Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

 🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Another packed edition of The Chief Brief is here, and it’s all about momentum. Whether it’s FSU tennis dominating, baseball launching bombs, or football making major recruiting moves, the Seminoles are staying busy across the board.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

🔥 FSU Women’s Tennis Rolls Through a Sunday Doubleheader – The Noles swept Georgia State 4-0 and dominated Mercer 6-1. Can they keep the streak alive?

🏀 FSU Women’s Hoops Falls to No. 14 NC State – Despite a historic milestone for Makayla Timpson (1,000 rebounds!), the Noles couldn’t climb out of an early hole.

⚾ Baseball is Back! – The Seminoles wrapped up their final scrimmages with 13 homers and dominant pitching. Opening Day vs. James Madison is just days away!

🏈 Gus Malzahn’s Recruiting Message is Clear – FSU is going to run the ball, push the tempo, and use every weapon available. And recruits are loving it.

🔍 More Big Recruiting Moves –
✅ 4⭐ DB Andre Clarke locks in Legacy Weekend visit
✅ 6’6 OT Ben Mubenga sets an official visit with FSU
✅ How FSU flipped 4⭐ RB Ousmane Kromah from Georgia

💥 Baseball is about to start. Basketball is heating up. Recruiting never stops. Let’s get into it! ⬇️

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🎾 FSU Women’s Tennis Dominates Sunday Doubleheader!

The No. 22 Florida State women’s tennis team (5-1) had a stellar performance on Sunday, securing a 4-0 sweep over Georgia State and a 6-1 win against Mercer at the Scott Speicher Memorial Tennis Center.

🔥 Match 1: FSU 4, Georgia State 0
✅ Clutch Doubles Win – Millie Bissett & Laura Putz battled back from a 2-5 deficit to clinch the doubles point in a tiebreaker (7-6).
✅ Singles Sweep – Eva Shaw (6-0, 6-1), Laura Putz (6-1, 6-1), and Maelie Monfils (6-4, 6-1) dominated to seal the win.

🔥 Match 2: FSU 6, Mercer 1
✅ Doubles Domination – Bissett & Putz didn’t drop a game, winning 6-0 on Court 2.
✅ Singles Standouts – No. 119 Mary Boyce Deatherage (10-1 this season) won 6-2, 6-2, while Eva Shaw (6-3, 6-1) and Maria Parra Romero (6-0, 6-2) powered the Noles to victory.

📅 What’s Next?
FSU heads to Tampa on Friday, Feb. 14 to face USF before returning home Sunday for another doubleheader vs. Air Force and Florida A&M.

🏆 Can the Noles keep the winning streak alive? Stay tuned!

Read more about these wins here

🏀 No. 22 FSU Falls to No. 14 NC State, Timpson Hits 1,000-Rebound Milestone

The Seminoles (19-5, 9-3 ACC) couldn’t overcome a fast start from No. 14 NC State (19-4, 10-2 ACC), falling 97-74 on Sunday afternoon at the Tucker Center.

🔥 Game Highlights:
✅ Ta’Niya Latson – 23 PTS (21st 20+ point game this season)
✅ O’Mariah Gordon – 20 PTS, 3 AST
✅ Makayla Timpson – 14 PTS, 9 REB (1,000 career rebounds!)
✅ Amaya Bonner – 11 PTS, 5 REB

📊 Key Moments:
🔹 NC State jumped out to a 51-31 halftime lead.
🔹 FSU responded with 6-0 & 9-0 scoring runs in the third quarter, holding the Wolfpack to 42% shooting.
🔹 The ‘Noles put up 43 second-half points, but the deficit was too much to overcome.

📅 What’s Next?
🏠 Thursday: FSU hosts Louisville (17-7, 10-3 ACC) on Sue Semrau Night at 6 PM.
📺 Watch: ACC Network Extra

Can the Seminoles bounce back and honor their legendary coach with a big win? Stay tuned!

Read more here 🔗

⚾ Final FSU Baseball Scrimmages Showcase Power & Pitching Before Opening Day

Florida State baseball is just days away from Opening Day vs. James Madison, and the Seminoles wrapped up their final weekend of preseason scrimmages with a mix of dominant pitching, explosive offense, and key defensive moments.

Here’s what stood out as the No. 9 Seminoles fine-tune their roster for the regular season:

💣 Power Surge at the Plate

The ‘Noles launched 13 home runs over the three-day scrimmage set, showcasing some serious pop across the lineup.
🔹 Max Williams (3 HR in two weeks) – Continues his hot streak with an opposite-field blast (105 mph exit velocity).
🔹 Alex Lodise (3 HR in 3 days) – Capped off Sunday with a laser off the scoreboard.
🔹 Nathan Cmeyla (2 HR in 2 days) – Veteran catcher is heating up just in time.
🔹 BJ Gibson (102 mph exit velo on HR) – The two-sport freshman nearly homered twice on Saturday.
One lineup alone belted six homers in seven innings on Saturday, with Carter McCulley, Gibson, Lodise, Hunter Carns, James Hankerson Jr., and Cmeyla all going yard.
👉 The takeaway? FSU’s offense has depth and power up and down the order.

