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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Doak Campbell is set for a season-opening showdown with everything on the line: a sold-out stadium, national spotlight, and one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the Mike Norvell era.

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s edition:

⚾ Fall Ball Returns to Howser — Exhibition games against Mississippi State, UAB, and the Garnet & Gold All-Star showcase (with a Home Run Derby!) highlight FSU baseball’s fall slate.

🏃 Kromah on Freshman Watch — Ousmane Kromah lands on the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Watch List after a dominant high school career.

🏀 Hoops Recruiting Heat-Up — Four-star forward Gallagher Placide and five-star PF Caleb Gaskins both have FSU visits lined up as the Seminoles push to land cornerstone 2026 talent.

🎨 Garnet Endzones Return — Doak Campbell is back to its traditional look this fall, bringing fans the garnet-painted endzones they demanded.

🐘 Alabama Talk — Bama DE LT Overton fires back with bold words about FSU’s offense, while coach Kalen DeBoer emphasizes starting fast and staying calm in Doak’s hostile environment.

🧠 Tony White’s Magic — A deep look at White’s track record of maximizing talent and why his “organized chaos” system could be FSU’s X-factor this season.

From painted endzones to recruiting momentum and a depth chart that signals fresh opportunities, it all points toward one thing: the spotlight is squarely on Florida State this weekend.

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You’re already entered just by being a subscriber. But you can boost your odds (20× / 50× / 100× entries) or lock in a Season Pass for every game.

Don’t wait — the Alabama game drawing happens today at 3PM. Winner has 2 hours to claim, or we redraw.

⚾ Fall Ball at Dick Howser ⚾

Florida State baseball fans won’t have to wait until spring to see their Seminoles in action — the program announced two home exhibitions this fall at Dick Howser Stadium.

🔥 Schedule Highlights

• Oct. 18 – Neutral-site exhibition vs. Mississippi State in Pensacola at Blue Wahoos Stadium (home of the Marlins’ Double-A affiliate).

• Oct. 25 – Seminoles host UAB in Tallahassee (first pitch at 12 p.m. ET). Postgame features Fan Day.

• Oct. 31 – Garnet & Gold All-Star Game at 6:30 p.m., capped off with a Home Run Derby.

🎟️ Ticket Info

• UAB Game – $10

• Garnet & Gold Game – $7

• All seats are general admission, tickets delivered digitally.

• Seminole Booster presale opens Oct. 1; general public sales begin Oct. 2.

• Gates open one hour before first pitch.

👉 Full fall ball details here

🏃 Ousmane Kromah on Freshman of the Year Watch List 🏃

Florida State’s newest offensive weapon, Ousmane Kromah, has been named to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Watch List, spotlighting him as one of the nation’s top first-year players to watch this fall.

🔥 High School Resume

• Top-100 national recruit, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 selection in 2024.

• Ran for 4,643 yards and 55 TDs at Lee County High School.

• Added 19 receiving TDs on 83 catches.

• Two-time Region 1-6A Player of the Year.

📈 Year-by-Year

• Sophomore: 1,504 rushing yards, 20 total TDs.

• Junior: 1,783 rushing yards, 29 total TDs.

• Senior: 1,356 rushing yards, 15 TDs, leading Lee County to the 5A state semifinals.

🏀 Two-Sport Athlete
Kromah wasn’t just dominant on the field — he also averaged a double-double on the basketball court in 2023.

📌 Why It Matters
Kromah’s inclusion on the list confirms what insiders have been buzzing about all camp: he’s not only FSU’s running back of the future, but he might already be one of the most impactful freshmen in the country.

👉 Full watch list + player profiles here

🏀 2026 Forward Gallagher Placide Eyes FSU Visit 🏀

Four-star forward Gallagher Placide (No. 143 nationally) just wrapped up an official visit to NC State and now has Florida State firmly in his upcoming tour.

📊 The Profile

• Height: 6’9”, skilled forward from Oak Cliff (TX) Faith Family Academy

• Currently taking visits to NC State, Kansas, LSU, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, and Florida State

🌴 Why FSU Stands Out
Placide has fond ties to the Sunshine State:

📅 The Road Ahead
Placide plans to complete all of his visits before deciding, with an emphasis on trust and relationships with coaches. He said he wants to commit to a program where he can lean on the staff when things get tough.

👉 Full interview and visit breakdown here

🏀 2026 PF Caleb Gaskins Includes FSU in Visit Plans 🏀

Five-star forward Caleb Gaskins (No. 17 nationally) is lining up his fall visits, and Florida State is on the list.

