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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

TGIF Seminole!

Here’s everything you need to know today across FSU soccer, football, recruiting, and program moves — a wild mix of dominance, departures, portal decisions, and behind-the-scenes revelations.

⚽ FSU Chases Its Fifth Natty ⚽
The dynasty marches on: the Noles enter their 15th College Cup with elite form, a red-hot attack, and a semifinal showdown with TCU. Dudley & Hudson are playing like national-title clinchers, and Pensky has FSU rolling into Kansas City with championship momentum.

🏈 Darrell Jackson Heads to the NFL 🏈
FSU’s most important defensive anchor is moving on. Jackson’s departure now leaves a major hole in the interior — and one of the defense’s biggest offseason questions.

🏈 Linebacker Portal Update: Parrish Out 🏈
Redshirt freshman Jayden Parrish will enter the portal after limited playing time and the departure of Randy Shannon. He becomes the fifth member of the 2024 class to transfer.

🏈 4⭐ EDGE Trenton Henderson: FSU in the Final Hours 🏈
The LSU commit has delayed signing, and FSU is firmly in the mix. With Auburn pushing too, Henderson’s recruitment is suddenly wide open heading into Friday.

🏈 Inside FSU’s Quiet Pursuit of Lane Kiffin 🏈
A new ESPN report confirms AD Michael Alford made a real behind-the-scenes push for Lane Kiffin — and that Norvell’s job was not as “safe” as assumed. But a $72M buyout kept the reset from happening.

🏈 FSU’s 2026 Class: Superlatives + Full Position Grades 🏈
A 32-man class ranked No. 14 nationally brings speed, depth, and high-ceiling talent. WR coach Tim Harris Jr. won the cycle; Chauncey Kennon is the crown jewel; Franklin Whitley has the highest upside; and the OL class… well, the rebuild continues. Full breakdown inside.

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⚽ FSU Heads to the College Cup: Seminoles Chase Another National Title ⚽

Florida State soccer is back on the biggest stage in the sport — again — with a national semifinal showdown against TCU as the Noles push for their fifth NCAA championship.

🔥 The Stage Is Set

• No. 3–seed FSU faces No. 2–seed TCU Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. ET in Kansas City (ESPNU).

• This marks FSU's 15th College Cup appearance, the fourth in the last five seasons.

• The Seminoles are 87–19–6 all-time in NCAA Tournament play — the No. 2 winning percentage in Division I history (.804).

• Since 2020, FSU is unbeaten in 27 of its last 28 NCAA matches and has won two national championships in that span.

⭐ A Dynasty in Motion

• FSU has reached the national final in four of their last five College Cup appearances (2014, 2018, 2021, 2023).

• Brian Pensky (67–7–12 at FSU) has the Noles operating at an elite level: No. 1 winning percentage nationally over the last four seasons (.851).

• This year: 14–2–4 overall, undefeated in NCAA play, and on an eight-match unbeaten streak with a 16–3 scoring margin in the last six games.

⚡ The Dudley–Hudson Attack

Jordynn Dudley

• 36 points, 11 goals, 14 assists (Top-5 nationally)

• Had points in 13 straight matches and logged four multi-point games late in the season

• Posted a brace + assist in the College Cup–clinching win vs. Ohio State

• National Player of the Year finalist

Wrianna Hudson

• Team-high 13 goals

• One of the most accurate shooters in America — No. 4 nationally in shot accuracy (.667)

In goal: Freshman Kate Ockene — 19 saves, 0.81 GAA — continues steady postseason play.

