Since 1974, when they went 1-10, the Florida State Seminoles have had their poorest start. After losing to the Miami Hurricanes this past weekend, the Seminoles are now 1-7 (1-6 ACC) and officially out of bowl contention, 50 years later.
Any progress made after the incredible 13-1 2023 season is now nullified by the disastrous 2024 campaign, despite Florida State’s consistent growth on the recruiting trail over the previous few years and their pitch to recruits that they could be a part of championship-winning teams.
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FSU head coach Mike Norvell talked about the transfer portal and his conversations with players heading into the rest of 2024, as the transfer window officially opens in December and players from all over the country choose to forego their seasons in order to stay healthy while they look for new opportunities.
“The distinction in the modern day is that they have included a dead period during which discussions can take place and there will be a few days before the gateway opens. And to be honest, there are some players for whom that will be the greatest option. You look at their locations and the chances available to guys who want to play; we have some guys who have graduated and are going to look into other options. As of right now, I’ve had some discussions about it, but it’s also a part of the new era. We’ll have time, and Notre Dame will be gone for another week.
Norvell elaborated on that comment by outlining his efforts to keep his players. The Seminoles haven’t had a player opt out of the 2024 campaign despite their lack of success, which may be encouraging as the December transfer window approaches.
“I hire them each day. It’s your appearance, your work, your actions, and your financial commitment. I care for the players I teach here, and last week when we were traveling, men who had left to go somewhere came back to visit our squad. I got to give them a lot of hugs. I respect the decisions, and I offer my honest opinion and assessment on where it is and what it could look like, but my job is to show up every day and put into these players. Sometimes guys leave for whatever reason they believe is best for them, and these days, there are many different reasons.
Both the redshirt rule and the transfer window are among the more contentious and changing aspects of collegiate football. Prior to 2018, redshirting athletes could not see the field; if they did, they would not be eligible for a redshirt. The NCAA has since changed the regulation to let redshirts to participate in up to four games during the regular season without having their eligibility revoked. Norvell discussed how the redshirt rule has affected the game and how it has evolved in recent years.
“I believe there is a new value today. I mean, in all honesty, I know that the five for five has been discussed as a possibility, and I’m probably betting more on that happening than not, but there are still things that must go through it. We’ll see how it all turns out, but in the long run, I believe that some players simply require that time for physical or developmental reasons. In particular, when you consider the various scrimmage lines, you want players to be physically ready and prepared when they go out there. We’ve seen the positive aspects of some of those situations, but we’ve also seen the negative ones. There are many aspects to it, and we want to make sure that men are making the most of their time and not pressuring them if they aren’t emotionally or physically prepared at the moment, but also making sure that if they are, we’re seizing the chance.”\
In addition, Norvell talked about his intentions to deploy Luke Kromenhoek, a true freshman, in the next four games. The rookie quarterback, who has already appeared in two games this season, led FSU to a touchdown drive early in the second quarter and took the most of the plays against Miami last weekend. As a redshirt, Kromenhoek can still participate in two more games.
“This week is the main emphasis as we go through everything. That’s our attitude and strategy with all of our men, particularly when it comes to decisions like that. Let’s go be the best we can be and keep getting better,” Norvell stated.
This weekend, the Seminoles will play the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, who are 4–4, at Doak Campbell Stadium. The ACC Network will carry the game, with kickoff set for 3:30.