📅 Scheduled Trips

• Miami – Sept. 12

• Texas – Sept. 20

• Texas A&M – Oct. 11

• Florida – Oct. 18

• Ole Miss – Nov. 8

• Florida State – TBD

📊 Scouting Snapshot
At 6’8” with a 7’1” wingspan, Gaskins brings length, strength, and defensive versatility. He’s polished in the mid-range, steadily extending his range to three, and pulls down nearly eight boards a game in EYBL play. Still just 17, his physical upside and motor make him one of the most coveted frontcourt prospects in the 2026 cycle.

🌟 Why It Matters
FSU hasn’t locked in a date yet, but landing a campus visit from Gaskins — a top-20 national talent from Florida — signals they’re in the mix for one of the most impactful recruits in the class.

👉 Full evaluation via 247Sports here

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🎨 Garnet Endzones Return to Doak 🎨

It’s official — Florida State is bringing back its traditional garnet-painted endzones for the 2025 season.

🔥 The Update

• Last year, Doak Campbell featured only white “Florida State” lettering, a change that drew plenty of pushback from fans.

• Athletic director Michael Alford teased the return with a GIF last week, and FSU Football confirmed it Tuesday with a video of crews spraying the garnet paint around the lettering.

📌 Why It Matters
The endzones are more than just decoration — they’re part of FSU’s identity. Their return adds to the excitement of a season opener already carrying huge weight for Mike Norvell’s squad.

👉 Full reveal via FSU Football’s X account here

🐘 Bama’s LT Overton Fires Back 🐘

Alabama defensive end LT Overton didn’t hold back when asked about Saturday’s clash with Florida State.

🔥 Key Quotes

• On Doak crowd noise: “We just listen to our leaders. Disrespect will be addressed accordingly.”

• On Tommy Castellanos: “Of course it’s the legs… but nothing we ain’t seen before.”

• On FSU’s transfer-heavy O-line: “It’s not anything we haven’t seen before… we’re prepared for anything.”

• On weather: “Doesn’t make a shit difference to us. We’re gonna play our game of ball to the standard we were taught.”

👉 Full comments from Overton here

🧠 Tony White’s Track Record of Maximizing Talent 🧠

The question surrounding Year 1 under Tony White isn’t just whether his 3-3-5 scheme can confuse Alabama — it’s whether he can keep doing what he’s built a reputation on: squeezing the most out of every player on the roster.

🔍 Lessons from Nebraska & Matt Rhule
White says he learned from Matt Rhule the importance of “coaching everybody” — from walk-ons to All-Americans. He recalled a fourth-string safety who was moved to linebacker and, within two years, became an All-Big Ten performer. That philosophy mirrors Mike Norvell’s message: earn it, no matter your background.

📈 Proof in Production
The results at Nebraska back it up. In White’s first year (2023):

• Huskers’ defense jumped from 59th to 9th nationally in yards per play allowed (5.48 → 4.62).

• Scoring defense leapt from 77th to 13th (27.6 PPG → 18.3 PPG).

Individually, nearly every full-time defender improved in Pro Football Focus grades from 2022 to 2023:

• LB Luke Reimer: 52.5 → 68.6 (+16.1)

• Rover Omar Brown: 64.6 → 82.8 (+18.2)

• CB Tommi Hill: 60.6 → 85.9 (+25.3)

• DT Nash Hutmacher: 55.5 → 71.2 (+15.7)

Even the outliers grew: DE Ty Robinson slipped slightly in 2023 but became one of the country’s most disruptive interior linemen in 2024 (42 QB pressures, 75.0 grade).

🌟 Why It Matters for FSU
White arrives in Tallahassee with the same mission: identify overlooked strengths, shuffle roles if needed, and elevate players across the board. With an infusion of transfers and freshmen in the two-deep, his ability to maximize hidden value could be the difference between holding steady and taking a leap in Year 1.

👉 Full breakdown of White’s defensive turnaround here

And that’s a wrap!

That’s it for today’s Chief Brief — but the real action is just hours away. Alabama rolls into Doak with the season (and the national spotlight) on the line. Between the return of garnet endzones, a star-studded recruiting weekend, and Tony White’s debut defense ready to unleash chaos, Saturday is shaping up to be unforgettable.

Thanks for riding with us. See you back here tomorrow — hopefully talking about a Seminole statement.

Stay locked in. Stay Garnet & Gold. 🏹