🔥 Recapping the Run to Kansas City

FSU powered through the bracket with dominant wins:

• 4–0 vs. Samford

• 1–0 vs. Lipscomb

• 3–1 at No. 2 seed Georgetown (first NCAA road win since 2008)

• 4–1 vs. Ohio State in the Quarterfinal (Dudley brace, McCormack and Hudson goals)

Shots last match:

• FSU 25 (13 on goal)

• Ohio State 14 (4 on goal)

🐸 Scouting TCU

• 18–2–3, Big 12 champs

• Making their first-ever College Cup

• Have outscored opponents 13–2 in NCAA play

• Knocked out North Carolina (PKs) and No. 1 seed Vanderbilt (OT win)

• Head coach Eric Bell is a former FSU assistant (2006–11)

Series History:
FSU leads 2–0–0, both 2–0 wins (2019, 2023).

🏆 What’s at Stake

The winner advances to Monday’s National Championship to face Stanford or Duke.
FSU is chasing:

• Its fifth national title

• Its fifth finals appearance in eight years

• Its 13th straight NCAA match unbeaten

👉 Why It Matters

FSU isn’t just a perennial power: it’s the most consistent dynasty in modern college soccer. A win Friday keeps them on track for another banner in what is shaping up to be one of the most complete postseason runs in program history.

Read more here

🏈 Darrell Jackson Declares for 2026 NFL Draft 🏈

FSU’s defensive anchor is officially heading to the next level.

🔥 A Foundational Piece Moves On

• Darrell Jackson Jr. announced Thursday that he will enter the 2026 NFL Draft, posting his farewell to Seminole Nation on Instagram.

• He becomes the first FSU player to formally declare this cycle.

• PFF ranks Jackson as the No. 9 interior defensive lineman and No. 82 overall prospect in the current class.

💨 A Career Marked by Resilience

• After stops at Maryland (2021) and Miami (2022), Jackson transferred to FSU but was forced to sit out 2023 due to NCAA rules.

• He made his Seminole debut in the Orange Bowl vs. Georgia — and from there became a mainstay in the middle.

🧱 Production That Shifted FSU’s Defense

• 2024: 32 tackles, 4 TFL, 3.5 sacks, All-ACC Honorable Mention.

• 2025: 45 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack across 12 starts.

• Career at FSU: 80 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks in 25 games.

Jackson was one of FSU’s most reliable defensive bodies and a central reason the Noles weren’t gashed more severely in the run game this season.

👉 Why It Matters: Replacing Jackson’s size, strength, and consistency becomes one of the most important tasks for the 2026 defensive rebuild — especially as FSU retools the front under Tony White.

Read more here

🏈 RS-Freshman LB Jayden Parrish Set to Enter Transfer Portal 🏈

A depth-piece in FSU’s young linebacker room is expected to move on as the portal window approaches.

🔥 Why Parrish Is Leaving

• Redshirt freshman Jayden Parrish plans to enter the transfer portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

• Parrish originally chose FSU over Auburn in the 2024 class, heavily influenced by former LB coach Randy Shannon.

• Shannon’s dismissal after the 2024 season removed a key connection for him.

💨 Playing Time Never Materialized

• Did not see the field in 2024.

• Logged just 23 snaps across two games in 2025 (Kent State, East Texas A&M).

• Totaled three tackles in limited action.

📉 Roster Impact

• Parrish becomes the fifth member of FSU’s 2024 recruiting class to transfer out.

• He is the sixth player overall from that roster group to leave the program.

👉 Portal Window: Opens Jan. 2 and runs for 15 days.

Read more here

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🏈 FSU Pushing Late for 4⭐ EDGE Trenton Henderson 🏈

Florida State is making a real move in the final hours for one of the Southeast’s top pass rushers.

🔥 Commitment in Flux

• 4⭐ EDGE Trenton Henderson (Pensacola Pine Forest) was expected to sign with LSU on Wednesday.

• Instead, he delayed to Friday due to uncertainty around LSU’s defensive staff.

• With Lane Kiffin arriving and no clarity on who will run the defense, Henderson is reassessing everything.

💨 FSU Staying Close in the Race

• The Noles have hosted Henderson multiple times and maintained steady communication.

• His proximity to Tallahassee helps — he’s a Panhandle recruit who knows the campus well.

