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Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

TGIF, Seminole!

A pivotal offseason moment is unfolding in Tallahassee and this edition captures every major lever FSU is pulling as January approaches.

🏊‍♂️ FSU Athletes on the National Stage 🏊‍♀️
Eight Seminole divers head to USA Diving Winter Nationals, with returning national finalists and Olympic pedigree representing Florida State on a national platform.

🏈 FSU Loses Its GM — and the Clock Starts Ticking 🏈
Darrick Yray departs for UCLA, forcing FSU to confront a front-office vacancy just weeks before the transfer portal opens.

🧠 Who’s Next? Inside the GM Search 🧠
From NFL veterans to proven college personnel architects, we break down the most realistic candidates FSU could turn to as it retools its football infrastructure.

🧩 The 2026 Coaching Staff Comes Into Focus 🧩
With three late hires, Florida State finalizes a younger, more regionally aligned, recruiting-first coaching staff — and the philosophy behind it is clear.

🎯 Portal QB Watch Begins 🎯
Quarterback is priority No. 1. We examine three realistic portal targets and how each fits FSU’s needs, budget, and offensive direction.

🔥 What We Know, What We Think, and What Comes Next 🔥
Exit meetings, buy-in decisions, portal prep, and roster retention all collide as FSU enters the most consequential stretch of its offseason.

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🏊‍♂️ FSU Divers Headed to USA Diving Winter Nationals 🏊‍♀️

Eight Seminoles will represent Florida State on the national stage at the 2025 USA Diving Winter National Championships in Texas.

🔥 National Championship Field

• Event: USA Diving Winter Nationals

• Dates: Dec. 10–16

• Location: COM Aquatics Center (Midland, TX)

• Format:

  • Prelims each day → top 12 advance to finals

  • Individual events (Dec. 12–14)

  • Synchronized events (Dec. 15–16)

💨 Seminoles Competing

• Kayleigh Clark (R-Sr.) — Platform & synchronized platform

  • Finished 6th nationally on 10-meter in 2024

• Hayden Schroeder (So.) — 1m, 3m, synchronized 3m

• Noah Turner (So.) — 3m, platform, synchronized 3m

• Carlos Vargas (So.) — Platform

• John Bessire (Jr.) — Synchronized 3m

• Evelyn Hall (So.) — Synchronized 3m

• Alexandra Angueira-Colombani (Fr.) — Synchronized 3m

• Jack Sparks (Fr.) — Synchronized 3m

🧠 Returning Experience

• Turner, Vargas, and Schroeder all earned national finishes in 2024

• Clark returns after a team-best Top-6 national finish

⭐ Seminole Legacy on Display

• FSU alum Katrina Young will also compete

• Olympic diver (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020)

• Multiple ACC titles and All-American honors at FSU

📅 What’s Next

• FSU hosts Villanova on Jan. 6 at the Morcom Aquatics Center

👉 Read more from the source here

🏈 FSU GM Darrick Yray Departing for UCLA 🏈

Florida State’s front office is undergoing another major change as general manager Darrick Yray exits Tallahassee for a similar role at UCLA.

🔥 Why This Move Is Happening

• Yray’s position came under scrutiny in late November when FSU leadership publicly cited the need for “structural changes” within the football operation.

• Athletic director Michael Alford later confirmed that the program’s evaluation process — a core part of Yray’s role — was under review.

• FSU also brought in consulting firm The Athlete Group to assess its front-office structure.

💨 Yray’s Tenure at FSU

• Hired in February 2022; oversaw both:

  • FSU’s peak: 13–1 season in 2023, driven by portal success and roster retention

  • FSU’s downturn: Back-to-back losing seasons (2–10 in 2024, 5–7 in 2025)

• Named FootballScoop Player Personnel Director of the Year following the 2023 season.

• Played a central role in:

  • Transfer Portal strategy

  • Recruiting evaluations and visit planning

  • NIL negotiations

  • In-game analytics advising (past two seasons)

🧠 Where Things Went Sideways

• A strategic shift in 2024 toward prioritizing former high school blue-chip prospects via the portal largely backfired.

• Missed evaluations contributed directly to roster imbalance and on-field regression.

🔄 What’s Next

• Yray heads to UCLA as the Bruins continue reshaping their football infrastructure.

• His exit adds urgency for FSU as the transfer portal opens January 2, with roster and front-office decisions now overlapping.

👉 Read more from the source here

🏈 Who Could Be FSU’s Next General Manager? Names to Know 🏈

With Darrick Yray departing for UCLA, Florida State has begun laying the groundwork for its next GM, reaching out to former NFL executives and working with The Athlete Group to reimagine its front-office structure.

