Welcome to The Chief Brief!

Happy Monday, Seminole!

We don’t have much in the way of updates from yesterday so figured we’d bring you some analysis.

Here’s the docket:

🌟 Scouting Spotlight: We dive into a thrilling high school showdown, highlighting FSU recruits Byron Louis, Zae Thomas, and CJ Wiley, each showcasing their immense potential. Plus, updates on 2026 QB target Luke Fahey's upcoming visit to Ole Miss.

🏈 2024 Preseason Consensus Poll: FSU's position in the rankings is crucial as the new 12-team College Football Playoff format begins. Can they bounce back after a tough start?

🏈 Game Breakdown: FSU’s strategy was put to the test in their opener against Georgia Tech. We analyze what went wrong and what needs to improve for the Seminoles to stay in contention.

🌟 Scouting Spotlight: FSU Recruits Shine in High School Showdown 🌟

This past Friday, I had the opportunity to attend a thrilling high school football game between Milton (Ga.) and Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, featuring several top college football prospects, including key Florida State recruits.

4-star RB Byron Louis:
Louis showcased why he’s a top target for FSU’s 2025 class, rushing for over 150 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown. While not possessing elite speed, his vision, toughness, and leadership on the field stood out.

4-star DB Zae Thomas:
FSU commit Zae Thomas had an impressive night, consistently winning his matchup against Milton’s 4-star WR and fellow FSU commit CJ Wiley. Thomas’ lockdown performance highlighted his potential as a cornerback at the next level, despite some concerns about his top-end speed.

4-star WR CJ Wiley:
Wiley, despite being contained by Thomas for much of the game, demonstrated his physical attributes, including his 6-foot-4 frame and sub-11-second 100-meter dash speed. With further development, Wiley’s potential is sky-high.

Other Quick Notes:

• 3-star Arkansas DL commit Caleb Bell (Milton): A standout along the defensive front, Bell created havoc for Heritage’s offensive line and could project as a three-technique at the college level.

• Eastern Kentucky RB commit TJ Lester (Milton): Lester, though not an FSU-caliber recruit, impressed with his vision and ability to shake off tacklers.

These performances highlight the promising future of FSU's potential recruits, making it an exciting time for Seminole fans as the 2025 class shapes up.

Read more here

🏈 Scouting Spotlight: FSU Target Luke Fahey Returns to Ole Miss 🏈

Mission Viejo, Calif., 2026 quarterback Luke Fahey is set to visit Ole Miss next weekend for the Rebels' season opener against Furman. Fahey, who impressed during Juice Fest over the summer, threw for three touchdowns in Mission Viejo's 34-7 victory over Santa Margarita last week.

With offers from several top programs, including Florida State, Fahey is rated as the No. 15 quarterback in the 2026 class. His continued development makes him a key prospect to watch.

Read more here

🏈 2024 Preseason Consensus Poll: Where FSU Stands in the New Landscape 🏈

As the 2024 college football season kicks off with the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff format, the landscape is more competitive than ever.

Florida State, despite a disappointing start to the season with a 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech, remains a key player in the hunt for a national championship. Ranked 11th in the Preseason Consensus Poll, the Seminoles are still positioned to contend for one of those coveted playoff spots.

Overview of the 2024 Preseason Consensus Poll

The Preseason Consensus Poll is a comprehensive ranking derived from 20 different top 25 lists, including the Associated Press, Coaches Poll, ESPN, and more. This aggregated poll provides a broad overview of the teams expected to make a significant impact this season.

Top 10 Rankings:

1. Georgia - 493 points

2. Ohio State - 485 points

3. Oregon - 454 points

4. Texas - 447 points

5. Ole Miss - 395 points

6. Alabama - 393 points

7. Notre Dame - 374 points

8. Penn State - 337 points

9. Michigan - 334 points

10. Missouri - 299 points

Florida State comes in at 11th with 297 points, just behind Missouri and ahead of Utah.

Conference Representation and Playoff Implications

• The SEC dominates with 9 teams in the top 25, including Georgia, Texas, and Alabama.

• The Big Ten follows with 6 teams, led by Ohio State and Oregon.

• The ACC places 4 teams, with Florida State at the forefront, closely followed by Clemson, Miami, and NC State.

Under the new 12-team playoff format, conference champions are guaranteed a spot, making every game critical for securing a high seed. Florida State's position as the projected ACC champion means they could still secure a top-four seed despite their current ranking.

2024 College Football Playoff Projections

Based on the Preseason Consensus Poll, here's a look at how the College Football Playoff might shape up:

Quarterfinal Matchups:

• Peach Bowl: Georgia (1) vs. Alabama/Notre Dame winner

• Rose Bowl: Ohio State (2) vs. Ole Miss/Penn State winner

• Sugar Bowl: Florida State (3) vs. Texas/Michigan winner

• Fiesta Bowl: Utah (4) vs. Oregon/Boise State winner

The new playoff structure adds layers of excitement, with first-round games hosted by higher seeds and traditional bowl games serving as quarterfinals and semifinals.

Key Takeaways for Florida State

• Despite the loss to Georgia Tech, FSU remains in a strong position for the playoffs. However, the margin for error is slim, and the Seminoles must regroup quickly to stay in contention.

• The ACC Championship game against Clemson could be pivotal. Winning the conference not only secures a playoff berth but could also enhance their seeding.

• FSU’s ranking reflects the respect they’ve earned, but the road ahead is tough. The team must perform at a high level consistently to meet the expectations set forth in this poll.

