. Kent State- the Lions have another cake walk next week. The real test comes when they face Ohio State. Win that game and they have a spot in the Big Ten title game.

9-Oregon-(3-0) BYE Week- Oregon finally got over the early season blues. They are going to get better each week.

10-USC-(2-0) at Michigan- Their real test comes next weekend in Michigan. Win that and the Trojans are for real. They will compete for a playoff spot and the Big Ten in year one.

11-Kansas State (3-0) at BYU- They are beatable but I do like Avery Johnson. They had a big win over an unbeaten Arizona team and they looked good doing it. Chris Kleiman is a good coach.

12-Missouri-(3-0) they should not have been ranked in the top ten RIGHT NOW. They did get a nice come from behind win against BC yesterday. I doubt they stay unbeaten very long.

13-Utah- (3-0) vs. Oklahoma State- This may be the best game of next week. Either Okie State or Utah will leave with a loss. I think these two programs have two of the best coaches in college football.

14-Oklahoma-(3-0) vs. Tennessee-I feel Tennessee is ahead of the talent acquisition part of the equation right now. OU is getting there. The Vols are rolling can OU stop them. Win and OU will shoot into the top ten. Lose and not look bad and OU will stay where they are.

15-Notre Dame (2-1)vs. Miami Ohio -ND had a bad loss last week but bounced back big against Purdue. This is a good team but you can't lose to NIU at home.

The best of the rest....

16-Oklahoma State-(3-0) vs. Utah
17-Nebraska (3-0) vs. Illinois
18-Louisville (3-0) vs. GT
19-LSU (2-1) vs. UCLA
20-UCF (3-0) BYE WEEK
21-Michigan (2-1) vs. USC
22-Washington State (3-0) San Jose State
23-Arizona State (3-0) vs. Texas Tech
24-Clemson (1-1) vs. NC State
25-Indiana (3-0) vs. Charlotte

QB
DJ, DJ, DJ, DJ....Maybe if I keep saying his name good will come of it. DJ is not good. We can blame the OL, we can blame the receivers for the drops, we can blame the backs....What ever it is, DJ is not working. I remember Spurrier once saying that Danny W was not good in practice and in a game he looked great. DJ has not worked out and honestly at this point it does not matter who is to blame. TIME TO MOVE ON. You give Glenn the rest of the season and see whether or not he is an option for 2025. I feel if Glenn is not an option, FSU is hitting the portal again. I don't believe that Luke is ready. No one can tell me that FSU is 0-3 if Thomas Costellanos is the QB. When DJ is in there IT IS SO HARD. IT IS HARD TO PASS THE BALL, IT SEEMS HARD TO RUN THE BALL. It is not supposed to be this hard to operate an offense. FSU offense has never been this bad. When Drew was here he was not great but they still had games of over 300 yards. Same with Rix. Even with Blackman. This offense is painful to watch and it starts and ends with the QB posiiton. It may not be fair but like the in the MOVIE the GODFATHER - This is the life we chose....DJ decided to become a QB and you have to take the good with the bad.

RB
First play of the game FSU hands the ball of to Roydell Williams. He bust off a 7 yard gain. You watch the run and the entire offensive line re-set the line of scrimmage. Memphis entire defensive line was on their heels. This was the best run of the season. Roydell got the ball and no one on defense was near him. You saw a different team. 2nd and 2....Same thing. FSU won the line of scrimmage and Memphis defedner comes up and hit the back right in the PERFECT SPOT. What looked like the start of a great day espcially in the run game, disaster struck and Williams fumbled. The worst possible scenario happened. FSU needed that drive to continue to work and FSU take a 7-0 lead.

WR
It gets overlooked but FSU really misses Keon and Johnny. These two were wayyyyyyyyy better blocking. Go and watch the screens FSU runs and it seems like someone is always missing a block. 2nd and 20 on the second drive...Trips to the left....Morlock engages the defender and does his job. Courtney gets tossed to the groud. Coaches harp on exection. This play was there for 7-8 yards but Morlock just gets abused.

TE
Brian Courtney and Kyle Morlock - On the final drive you saw 12 personal...When these two are on the field together, I don't get a real warm and fuzzy feeling. Courtney is not FSU material. He needs to hit the portal or move on. Morlock is coming back...Morlock can still be an option but Landen Thomas needs to play more.

