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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Monday, Seminole!

FSU’s front-office reconstruction is heating up, bowl chaos is sparking fan backlash, and the Seminoles are preparing for a national title showdown on the pitch. Here’s a sneak peak into today’s edition:

⚙️ Inside FSU’s Front-Office Overhaul
Decision-makers are zeroing in on a new front-office leader, with Brian Xanders and Martin Mayhew emerging as the top names. Consultant Jake Rosenberg’s multi-day meetings are shaping how FSU reorganizes support staff, recruiting, and evaluation — and insiders say the long-term salary-cap strategy could climb north of $23M to compete.

⚽ Scouting Stanford: The National Title Test
The Cardinal enter Monday’s championship as the most explosive attack in the country — but FSU already outshot them in the first meeting. It’s a heavyweight rematch.

🚫 FSU Expected to Decline Any Bowl Replacements
With multiple Big 12 teams opting out, FSU would qualify as a 5–7 APR replacement — but insiders say the Seminoles won’t accept.

☘️ Notre Dame Sparks FSU Fan Outrage
After the Irish declined their bowl bid following a playoff snub, FSU fans are calling them the example the 2023 Seminoles should’ve followed.

🏅 Signing Day Superlatives Show Big Wins (and a Few Misses)
Cam Brooks is crowned biggest surprise, Izayia Williams headline addition, Karon Maycock the most underrated, and Jasen Lopez an early-impact lock. But missing Jay Timmons and Sam Roseborough still stings.

🏈 Norvell Says New LB Class Will Transform the Defense
A four-man group built on speed and violence — led by No. 1 LB Izayia Williams — gives FSU its most athletic linebacker room in years.

👇️ Let’s get into it.

🏈 Insiders Update: FSU’s Front-Office Rebuild Taking Shape 🏈

Quiet news day publicly, but some insiders have passed along the little bit of color they’ve picked up from the behind the scenes conversations.

🔥 Xanders Emerges as Top Choice… But Not a Lock

• Multiple insiders say Brian Xanders is the preferred option among key decision-makers to run FSU’s new-look front office.

• However, Xanders himself is not fully sold on taking the job yet.

• As of midweek, discussions remained preliminary.

💨 Martin Mayhew Still in Play

• As previously reported, Martin Mayhew remains a serious candidate.

• FSU has not narrowed the search to one finalist.

🧠 Impact of Consultant Meetings

FSU completed multi-day meetings with Jake Rosenberg (The Athlete Group), who was brought in to evaluate structure and operations.
Insiders say his influence will likely shape:

• Support staff composition

• Resource allocation

• Recruiting & evaluation workflows

But importantly:

• These meetings likely do NOT affect coaching hires/fires.

• FSU has not yet decided whether it will retain Rosenberg’s firm long-term.

💰 Soft Salary Cap Strategy Under Review

FSU is actively discussing what roster-building looks like in a world where the NCAA’s salary cap may not be enforced.

Key insider notes:

• Programs aiming to compete for championships appear to be operating with at least ~$23M roster investment.

• Conflicting internal estimates place FSU’s 2025 roster cost somewhere between $18M–$23M depending on accounting methods and front-loaded payments.

📌 What’s Clear Right Now

• FSU is deeply focused on retooling its internal infrastructure.

• The biggest decisions — who will run the front office, salary-cap strategy, resource mapping — are still being finalized.

• Staff changes and hires remain separate from this process.

👉 Read more from Noles247 insiders here

⚽ Scouting Stanford: What FSU Faces in the National Title Match ⚽

A loaded No. 1 seed with elite firepower awaits the Seminoles on Monday night.

🔥 How Stanford Got Here

• 21-1-2 overall, ACC regular-season & tournament champions.

• Wins over multiple top-10 teams: USC, Virginia (twice), BYU, Michigan State, Duke.

• Only loss: 2–0 at UCLA in early September.

