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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Sunday, Seminole!

Fall Camp is officially closed, and the countdown to Alabama is on. Here’s what we’re tracking:

🎙️ Norvell Shifts Focus Fully to Alabama — Camp wrapped Saturday with full transition into game-week mode as depth sharpens and health improves.

🏈 Harris Jr. Breaks Down WR Room — Duce Robinson, Jayvan Boggs, and Squirrel White headline a competitive, versatile group ready to stress defenses.

💨 Jae Lamar Talks Burst, Visits & FSU’s Hunger — The Georgia commit flashed big-play ability Friday and says he’ll be in Tallahassee for the Alabama opener.

📊 FSU 2026 Recruiting Needs — With 22 commits locked in, the final touches at RB, OT, and JACK will determine whether this class finishes top-10.

🔍 Mid-Camp Reality Check — Exciting new offense meets defensive question marks as Alabama prep begins.

⚽ No. 3 FSU Soccer Hosts FIU — The Seminoles look to extend a dominant home streak after blasting Florida 5-0 to open the season.

It’s a packed slate as FSU moves from camp mode to proving ground.

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🎙️ Norvell Shifts Focus Fully to Alabama 🎙️ 

Mike Norvell wrapped up camp Saturday with a wide-ranging update, signaling FSU’s transition into full game prep for Alabama.

🔥 Camp Takeaways

• Final practice featured game situations (special teams, 2-minute, 4-minute drills) with officials present.

• Norvell: “Great sense of where we are…guys putting themselves in position to play on the 30th.”

• Depth being solidified across the roster; Monday will focus on special teams, then Tuesday begins full game-week mode.

💥 Playmakers Flash

• Tae Gelsey popped for a big TD; Norvell excited after a camp limited by injury.

• Charles Lester, Gavin Blackwell, Landen Thomas, and Jayson Jenkins all stood out after working back from setbacks.

• Young DBs pushing for rotation spots.

🩺 Injury Updates

• WR Squirrel White expected to be limited this week.

• DL Kevin Wynn (on crutches recently) remains under watch.

• Brock Glenn set to return to heavy QB reps after being limited.

• Blackwell and Thomas back in full team work.

🛡️ Depth Chart Notes

• CB competition: Ja’Bril Rawls, Quindarrius Jones, Shamar Arnoux, Charles Lester, and Cai Bates all in mix.

• OL boost: Rizy’s return has him pushing for a “first five” spot.

• Desir twins praised — Mandrell versatile inside/outside, Darryll explosive off the edge.

• TE room gaining versatility with Landen Thomas back and Chase Loftin progressing.

Why It Matters: Camp is nearly in the books, and with health improving plus depth sharpening, Norvell and staff now pivot to prepping for Alabama’s Ty Simpson-led offens

👉 Full interview and summary here.

🏈 Harris Jr. Breaks Down WR Room 🏈

FSU WR coach Tim Harris Jr. gave a detailed look at his unit on Saturday, highlighting progress, competition, and rising stars.

🔥 Consistency & Depth

• Wants to see more consistency, especially from backups.

• Gavin Blackwell expected to be available for the opener — “You wouldn’t have known he missed time.”

• Harris anticipates 5–6 WRs in the regular rotation.

💪 Standouts & Roles

• Duce Robinson & Squirrel White: “Really excited where they’re at.” Robinson praised for dominant mentality, star potential, and relentless work ethic.

• Jayvan Boggs: “Super advanced… handles his business like a pro.” Strong ball skills, contested catches, and “dog mentality” in blocking.

• Micahi Danzy: Transitioning from RB, impressing with perimeter blocking. Harris: “I still don’t think he knows how good he can be.”

• Hykeem Williams, Vandrevius Jacobs, Destyn Hill all flashed at times. Kentron Frier praised for blocking. Hykeem McCoy noted as one of the best route runners.

⚔️ Group Strength

• WRs have excelled at contested catches in traffic, not just Robinson and Boggs but across the room.

• Tony White’s defense challenges them daily; Harris likes how even the young WRs are responding.

• Perimeter blocking across the group is progressing well.

Why It Matters: Harris Jr. sees a versatile and competitive WR room — led by Duce Robinson and Jayvan Boggs — with enough depth to stress defenses all season.

👉 Full recap via Warchant

💨 Jae Lamar Talks Burst, Visits & FSU’s Hunger 💨

Georgia commit Jae Lamar opened Colquitt County’s season with a 40-yard burst before leaving with a minor injury, finishing with 55 yards in a 27–24 win. Even after pledging to UGA in June, Lamar told Warchant he’ll be back in Tallahassee soon — including the season opener vs. Alabama.