OL
The most experience group on the team -What a major dissapointment. 2nd Drive on offense and a nice run by Kam and TJ Ferguson gets a hold. TJ has not impressed me. I also think some of the other guys have not played well. An OL is ONE UNIT. If one guy breakdowns it impacts the entire play. The line did play better at times but this was supposed to be a strength and right now be the weakness of this team. Keiondre Jones - Now I know why Auburn let the guy go. He is not very good.

DE
Pat Payton - He is FSU best defensive end. Payton is the he only one who gives you a consistent rush off the edge. He does not set the edge well in the run game but in long yardage situations Payton can be money. On the third and eight on the first drive, FSU has Memphis in a good spot, Marvin drops into coverage and was lost. This is not the first time I saw Marvin lost on the field. He either needs to learn what the hell to do or FSU needs to find someone else to fill this spot.

DT
Daniel Lyons will be a good piece for 2025-2026. He is the one kid who seems to play hard on every down. He may make mistakes but Lyons had a sack and seemed to change the line of scrimmage when in the game. Farmer had his best game of the three. He still is undisciplined at times but there is no doubt that when on...He can be good. He had a sack and a TFL on consecutive plays. I feel like FSU could really use Farmer back next year. Forget about the portal...forget about HS...You are not finding another player as talented as Farmer for one season. KEEP HIM. Get his head out of his ass and see what happens next year.

LB
Riley and Justin Cryer are actually pretty good. I think the LB play will actually improve if these two stay healthy. Cryer is a keeper. I feel that he can be an All-Conference type player over the next two years. Riley has improved since game 1. I don't know what happened with Shawn Murphy but how bad is Murphy if he is a scratch for three games. I continue to see glimpses of Nichelson and he will be good down the road. He needs to get in the weight room this off-season and you will see the jump the next season. For a position takes a ton of heat from the fans...Cryer and Nichelson is a good start for the future of FSU linebacker room. Next up with be Jayden Parrish. FSU has some things to work with in 2025-2026. Cryer even when he did not get interceptions still got out into the flats and made plays. He was not liability in pass coverage. Lundy just can't play in fsu scheme.

S
Hussey targeting was questionable at best. I just don't know how a defender can avoid that type of contact. I do think this is the one position that FSU is really hurting most on defense. There is not an Akeem Dent right now.

CB
One thing I noticed on defense is the secondary does not look like they are communicating well. It looked like they were in cover 4 or quarters coverage and the defensive backs seem to be running into each other. They need to trust each other more. The defensive backs which should be the strength did not play well.

Special Teams - Fitzgerald....Gotta give this kid credit. He was terrible early in his career. It just shows you that sometimes it is not the talent that is the issue...Sometimes it is mental. He has come a LONG WAYS to become probably the best field goal kicker in the country. Mastramano is one of the best punters. Now all was not good on special teams. FSU had a penalty on a punt for offsides and two guys ran into each other causing a fumble. B GRADE and would have been an A if not for those mistakes.

Final Thoughts: I am one that rarely ever blames coaching. I feel it is about the Jimmy and Joes and not about the X's and O'S. Good players execute. Good players run the plays right. Good players don't make so many mental mistakes. You want to blame the coaches...blame them for the players they put on the field. This is not a talented team, it is not a good team and it is not a deep team. This is a team that will be lucky to win 6 games this year.

Moving Forward....

QB-Brock Glenn
RB-Kam Davis
WR-Kentron Poitier
WR-Malik Benson
WR-Hykeem Williams
TE-Landen Thomas
OT-Jaylen Early - May have struggled but wont get better on the bench.
OT-Robert Scott
OG-Andre Otto
OG-Julian Armella
C-Maurice Smith

DE-Tomiwa Durojiaye
DE-Pat Payton
DT-Joshua Farmer
DT-Daniel Lyons
LB-Cam Riley
LB-Justin Cryer /Nichelson
DB-Conrad Hussey
DB-Edwin Joseph
DB-AZ Thomas
DB-Fentrell Cypress
DB-Kevin Knowles

Updates from Norvell on Washington and Byers plus Cam Riley and Jalen Brown:

Florida State football coach Mike Norvell, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and special teams coordinator John Papuchis join us at 11:30 a.m. on Monday to unpack Memphis and preview the Cal game.