• NCAA Tournament margins: 3–1, 7–3, 6–0, 5–1, then 1–0 over Duke in the College Cup semifinal.

💨 The Earlier Meeting

• Stanford beat FSU 2–1 in Tallahassee on Oct. 16.

• FSU outshot them 16–9 (6–5 on goal) but couldn’t overcome two first-half goals.

• Note: FSU started Addie Todd that day — Monday’s match features Kate Ockene, who is in far better form.

⚡ Why Stanford Is Dangerous
Stanford leads the entire nation in:

• Goals per game (4.0)

• Points per game (11.92)

• Shots per game (23)

• Shots on goal per game (10.71)

• Goal differential (+73)

They’ve scored 96 goals in 24 matches.

🔑 Players to Know

Jasmine Aikey — Midfielder

• TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Year

• 21 goals, 11 assists, 53 points (No. 1 nationally)

• 7 game-winners

Charlotte Kohler — Forward

• 17 assists (No. 1 nationally), 12 goals

• Scored the game-winner vs. FSU earlier this season

Andrea Kitahata — Forward

• 17 goals, 44 points

• Scored Stanford’s first goal vs. FSU in October

Elise Evans — Defender

• ACC Defensive Player of the Year

• 7 goals, 6 assists from center back

• Hermann Trophy semifinalist

In total, nine Stanford players have double-digit points — an elite depth chart.

🧱 In Goal
Caroline Birkel (Fr.)

• 21-1-2 record

• 19 goals allowed in 24 games

• .703 save percentage

• Protected by a defense that rarely allows clean looks

👉 What It Means
Stanford is the most explosive attacking team in the country and one of the deepest rosters in college soccer. But FSU outshot them in the first meeting and enters Monday playing its best defensive soccer of the season.

👉️ Read full opponent preview here.

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🚫 FSU Expected to Decline Any Bowl Replacement Offer 🚫 

Florida State is unlikely to accept a postseason bid even if offered one, per multiple insiders — despite being one of the eligible 5–7 APR teams that could replace programs opting out of bowls.

🔥 Why FSU’s Name Is Being Mentioned

• Iowa State (8–4) and Kansas State (6–6) declined bowl invitations following coaching changes.

• The Big 12 fined both schools $500,000 for the opt-out.

• Replacement teams are selected based on highest APR among 5–7 teams, which includes FSU.

💨 FSU’s Expected Stance

• Insiders report FSU is expected to decline any bowl bid if contacted.

• The program appears focused on staff restructuring, roster decisions, and portal strategy rather than a late postseason assignment.

Other teams that reportedly declined this opportunity include Auburn, Baylor and UCF.

☘️ FSU Fans React as Notre Dame Declines Bowl Bid After CFP Snub ☘️

Notre Dame’s decision to withdraw from bowl consideration has ignited Florida State fan forums — and reopened wounds from FSU’s own infamous 2023 playoff exclusion.

🔥 Irish Opt Out After Shock CFP Snub

• Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua said the program was in “utter disbelief” after falling from top-10 status all season to No. 11 in the final rankings.

• Miami jumped ND in the final release, taking the last at-large CFP berth — despite neither team playing this past weekend.

• The team issued a statement saying they would not participate in any bowl game, closing out their 10–2 season.

💬 Outrage Over CFP Process

• Bevacqua blasted the committee’s handling of the rankings:
  “Any rankings ahead of the final ones are a farce and total waste of time.”

• Committee chair Hunter Yurachek said Miami’s Week 1 win over ND became decisive only when Miami moved ahead of BYU late.

🔥 FSU Fans Draw Parallels
FSU supporters overwhelmingly praised Notre Dame’s decision — and criticized FSU leadership for not taking similar action last year, when an undefeated Seminole team was excluded from the 2023 playoff.

The sentiment across boards:

“Notre Dame did what FSU should’ve done.”

