Florida State football currently holds the 17th-ranked recruiting class for the 2025 cycle, as per the 247Sports Composite rankings. The coaching staff aims to enhance the talent on the team’s roster.
However, the Seminoles have missed out on some prospects, including four-star linebacker Tavion Wallace, who chose to commit to the Arkansas Razorbacks. This is a common aspect of college football recruiting, where teams experience both wins and losses.
On Monday afternoon, Florida State faced another setback as five-star offensive lineman Josh Petty from Fellowship Christian School in Roswell, Georgia, decided to commit to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
BREAKING: Five-Star IOL Josh Petty has Committed to Georgia Tech, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’5 265 IOL from Roswell, GA chose the Yellow Jackets over FSU, Ohio State, & Tennessee
Is the 2nd Highest-Ranked recruit to ever Commit to Ga Tech🤯https://t.co/Nbbe7NK6fI pic.twitter.com/uJOZCOAqFN
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 12, 2024
This is seen as a setback for Florida State, as Petty had been a strong favorite for the Seminoles for quite some time. His sister is attending school in the Tallahassee area, which made the family atmosphere appealing to him.
The Yellow Jackets presented the “hometown hero” angle to the offensive lineman, emphasizing the importance of academics and the opportunity to elevate the program. This situation leaves Florida State in a challenging position regarding other recruits, as there are currently not many highly-rated prospects interested in them.
Florida State has already secured commitments from five-star Solomon Thomas and four-star Peyton Joseph for their offensive line. While they have talented players in that position, it would have been beneficial to add another skilled prospect, especially with current players like Maurice Smith, Darius Washington, and Jeremiah Byers graduating after the 2024 season.
Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Alex Atkins has been an effective recruiter for the team. There are promising young talents on the offensive line, including Lucas Simmons, Andre Otto, Jaylen Early, Julian Armella, and Jonathan Daniels.
However, there’s no need to panic just yet. The December Early Signing Period is still a long way off. Petty might reconsider his decision if Florida State has a successful season and if the Seminoles manage to defeat the Yellow Jackets in Ireland.
Five things we are aware of regarding the Florida State Seminoles football squad in 2024.
The Florida State football team is moving forward after achieving an undefeated regular season and winning a conference championship in 2023. However, their accomplishments were overshadowed by the College Football Playoff Committee’s decision to exclude the Seminoles from the national championship competition.
Head coach Mike Norvell and his team are prepared for the upcoming challenges of the 2024 season, bolstered by several new players acquired through the transfer portal and recruiting efforts.
Although the roster may appear significantly different, Norvell is confident in the team’s potential for success despite the departure of many key contributors from the previous year. With the over/under win total set at 9.5, there are still high expectations for Florida State among the public.
In this article, I will discuss five key points about the 2024 Florida State football team.
Football @ FSU: Three offensive weapons the Seminoles undervalue in 2024.
Florida State’s offense may look different in the 2024 season without key contributors like Jordan Travis, Trey Benson, Keon Coleman, Johnny Wilson, and Jaheim Bell.
However, in today’s college football landscape, teams must be prepared to replace the services of players who transfer, enter the NFL draft, or graduate. The Seminoles accomplished an undefeated regular season and a conference championship in 2023, but now have significant holes to fill on offense.
To address these losses, Florida State added several notable pieces via the transfer portal this offseason, including quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, running backs Roydell Williams and Jaylin Lucas, and wide receiver Malik Benson. These additions have generated a lot of buzz among the fanbase.
Despite the departures and changes, head coach Mike Norvell is confident in his team’s ability to continue their winning ways in 2024. He believes the Seminoles can maintain their success despite the roster turnover.
In this article, the author aims to highlight three underrated offensive weapons for the 2024 season that may not be getting as much attention as the high-profile transfers and departures.
In 2024, Brett McMurphy of Action Network has low expectations for the Florida State Seminoles.
Florida State football is ranked as the 10th-best team in the nation for the 2024 season according to the Coaches Poll. The Seminoles are recognized as the highest-ranked team in the ACC, which is expected after their conference championship win last season.
Following the release of the Coaches Poll, Brett McMurphy from Action Network shared his own AP poll, which sparked interest and is worth examining.
My preseason @AP_Top25 ballot from No. 1 Oregon to No . 25 Kansas. Thanks in advance for agreeing w/me on every team & where they’re ranked. As an added bonus, I listed the next best 15 for my top 40. Incredible, I know. Enjoy https://t.co/qiqnMiuJ9u
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 5, 2024
McMurphy’s rankings for the 2024 season have raised some eyebrows. Here’s his top-15 AP Poll ballot:
1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Texas
5. Alabama
6. Ole Miss
7. Penn State
8. Miami
9. Notre Dame
10. Utah
11. Kansas State
12. Oklahoma State
13. Clemson
14. Missouri
15. Florida State
Thoughts.
Where do I even start? McMurphy seems to have a misunderstanding of college football expectations, particularly regarding Notre Dame and Miami being ranked above Florida State. Both teams often have high hopes, but those aspirations tend to fade by November.
I’ve previously stated that Miami boasts one of its best offenses in over a decade, especially with veteran transfer Cameron Ward as their quarterback. However, we all know how head coach Mario Cristobal tends to manage games (KNEEL THE FOOTBALL!).
As for Notre Dame, it will be a tough challenge for the Seminoles to travel to South Bend in November. Still, we saw how Florida State performed against Riley Leonard when he was the Duke quarterback last season.
Overall, I understand the concerns surrounding Florida State football in 2024. There are significant uncertainties in replacing the wide receivers after Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson moved on to the NFL. While Alabama transfer Malik Benson is expected to be the top option, who will fill the roles behind him?
I don’t believe the program deserves a No. 15 ranking; a more accurate position would be around 9-11. Nevertheless, head coach Mike Norvell and his team will need to prove the skeptics wrong once again.
Football at FSU: Is Georgia Tech’s defense getting better than it did in 2023.
Florida State football is set to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in less than two weeks, so I wanted to check in on the latest news from their camp. The Yellow Jackets recently held their second scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday, similar to FSU. One of the key takeaways from Head Coach Brent Key was the noticeable improvement in the defense.
“I thought the defense came out and played with great intensity. It was encouraging to see their energy, physicality, and their ability to not only stop the run but also pressure the quarterback.”
Georgia Tech’s defense showed progress compared to their first scrimmage, which was marred by 16 penalties. In the second scrimmage, they reduced that number to five, recorded 11 tackles for loss, and achieved six sacks. Last season, Georgia Tech’s defense ranked No. 77 according to FEI advanced metrics, allowing an average of 29.5 points per game and struggling against the run with 5.38 yards allowed per rush. They also had difficulty getting off the field on third downs, allowing a 43.53% conversion rate, and finished with only 60 tackles for loss and 21 sacks.
To address these issues, Key hired new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci and brought in several players from the transfer portal. Florida State is familiar with Santucci, who was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Duke last year, where the defense finished No. 27 nationally in FEI thanks to a strong group of veteran players. Mike Norvell aims to establish the run game, so we’ll see how much Georgia Tech’s run defense has improved when they face an FSU offensive line filled with experienced players and one of the deepest running back groups in the ACC.
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