Alex Atkins is again not available this week. (We asked.) Gabe Fertitta is also not available this week. (We asked.)

Look for updates below in the thread:

Saturday was the final nail in the coffin of salvaging FSU's 2024 season. All the good will and momentum Mike Norvell built over the last two years is gone.

In order to pivot to the future and try to rebuild, it's time for FSU to embrace a youth movement.

FSU's first true road game of the season next weekend at SMU will be played at 8 p.m., the ACC announced today.

Meet the first five-stars

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FSU sports information:

A record 20 students who earned perfect 4.0 grade point averages during the 2023-24 academic year were among the 30 student-athletes honored as Golden Torch Award winners by the FSU Department of Athletics and the Seminole Boosters during the Seminoles’ game against Memphis on Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. The student-athletes with the highest grade point averages on each Seminole team, along with the one women’s (golf) and one men’s team (tennis) with the highest cumulative team GPA, were recognized.

Academically, the student-athletes on the 20 Seminole teams combined to earn Academic All-American honors by five different student-athletes, Academic All-District Honors by 38 different student-athletes, had 177 student-athletes named to their All-ACC Academic Teams, and had 289 student-athletes named to the 2024 ACC Academic Honor Roll.

“The Golden Torch awards are a tremendous way to recognize the academic excellence of our student-athletes,” said Florida State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford. “They continue to showcase the opportunities at Florida State to receive a top-tier education with championship experiences on the field. I’m proud of the work of our student-athletes in the classroom, as well as the support from our academic staff and coaches to emphasize the importance of a quality education. In addition to the individuals honored from each team, it was great to recognize our women’s golf team, which boasts the No. 1-ranked women’s amateur player in the world, and our defending ACC champion men’s tennis team as the winners of the highest cumulative team GPA in another shining example of combining success in the classroom and in competition.”

The nationally ranked women’s golf team, which finished in 11th place in the NCAA Championship Finals in 2024, was recognized with the highest GPA (3.674) among the women’s athletics teams at Florida State. It marks the 10th time (and fifth time under Head Coach Amy Bond) since 1991 that the women’s golf team has earned the highest GPA in a given year.

“The words student-athlete are an important part of our program,” said Bond of the women’s golf team. “Our players dedicate themselves not only on the golf course but in the classroom. Golfers miss more class time than any other student-athletes, and they are disciplined in doing their work on the road. I am very proud of what they accomplished last year in having the highest GPA in the entire athletic department. This was a huge accomplishment and something they should all be proud of.”

The ACC Champion men’s tennis team, which finished with a No. 10 national ranking in 2024, was recognized as having the highest team GPA (3.302) among the Florida State men’s teams. It marks the 11th time (and ninth time under head coach Dwayne Hultquist) the men’s tennis team has earned the award.

“We are honored to win the Golden Torch team award again this year,” said Hultquist. “We feel when we take care of schoolwork, our team plays its best tennis.”

Four members of the No. 4 ranked beach volleyball team were presented with Golden Torch Awards as each player earned perfect 4.0 GPA’s, including senior Paige Kalkhoff.

"At Florida State, excellence is the benchmark, and I embrace this standard wholeheartedly,” said Kalkhoff, who graduated from Florida State with a degree in public health in 2024. “I am dedicated to giving my best effort not only on the court but also in the classroom, the training room, and in every facet of my daily life. My commitment to academic success and athletic prowess is fueled by a drive to exceed expectations and achieve excellence in all I do. Whether it’s pushing my limits in practice or rehab, maintaining top academic performance, or demonstrating integrity and leadership, I am determined to excel and make a positive impact both on and off the court."

Gray Albright, of the No. 2 ranked men’s golf team, earned the Golden Torch award for the men’s golf team. He has been named to the All-ACC Academic Honor Roll three times and was included as a member of the 2024 All-ACC Academic Men’s Golf Team. Albright earned his degree in real estate development from Florida State in 2024.

"My parents taught me from a young age to get good grades and that it would pay off in the future,” said Albright. “Success in the classroom goes hand in hand with success on the golf course. My ultimate goals include being a successful student and helping Florida State be successful on the golf course.”