• FSU is one of the two schools most seriously in play if he flips.

⚔️ Auburn Also Surging

• Henderson visited for the Iron Bowl and is intrigued by Auburn DC DJ Durkin.

• His former lead recruiter there was not retained, but Auburn remains a threat.

🔒 Where Things Stand

• LSU remains the commitment — but absolutely not the lock it once was.

• Miami is fading.

• FSU and Auburn are the two programs pushing hardest with real momentum.

👉 Why It Matters:
FSU already signed a strong defensive line class on Wednesday. Adding Henderson would give them one more blue-chip pass rusher — and steal a top-100 recruit right out of the panhandle.

Read more here

🏈 FSU Quietly Pursued Lane Kiffin Before Retaining Norvell 🏈

A new ESPN report pulls back the curtain on Florida State’s coaching saga — and reveals that AD Michael Alford did explore replacing Mike Norvell behind the scenes.

🔥 A “Stealth” Move for Kiffin

• ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reports that Alford was actively wooing Lane Kiffin while FSU was enduring its 2–10 and 5–7 collapse.

• The connection: Alford and Kiffin previously worked together at USC.

• The catch: FSU had not fired Norvell, who would’ve required a staggering $54M buyout, plus $18M for assistants — a total of $72M.

💼 Why Kiffin Was the Only Justifiable Swing

• Per the report, landing one of the sport’s hottest coaches was likely the only scenario where Alford could justify spending that type of money.

• FSU’s pursuit continued into mid-November.

• When it became clear Kiffin was headed to LSU, FSU announced Norvell would return for 2026.

🧠 What This Tells Us

• Alford was not content with the current trajectory.

• FSU did look at upgrades, contradicting the belief that Norvell was “untouchable.”

• But the program was unwilling to spend $72M unless it was for a true marquee name.

💥 The Flip Side

• Kiffin isn’t here.

• Norvell is still 0–whatever on the road.

• And “we tried” doesn’t change the reality that fans are stuck with a seventh season under a coach who’s 7–17 over the past two years.

🔮 Why It Matters
Norvell now knows — publicly — that Alford tried to replace him.
How he responds, how he hires, and how he builds the 2026 roster will determine whether this becomes a turning point… or another chapter in frustration.

👉 Read more from the ESPN report.

🏈 FSU’s 2026 Class: Superlatives, Standouts & Full Position Grades 🏈

Florida State’s 32-man 2026 recruiting class — ranked No. 14 nationally — is now effectively complete, and it’s one of the program’s deepest, most volume-heavy classes in years. With major swings at WR, OL, and LB, plus several blue-chip headliners, it’s time to hand out the class superlatives and stack each offensive position group using the S–F tier system.

🔥 Best Recruiting Win: CB Chauncey “Chuck” Kennon
Beating out Georgia, LSU, Miami, and Florida for a top-3 corner nationally makes Kennon FSU’s biggest victory of the cycle. Even with FSU roots, this recruitment was no layup — and landing him solidifies the future of the secondary.

💎 Most Underrated: LB Karon Maycock
At 6’1”, 200 lbs, he lacks prototype size — but he’s explosive, violent downhill, and smooth enough that some evaluated him as a potential DB early in the cycle. A classic “outplays the ranking” candidate.

🧠 Future Team Captain: DB Tre Bell
The longest-tenured commit in the class (over two years), Bell stayed loyal, stayed local, and turned down pressure to transfer schools in high school. Tough, reliable, and wired like a leader.

🚀 Highest Ceiling: DL Franklin Whitley
A 6’6”, 265-lb former basketball standout who just started playing football as a senior — and immediately looked like an NFL-level frame in the making. Massive upside as an interior disruptor.

📈 Highest Floor: WR Jasen Lopez
A polished, crisp route runner with elite space-finding instincts. Not a burner, but one of the most college-ready players in the class and a realistic Day 1 slot competitor in 2026.