🔥 Martin Mayhew (Former NFL GM, FSU Alum)

• Former GM of the Lions and Commanders; key executive with the 49ers during their Super Bowl build.

• Drafted Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh during Detroit’s rebuild from 0–16 to the playoffs.

• Known league-wide for humility, collaboration, and GM-level experience without ego.

• FSU alum (1983–87) with deep NFL and legal background.

💨 Brian Xanders (Senior NFL Executive, FSU Alum)

• Former Broncos GM; part of the Rams’ highly regarded front office for seven seasons.

• Credited with drafting Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas, and Eric Decker.

• Strong blend of scouting, analytics, salary-cap management, and technology integration.

• Played at FSU (1989–92); served on multiple NFL advisory committees.

🧠 John Garrett (Duke GM, Former FSU Director of Scouting)

• Ran FSU’s advanced scouting and portal evaluations from 2022–23.

• Currently leading Duke’s personnel department, helping construct an ACC Championship roster.

• Experience spans NFL coaching, college head coaching, and modern roster building.

• Known for aggressive portal strategy, including Duke’s high-profile QB acquisition.

🔒 Austin Thomas (Veteran College GM Pioneer)

• Widely considered college football’s first true general manager.

• Built elite recruiting operations at LSU, Ole Miss, Baylor, and Texas A&M.

• Named FootballScoop’s Player Personnel Director of the Year (2015).

• Key evaluator behind LSU’s 2019 title core, including Justin Jefferson and Patrick Queen.

🧠 Why It Matters
With FSU reworking both roster philosophy and front-office structure, this hire may be as important as any coaching decision: shaping how the Seminoles evaluate talent, attack the portal, and rebuild toward contention.

👉 Read the full breakdown from the source here

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Do you shop at Costco? Then you know the thrill of saving money. But you might be missing other smart ways to stretch your dollars. Check out our list of genius money hacks—almost as good as that $1.50 hot dog!

🏈 FSU Coaching Staff Appears Set for 2026: What the New Look Tells Us 🏈

Florida State appears to have finalized its on-field coaching staff for the 2026 season following a flurry of late additions over the past week.

🔥 The New Additions
FSU added three assistants to close out the staff:

• Nick Williams — Edges coach & pass rush specialist (official title announced by FSU)

• Brandon Harris — Cornerbacks coach (from UCF; brother of FSU WR coach Tim Harris Jr.)

• Kam Martin — Running backs coach (from Tulsa; former Gus Malzahn player and assistant)

💨 A Clear Philosophical Shift
Several themes stand out from these hires:

• Youth movement:
  The average age of the three hires is just 33 years old, signaling a clear push toward younger, high-energy coaches.

• Recruiting geography matters:
  Williams (South Georgia), Harris (South Florida), and Martin (Texas) all come from FSU priority recruiting regions and have coached extensively in the Southeast.

• Recruiting-first mindset:
  FSU’s official announcement of Williams emphasized recruiting and development: a strong indicator of where Norvell wants this staff to excel.

🧠 On the Fits

• On paper, all three hires make sense: energetic, regionally connected, and recruiting-oriented.

• The approach raises a natural question: Why wasn’t this emphasis applied last offseason? But as of now, the alignment is clear.

🔒 The Malzahn Saga (and Retentions)

• Gus Malzahn’s status was murky for weeks after quiet interest in head-coaching openings at Arkansas and UAB.

• Multiple players and staff believed he wouldn’t return — until recently, when Malzahn reportedly began telling people internally that he plans to stay.

• While coordinators exploring HC jobs isn’t unusual, the timing — after stepping down from UCF due to burnout — made the situation feel strange.

• Beyond Malzahn, it’s notable that more staff changes didn’t occur, suggesting potential behind-the-scenes contract restructuring rather than wholesale turnover.

🧠 Why It Matters
FSU’s finalized staff skews younger, more regionally aligned, and more recruiting-driven than in recent seasons. Whether that shift comes a year late or proves perfectly timed will be judged quickly but the identity of the 2026 staff is now clear.

👉 Read more from the source here

🏈 Portal QB Watch: Three Names to Know for FSU 🏈

With the January 2 transfer portal window approaching, Florida State is beginning to shape its quarterback board — arguably the program’s biggest roster need heading into 2026.