The Florida State Department of Athletics, in conjunction with Seminole Boosters, Inc., has presented the Golden Torch Awards to the top Seminole student-athletes since 1991. The ACC Honor Roll student-athletes, as well as the individuals with the highest GPA on their respective teams, and the men’s and women’s teams with the highest Grade Point Averages are recognized as Golden Torch Award winners.

2024 Florida State Athletics Golden Torch Winners

Women’s Team Winner: Women’s Golf

Men’s Team Winner: Men’s Tennis

Baseball, Daniel Cantu, 4.00, Graduate, Athletic Coaching (Graduate Certificate)

Men’s Basketball Jesse Jones, 3.925, Junior, Finance

Men’s Cross Country, David Mullarkey, 3.844, Senior, Public Health

Football, Shyheim Brown, 3.950, Junior, Social Science

Men’s Golf, Gray Albright, 3.500, Senior, Real Estate

Men’s Swimming and Diving, Eli Butters, 4.00, Junior, Statistics

Men’s Swimming and Diving, Jesco Helling, 4.00, Senior, Chemical Engineering

Men’s Swimming and Diving, Stephen Speck, 4.00, Senior, Sociology

Men’s Tennis, Justin Lyons, 3.780, Freshman, Exploratory

Men’s Track and Field, David Mullarkey, 3.844, Senior, Public Health

Beach Volleyball, Morgan Chacon, 4.00, Senior, Athletic Coaching

Beach Volleyball, Kaeli Crews, 4.00, Senior, Social and Sustainable Enterprises

Beach Volleyball, Paige Kalkhoff, 4.00, Junior, Public Health

Beach Volleyball, Carra Sassack, 4.00, Sophomore, Sport Management

Soccer, Lauren Flynn, 4.00, Senior, Public Administration (Master’s)

Soccer, Heather Gilchrist, 4.00, Sophomore, Finance

Soccer, Beata Olsson, 4.00, Junior, Environment and Policy

Softball, Kaley Mudge, 4.00, Graduate, Athletic Coaching (Graduate Certificate)

Volleyball, Maddie Snider, 3.971, Freshman, Pre-Exercise Physiology

Women’s Basketball, Avery Treadwell, 4.00, Senior, Chemical Engineering

Women’s Cross Country, Jane Eiselstein, 4.00, Senor, Athletic Training

Women’s Cross Country, Olivia Niewald, 4.00, Junior, Biological Sciences

Women’s Cross Country, Ava Povich, 4.00, Senior, Exercise Physiology

Women’s Cross Country, Hannah Schemmel, Junior, 4.00, Computer Science

Women’s Cross Country, Dani Thompson, Junior, 4.00, Behavioral Neuroscience

Women’s Golf, Lottie Woad, 3.972, Sophomore, Sport Management

Women’s Swimming and Diving, Kayleigh Clark, 4.00, Psychology

Women’s Swimming and Diving, Skylar Ruffner, 4.00, Junior, Behavioral Neuroscience

Women’s Tennis, Vic Allen, 4.00, Senior, Sport Management (Master’s)

Women’s Track and Field, Tori Carroll, 4.00, Graduate, Athletic Coaching (Graduate Certificate)

FSU sports information:

The No. 21 Florida State volleyball team (7-1) showcased its determination and consistency as they defeated the UCF Knights (5-1) in a thrilling four sets (25-16, 25-20, 23-25, 25-17) at home on Sunday afternoon. This victory marked the Seminoles' first win over the Knights since 2020.

The Noles took part in a back and forth battle in the first set, exchanging the lead constantly in the early moments. The Seminoles broke away with a five-point run that put them up 17-14, forcing a UCF timeout. Florida State's momentum didn't settle as they added three unanswered points immediately following the timeout to extend the lead to 20-14. The Seminoles finished the set strong with a 5-2 scoring run with Iane Henke delivering the final two kills to secure the 25-16 win.