🔁 Biggest Flip: LB Izayia Williams (from Ole Miss)
If he returns fully from ACL rehab, he’s one of the best athletes FSU has signed at linebacker in a decade. Expected clearance by summer.

⚡ Fastest Signee: WR Brandon Bennett
Track times of 10.40 (100m) and 21.06 (200m) make him the unquestioned speed king. Injuries limited senior film, but his past tape is filled with deep-shot touchdowns.

🆕 Best Signing Day Add: EDGE Jaemin Pinckney
A 6’5” frame, late-blooming senior film, and real burst off the edge. If he adds weight, he projects as a multi-year pass-rushing threat.

😂 Best Interview: Jalen Anderson (Edge)
Trolled reporters with a fake “flipped to LSU” message before revealing he’d signed with FSU. Elite personality and confidence — and a player LSU and Illinois pushed hard for late.

🏆 Top Recruiter: WR Coach Tim Harris Jr.
Six WR signees. Three blue-chips (Lopez, Carter, White). Wins over Miami, Georgia, Florida, and Auburn. Plus development wins in 2025 with Danzy and McCoy. No position coach had a bigger impact this cycle.

📊 Position Grades: Offense (S–F Tier System)

🏆 Quarterback — Tier: C

Jaden O’Neal (87)
A high-upside arm talent with improved accuracy in his Oklahoma senior season, but limited mobility and a scheme fit question mark. Boom-or-bust profile.

🏃‍♂️ Running Back — Tier: B

Amari Thomas (88)
12+ YPC efficiency over two seasons, excellent patience, great frame for contact balance. Not elite, but very reliable.

🎯 Wide Receiver — Tier: B

FSU signed six receivers — a massive volume swing:

Four-stars:

• Jasen Lopez (91) – Smooth, polished, elite separator → highest floor in class.

• Devin Carter (90) – Explosive YAC athlete; strong YoY improvement.

• Efrem White (90) – Twitchy QB-turned-WR with rare flexibility.

High-end three-stars:

• Jonah Winston (89) – Strong hands, tough, crisp but not explosive.

• Brandon Bennett (88) – Fastest signee, elite deep threat speed; needs full return to health.

• Darryon Williams (87) – Quick, competitive, dependable.

Summary:
Top tier is excellent; backend is solid but not elite → lands as a strong B.

🧵 Tight End — Tier: B

Xavier Tiller (90) – Large catch radius, soft hands, YAC upside; must bulk up.
Corbyn Fordham (88) – Quick releases, physical after the catch, potential multi-year starter.

A well-rounded TE haul with real upside.

🛠 Offensive Line — Tier: D

Five signees, but questions everywhere except projection:

• Nikau Hepi (88) – Best upside in class; huge frame, light feet; major project.

• Jakobe Green (87) – Big, physical mauler; needs reshaping.

• Steven Moore (86) – Similar to Green; punchy but needs conditioning.

• Michael Ionata (85) – Limited ceiling.

• Steven Pickard (83) – Solid but not a difference-maker.

Issue:
Very few true tackles, limited athleticism → low floor & low ceiling relative to FSU’s needs.

🧩 Overall Takeaway

FSU’s 2026 class blends high-volume depth with a handful of genuine blue-chip, culture-setting recruits. The receiver group and linebacker flips shine, while OL remains a long-term project. With six potential instant-impact guys and major athletic upside across DL, WR, and LB, this class provides the raw material for a reset — but it will need development to reach ACC title contention levels.

Read more here and here

And that’s a wrap!

From the pitch in Kansas City to the war room in Tallahassee, it’s one of the busiest weeks of the year for Florida State — and you’re right in the middle of it with us.

As the Noles push for another national title, navigate roster shifts, and piece together the 2026 blueprint, we’ll keep cutting through the noise and bringing you the clearest version of what matters most.

Enjoy your day, stay locked in, and — as always — Go Noles.

— Chief