🔥 Colton Joseph (Old Dominion)

• Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year (2025)

• Completed 173-of-290 passes for 2,624 yards, 21 TDs, 10 INTs

• Added 1,007 rushing yards and 13 TDs on the ground

• Ranked as the No. 3 QB among announced portal entrants (On3)

• FSU is believed to have interest, per Warchant

🧠 What stands out: True dual-threat production at the FBS level, though three multi-interception games raise evaluation questions.

💨 Marcus Stokes (West Florida – DII)

• Former four-star recruit who originally committed to Florida

• Threw for 3,297 yards, 30 TDs, 13 INTs in 2025

• Added 367 rushing yards and 10 TDs

• FSU among several Power Four programs to reach out (On3)

🧠 What stands out: Big production and athletic upside, but jump from D-II competition will require careful projection.

⚡ Sam Leavitt (Arizona State)

• Former Michigan State QB; reunited with Kenny Dillingham at ASU

• 2024 Big 12 Championship starter

• 2024: 2,885 yards, 24 TDs, 6 INT + 443 rushing yards

• 2025 (injury-limited): 1,628 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INT in 7 games

• Coaching tie: Dillingham previously worked under Mike Norvell at FSU

🧠 What stands out: Highest ceiling of the group, but likely the most expensive NIL option.

🔒 Why It Matters
FSU must land a portal quarterback who can stabilize the offense quickly. Whether Norvell opts for upside, experience, or a high-cost proven starter will define the Seminoles’ 2026 trajectory.

👉 Read more from the source here

🏈 FSU Football: What We Know, What We Think, and What Comes Next 🏈

As Florida State heads toward the January 2 transfer portal opening, the offseason picture is becoming clearer and more urgent.

🔥 What We Know Right Now

• Mike Norvell is actively conducting exit meetings before players leave for winter break, a process that has coincided with a recent uptick in portal entries (10 and counting).

• Norvell is placing added emphasis on buy-in and accountability, with sources indicating players not fully aligned with the program’s direction may be encouraged to move on.

• Edwin Joseph’s portal entry appears to have been at least mutual, following visible sideline tension earlier this season.

💨 Quarterback Is the Domino

• FSU is known to be high on Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph, whose name will officially hit the portal January 2.

• Joseph’s profile fits what FSU needs:

  • 2,624 passing yards, 21 TDs

  • 1,007 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs

  • Dual-threat skill set aligns well with Gus Malzahn’s offense.

• While more QB options will emerge, Joseph is viewed as an early, legitimate target.

🧠 Why a QB Transfer Matters Beyond QB

• Landing a quality portal quarterback could directly impact player retention, particularly on offense.

• Duce Robinson’s decision to return or go to the NFL could be influenced by confidence in FSU’s QB situation.

• Breakout receivers Lawayne McCoy and Micahi Danzy are also expected to draw outside interest; QB stability could help keep them in Tallahassee.

📉 GM Vacancy Is a Real Problem

• With Darrick Yray leaving for UCLA, FSU is at risk of entering the portal window without its primary contract negotiator.

• Yray handled:

  • Player agent negotiations

  • NIL valuation strategy

  • Position-by-position investment decisions

• A delay in hiring a new GM could severely limit FSU’s ability to shape the 2026 roster.

• Waiting until after the January 16 portal close would leave any new GM with minimal impact on next season’s team.

📋 Portal Prep Is Already Underway

• FSU has been evaluating potential portal entrants for months through agent communication.

• Those evaluations have already produced internal recruiting boards identifying:

  • Priority targets

  • Pass candidates

  • Position-specific investment tiers

• December is about preparation and January is execution.

🚀 New Coaches, New Recruiting Energy

• FSU added three new on-field assistants:

  • Kam Martin (RB)

  • Nick Williams (EDGE)

  • Brandon Harris (CB)

• Early belief inside the program is these hires will be meaningful upgrades on the recruiting trail, particularly in:

  • RB recruiting (long a weak point)

  • EDGE recruiting depth

  • South Florida defensive back connections

🔒 Why It All Matters
FSU enters the most important stretch of its offseason with momentum in coaching hires, urgency at quarterback, and real risk in its front office. The next four weeks — especially at QB and GM — will shape whether 2026 looks like a reset… or another missed opportunity.

👉 Read the full source analysis here

And that’s a wrap!

FSU’s offseason is moving from theoretical to operational.
Coaching hires are finalized. The front office is in flux.
And with the portal opening January 2, every decision from here forward compounds.

The next few weeks won’t just shape the roster — they’ll reveal whether this reset has teeth.

We’ll be tracking every move.
Same time tomorrow.

— Chief 🏹