The back-and-forth pattern continued throughout the second set. Florida State took an initial 2-0 lead, but UCF quickly responded with its own four-point run. The lead once again didn't stay with either team for too long until the Noles finally pulled away with a quick 3-0 run thanks to back-to-back aces from Kenna Phelan to make it 18-15. UCF cut it to 20-18, but the Noles scored five out of the final seven points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Knights found their pace in the third set, establishing an early lead of 8-4. Despite being down 17-10 at one point, the Seminoles kept fighting and managed to close the gap and got within one at 23-22, but UCF rallied to force a fourth set.

Florida State jumped ahead with an 8-4 lead in set four to stop the Knights' momentum. UCF battled back and to cut the lead to one at 13-12, but FSU used a 5-0 run to take a commanding 18-13 lead. The Seminoles went on to take the set and the match by a score of 25-17.

Audrey Koenig was outstanding once again for the Noles as she led the way with 15 kills with a .464 hitting percentage. Koenig has now recorded 10 or more kills in her last five games. Koenig also recorded a career-high five aces for FSU. Taylor Head picked up her second consecutive double digit kill match with 11 kills. Florida State dominated in blocks with 13 total compared to UCF's six. Khori Louis had seven and Kelsey Perry and Henke both had five. FSU also dominated behind the service line as they recorded 13 total aces compared to just five from UCF.

The Noles will take center stage on Tuesday night as they will face the No. 13 Florida Gators on ESPN at 7 p.m. in Gainesville.

The play calling is just baffling. Is DJ hurt to where he can’t throw? We just ran the ball on 3rd and 4 with 7 guys at the line of scrimmage. It’s so frustrating seeing our offense.

Mike Norvell is still sickened by the product FSU put on the field vs. Georgia Tech, taking the brunt of the blame himself. And yet, what he's seen since in terms of ownership from all coaches and players has him encouraged about FSU's pending response.

It was pretty big to get Alford on campus this weekend. In my opinion, a flip comes down to how effectively and more importantly how quickly FSU would use Alford.
https://floridastate.rivals.com/new...alford-offers-unique-perspective-on-fsu-visit

IMO, the guy should have been gone after that loss.. Thats the post..

After a bye week to recover a bit and return to basics, the Florida State football team gets its third shot at its first win of the 2024 season Saturday afternoon.

The Seminoles (0-2, 0-2 in ACC) host the Memphis Tigers (2-0) at Doak Campbell Stadium (Noon on ESPN) in a clash of FSU head coach Mike Norvell against the program that gave him his first head coaching opportunity. Over four seasons at Memphis, Norvell went 38-16 (.704) over four seasons as the Tigers' head coach from 2016 through 2019. Now, he hopes to snap a three-game losing streak against his former team after FSU won 19 straight games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Memphis arrives in Tallahassee as the No. 25 team in this week's USA Today Coaches poll and three spots removed from the top 25 of the AP poll. The Tigers beat FCS North Alabama 40-0 in their opener and then beat Troy 38-17 last week entering this opportunity to send a statement against their former head coach. Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield was an assistant during Norvell's Memphis tenure.

FSU leads the all-time series against Memphis 10-7-1 and has won the last four games against the Tigers. But Saturday's game will be the first game between the two programs since 1990. FSU is favored by 6.5 points over the visiting Tigers.

FSU, meanwhile, has had 12 days since its last game after getting the first of three bye weeks this season last week. Norvell is 9-2 (.818) in his head coaching career coming off an in-season open date. Including season openers, non-Saturday games and bowl games, his teams are 27-11 (.711) with more than seven days to prepare for a game.

The only change to FSU's depth chart this week was the removal of Indiana running back transfer Jaylin Lucas, who suffered a season-ending injury in FSU's loss to Boston College Sept. 2. However, it will be interesting to monitor if there are any changes to the starting lineup during pregame warmups and once the game gets underway.

At least one good bit of news for the Seminoles is that sophomore wide receiver Hykeem Williams, a former five-star recruit, is expected to make his season debut Saturday after missing the Georgia Tech and Boston College losses. Williams had 80 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman in 2023 and should bring a dynamic athleticism and big-play ability to the Seminoles' offense.

We'll have updates from Doak starting around 10 a.m. once the press box opens. When the game begins, we'll also be sharing game updates here.

Maybe NIL is creating pressure for coaches to continue to play certain players? ROI?

Who’s the better ball coach and who would u rather have ?