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FSU Signing Day Superlatives: Biggest Wins, Misses & Early Impact Players 🏅 

Warchant’s recruiting experts dove into their “Signing Day Superlatives” following a solid signing day:

🔥 Biggest Surprise: EDGE Cam Brooks
FSU salvaged a once-broken relationship and closed strong by flipping sack artist Cam Brooks, who has posted double-digit sacks this season. Viewed as one of the class’s potential top producers and a major late-cycle win.

💨 Best Addition: LB Izayia Williams
Despite missing 2026 with an injury, Izayia Williams fills a critical need with elite range and blitzing ability. His recruitment was shaky, but he stuck — a major victory for FSU’s LB room.
Next up: DB Chauncey Kennon, WR Jasen Lopez — both early contributor candidates.

⚡ Most Underrated: LB Karon Maycock
A clear standout.
Maycock’s sideline-to-sideline speed and physicality make him one of the likeliest early-impact defenders. Bama and Texas pushing late validated his rising stock.
Safety Darryl Bell also earns praise for his throwback, hard-nosed style.

📈 Best Upside: Jalen Anderson & Franklin Whitley
Both four-star EDGE prospects bring big-time ceiling:
– Anderson: violent off the edge, physically advanced, could contribute immediately.
– Whitley: elite frame and range; long-term NFL upside once developed.

💥 Most Explosive Playmaker: RB Amari Thomas
Despite small-school concerns, Thomas’ shifty explosiveness, balance, and receiving ability fill a major need post-Toafili.
WR Devin Carter and WR/ATH Brandon Bennett also profile as big-play threats.

🚀 Early Impact Player: WR Jasen Lopez
One of the safest bets to play early — elite route runner, natural separator, dangerous after the catch.
DL Chris Carbin (early enrollee) is another strong early-impact candidate thanks to his quickness and refined hand usage.

❌ Biggest Misses: DB Jay Timmons & OL Sam Roseborough
– Timmons: Legacy five-star; losing him stings and the Miami blowout didn’t help.
– Roseborough: A major OL target who faded despite multiple visits.
LB TJ White also fits here after FSU’s early lead evaporated.

👉 Read more detail on the superlatives here

🏈 Norvell Says 2026 LB Class Will “Transform” the Position 🏈

Florida State’s 2026 linebacker haul might be the position-group upgrade Mike Norvell is most excited about — and he didn’t hide it at Friday’s press conference.

🔥 A Four-Man Group Built on Speed & Violence

Norvell called the group “fast, play-making, explosive, hard-hitting” — exactly what FSU has lacked the past two seasons.

The headliner:

• ⭐️ Izayia Williams — Rated the No. 1 LB in the country (Rivals). Missed 2026 season with injury, but Norvell says rehab is on track.

  • 125 tackles & 15 TFL as a junior

  • 18 yards per carry on offense

  • Early enrollee

The supporting core:

• Karon Maycock — Longtime priority for Norvell; turned down Miami, UF, Texas. Called “my guy” by Norvell ever since breaking into Miami Central’s rotation as a freshman.

• Daylen Green — Local Gadsden County LB with strong production.

• Noah LaVallee — Athletic Georgia LB and younger brother of current Nole Caleb LaVallee.

💨 Why This Class Matters

FSU loses only Elijah Herring and Stefon Thompson to eligibility. Everyone else — Blake Nichelson, Justin Cryer, Omar Graham Jr., etc. — can return.
But Norvell made it clear: FSU needed more speed and more depth.
And this class checks every box.

👉 Read more on Norvell’s comments about the LB class here

And that’s a wrap!

From front-office intrigue to roster strategy, Stanford scouting to Signing Day standouts, this week has been packed with high-stakes moves shaping the future of FSU Athletics. The silence coming out of the Moore Center isn’t inactivity — it’s the calm before what insiders expect to be a month of significant change.

We’ll keep tracking every development as it solidifies, from the front-office hires to portal moves, staff shifts, and everything in between.

Until tomorrow — stay locked in, stay optimistic, and as always…

Go Noles!! 🍢 🏹 

— Chief