As the season progresses, the Seminoles have the opportunity to solidify their position in the rankings and make a strong case for a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff.

Read more here

Florida State's 2024 Roster Strategy: Challenges in the Georgia Tech Game

Florida State entered the 2024 season with a clear strategy: dominate the run game and pair it with an effective vertical passing attack.

However, their game against Georgia Tech exposed significant issues in executing this plan, leading to a disappointing 24-21 loss.

Offensive Struggles

The Seminoles managed just 291 yards of total offense, largely due to Georgia Tech's successful strategy of crowding the box.

Out of FSU's 58 offensive plays, 26 were against a 7 or 8-man box, and the team failed to capitalize on the opportunities this presented.

Their average of 5.0 yards per play, a metric that would rank poorly on a national scale, underscores the difficulty they faced in both the run and pass games.

Georgia Tech's defensive strategy hinged on adding an extra defender to the box, often using a Cover 3 look that allowed the safety to focus on the run.

FSU's inability to exploit this, particularly through a vertical passing game, led to significant offensive inefficiency.

After an initial 28-yard touchdown run by Lawrance Toafili, the Seminoles' offense averaged just 4.2 yards per play for the rest of the game, and only 4.36 yards per play against crowded boxes.

FSU's reluctance or inability to push the ball downfield was glaring. In the first half, they didn’t attempt a single pass over 10 yards, according to TruMedia via PFF, which severely limited their ability to back Georgia Tech's defense off the line of scrimmage.

When they finally attempted deeper passes in the second half, they failed to connect, missing opportunities that could have shifted the momentum. Uiagalelei's deep passing grade was a concerning 40.3, reflecting his struggles to connect on longer throws.

Missed Opportunities

The Seminoles also struggled with execution in critical moments. Missed assignments and poor execution on plays that had the potential to gain significant yardage were common.

For instance, a screen pass to Jalen Brown was hampered by the right tackle tripping, causing a pile-up that limited the play's effectiveness.

Similarly, on an inside run, the blocking by the second tight end was insufficient, and the running back didn’t take advantage of the available space, turning what could have been a significant gain into a modest one.

These miscues were not isolated incidents. On a crucial third-and-one situation, the team ran a QB counter that failed due to a missed assignment and poor blocking, leading to a loss of yards instead of converting the first down.

These execution issues, combined with Georgia Tech's effective defensive strategy, contributed to FSU's inability to sustain drives and put points on the board.

Defensive Issues

On the defensive side, FSU's highly-touted defensive line failed to live up to expectations. Georgia Tech's offense, which was expected to struggle against FSU's front, managed to control the line of scrimmage, rushing for 190 yards at an average of 5.3 yards per carry.

This lack of physical dominance from the defensive line, which was supposed to be one of the strongest in the country, was a major disappointment.

The Yellow Jackets' ability to extend drives, particularly in the fourth quarter, was a key factor in their victory.

On their final drive, Georgia Tech ran 12 plays, draining the clock and setting up the game-winning field goal.

FSU's defense was unable to stop them when it mattered most, highlighting concerns about their ability to perform in clutch situations.

Player Performance

Several individual performances stood out, both positively and negatively. Roydell Williams, despite the overall struggles, managed to force seven missed tackles on 15 touches, showing his ability to make plays even in tough situations.

However, the offensive line, particularly the right tackle position, struggled with pass protection, allowing pressure on Uiagalelei that disrupted the passing game.

Freshman running back Kam Davis showed promise with his physicality, particularly in run blocking, but also had rookie moments, including a costly drop that could have extended a drive.

His run block grade of 80.4 was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise challenging game for the Seminoles.

Looking Forward

This game exposed significant issues that FSU must address if they hope to compete at a high level this season. The inability to establish a consistent run game, combined with struggles in the passing game, created a situation where the offense could not sustain drives or score effectively. On defense, the lack of physicality and the inability to control the line of scrimmage were glaring weaknesses that Georgia Tech exploited.

Mike Norvell and his coaching staff face a challenging task in correcting these issues before their next game. The Seminoles must find a way to adapt their offensive strategy to better exploit defenses that stack the box, and the defense must live up to its preseason billing if FSU is to turn their season around.

PFF Top Performers

• WR Ja'Khi Douglas: 82.8

• RB Roydell Williams: 70.5

• QB DJ Uiagalelei: 68.2

• OL Richie Leonard: 67.9

• WR Kentron Poitier: 67.6

PFF Worst Performers

• OT Robert Scott: 55.2

• TE Kyle Morlock: 55.0

• WR Darion Williamson: 54.9

• OL TJ Ferguson: 52.6

• TE Brian Courtney: 48.4

Analytics Insights

• OL Keiondre Jones: Allowed a 14.3% pressure rate, highlighting issues in pass protection.

• RB Roydell Williams: Recorded 7 missed tackles forced on 15 touches, showing his playmaking ability despite overall team struggles.

This performance was a wake-up call for Florida State, revealing both the potential of certain players and the significant challenges the team faces moving forward. The season is still young, and there is time to make adjustments, but the margin for error is quickly shrinking.

Read more here

And that’s a wrap!

From spotlighting FSU's future stars to dissecting the early season hurdles, this edition of The Chief Brief delivers crucial insights.

As the Seminoles navigate the challenges of the new 12-team playoff landscape, every game counts, and the road ahead demands resilience and adaptation.

Stay tuned for more in-depth analysis and updates as FSU strives to turn the tide this season.

Thanks for reading, and until next time—Go Noles! 🌟