What He Sees in FSU

• Loves Gus Malzahn’s run-heavy offense: “They are going to run that rock. They are going to run it a lot, too.”

• Connected with RB coach David Johnson (“Coach YAC”), who envisions Lamar as a featured back.

• Praises Mike Norvell’s personal touch: “He sees me not only as a great player, but a great person.”

The Bigger Picture

• Intrigued by Ousmane Kromah’s quick rise — says it motivates him and shows what’s possible in FSU’s system.

• Feels the team has better leadership and a different hunger in 2025: “They are competitive, and they are ready to get after it.”

• Georgia remains a strong pull — he’s been a fan since childhood and will also visit Auburn for UGA’s game there.

Recruiting Outlook
Lamar is still firmly in Georgia’s class, but his tone on FSU has shifted — with Warchant noting he speaks more confidently about the Seminoles than before. Getting him on campus against Alabama is a pivotal chance to showcase the new offense and culture.

👉 Full story via Warchant

📊 FSU 2026 Recruiting Needs — At a Glance 📊

Quick Math

• Total commits: 22

• Likely additions left: 4–5

• Priority needs: RB, OT, JACK

Why It Matters
The 2026 class is already balanced and high-upside, but the final touches — finding a feature back, locking down a true OT, and landing at least one explosive edge rusher — will decide if it finishes as a top-10 group.

👉️ Check out the full breakdown on Noles247

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🔍 Mid-Camp Reality Check 🔍

Halfway through preseason, Corey Clark lays out the two competing truths: there’s genuine excitement around FSU’s revamped offense, and real questions about whether the defense has enough proven talent to stand up to Alabama.

🔥 Reasons for Excitement

• WR Upgrade: Duce Robinson looks like a true No. 1, while Squirrel White and Jayvan Boggs are making consistent plays — a massive step up from 2024’s corps.

• Ousmane Kromah Effect: The freshman RB carries himself like a veteran and already looks poised to be a difference-maker.

• Vibes Reset: After last year’s “loser’s limp,” the program’s confidence, accountability, and energy have clearly shifted.

⚠️ Reasons for Concern

• Defensive Talent Unproven: James Williams, Darrell Jackson, Earl Little, and others haven’t yet shown star-level consistency.

• DL Depth Issues: Injuries and inexperience have left questions up front; coaches keep praising freshmen like the Desir twins because veterans aren’t standing out.

• Secondary Worries: Shyheim Brown went from locked-in starter to “in the mix,” which signals shaky depth on the back end.

💡 The Big Picture
Clark’s bottom line: this should be a fun season — not necessarily great, but competitive and entertaining. Upsetting Alabama in Week 1 is possible, but the defense must prove it can hold up against elite fronts.

👉 Read the full opinion at Warchant

⚽ No. 3 FSU Soccer Hosts FIU ⚽

The Seminoles (1-0-0) wrap up opening weekend on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. ET vs. FIU at the Seminole Soccer Complex. General admission is free, with Kids Club activities and a foam finger giveaway. The match airs on ACC Network Extra/ESPN+.

🔥 Opening Statement

• FSU opened the season with a 5-0 rivalry rout of Florida, extending two major streaks to 29 games: unbeaten in regular-season non-conference play (26-0-3) and unbeaten at home (27-0-2).

• Heather Gilchrist scored her first career brace, Wrianna Hudson added a goal before half, and Yuna McCormack + Peyton Nourse capped the scoring in the second.

• Addie Todd tallied three saves for the shutout.

🏆 Players to Watch

• Jordynn Dudley (F, Jr.) – Hermann Trophy Watch List, All-American, led FSU in assists (11) last year.

• Heather Gilchrist (D, Sr.) – Also on Hermann Trophy Watch List; defensive anchor with two early-season goals.

📊 Series & Opponent

• FSU is 6-0-0 all-time vs. FIU, with the last meeting a 5-0 home win in 2008.

• FIU (2024 C-USA champs) opens its season under new HC Mat Dunn after a 13-5-2 run last year.

🔒 Quick Kicks

• FSU is on an 11-game unbeaten streak, averaging 3+ goals per game.

• Program has a 56-game scoring streak, the longest in school history.

• Head coach Brian Pensky is 55-5-8 at FSU, including the 2023 national championship.

👉 Full match preview and broadcast links at Seminoles.com

And that’s a wrap!

That’ll do it for this edition — depth charts settling, stars emerging, and streaks stacking. Alabama week is here, and momentum is everywhere from the pitch to the practice field.

Catch you back here tomorrow as game prep intensifies.

— The Chief Brief