🔥 Pitching Standouts

While the bats were booming, several pitchers made strong final statements before the season starts:
🟡 Jamie Arnold (Ace Stuff) – 5 IP, 7 K, 0 H in his final tune-up. Command wasn’t perfect, but he still dominated hitters.
🟡 Evan Chrest (Jacksonville Transfer) – Struck out the side to open his outing and retired the first 10 batters he faced.
🟡 Wes Mendes (Sunday Starter? 🤔) – Allowed just 2 hits over 5 IP and had swing-and-miss stuff all day.
🟡 Brady Louck & John Abraham (Bullpen Weapons?) – Louck racked up 5 K in 3 IP, while Abraham mowed down all three batters he faced.
A few arms had shaky outings, including Joey Volini (USF Transfer), who gave up 8 runs in 5 IP. But with plenty of live arms touching mid-90s, FSU’s pitching depth looks strong heading into the season.

🛡 Defense & Base Running

FSU’s catchers made their presence felt behind the plate:
🔹 Nathan Cmeyla (Dartmouth Transfer) & Josh Reiter (Freshman) gunned down multiple baserunners.
🔹 Hunter Carns impressed with blocking & dirt ball reads.
🔹 Myles Bailey (Freshman 1B) flashed strong defense but had a few learning moments as he adjusts to a new position.
On the bases, aggressive running was a theme all weekend—with mixed results. FSU successfully stole several bases, but there were also a few pickoffs and caught stealing moments. Expect plenty of movement on the basepaths this season.

⏭ What’s Next?

The regular season begins Friday, Feb. 16, at 5 PM vs. James Madison at Dick Howser Stadium.
Will the pitching hold up? Can the offense keep this power surge going? The countdown is on!
🔗 More on FSU’s final scrimmages & Opening Day prep here.

🏈 Gus Malzahn’s Offensive Blueprint: What FSU Recruits Are Hearing

As Florida State's new coaching staff settles in, one of the biggest questions has been how Gus Malzahn's offense will take shape in Tallahassee. After multiple Junior Day visits in January, recruits are walking away with a clear message—FSU is going to run the ball, push the tempo, and use every weapon available.

The Identity: Power + Speed

🔺 Establish the run – Malzahn’s UCF offense led all Power Four teams in rushing last season (248.1 YPG).
🔺 Up-tempo attack – A signature of Malzahn’s career, designed to keep defenses guessing.
🔺 Balanced playmakers – A system that produced 1,000-yard WRs and rushers in the same season at Tulsa (2007).

What Recruits Are Saying

💬 4⭐ OL G’Nivre Carr: "I’m run game—run the damn ball. That’s what they want to do here at Florida State."
💬 4⭐ OT Sam Greer: "He’s bringing his offense with him, and it’s fast tempo."
💬 4⭐ TE Xavier Tiller: "They use multiple tight ends, and they’re playing freshmen. That’s a big deal for me."
💬 5⭐ QB Trent Seaborn: "People think Malzahn only develops mobile QBs, but he's had 3,000+ yard passers. His system fits any QB."

FSU’s Recruiting Message is Clear

Florida State is selling a physical, fast, and balanced offense, and recruits are buying in. From O-linemen to tight ends to quarterbacks, the vision is resonating across the board.

🔗 More on Malzahn’s recruiting pitch here.

🏈 Four-Star DB Andre Clarke Confirms Visit for FSU’s Legacy Weekend

Florida State’s Legacy Weekend continues to draw top-tier talent, with four-star defensive back Andre Clarke locking in his visit for March 22.

🔹 Clarke’s Recruiting Profile:
✅ 6’1, 175 lbs | Richmond (Va.) Hermitage
✅ No. 125 overall prospect | No. 12 safety (2026 class)
✅ FSU Offer Date: February 22, 2023
✅ Previously camped with FSU in July 2023

🔍 FSU’s Connection:
Defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr. visited Clarke in January, keeping the Seminoles firmly in the mix.

🚨 Recruiting Outlook:
There are currently no Crystal Ball predictions, but securing Clarke for a spring practice visit is a positive sign for FSU’s pursuit.

🔗 More on Clarke’s visit & recruitment here.

🏈 OT Ben Mubenga Locks in Official Visit to FSU, Talks Strong Connection with Herb Hand

Florida State remains a top contender for Buford (Ga.) offensive tackle Ben Mubenga, who confirmed he’ll be back in Tallahassee for an official visit from June 20-22.

🔹 Mubenga’s Recruiting Profile:
✅ 6’6, 280 lbs | Buford (Ga.)
✅ FSU Offer Date: January 9, 2024
✅ Top Schools: FSU, Arkansas, LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Missouri
✅ Official Visits Set: Arkansas (June 6-8), FSU (June 20-22)

🔍 FSU’s Connection:
Offensive line coach Herb Hand has been recruiting Mubenga since his days at UCF, and their relationship continues to grow.

"He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He has plans for you on and off the field. That’s what got me hooked," Mubenga said.

🚨 Recruiting Outlook:
Mubenga expects to make a decision in July or August. While he’s yet to be ranked by 247Sports, his list of offers is growing fast.

🔗 More on Mubenga’s recruitment & FSU’s push here.

🏈 FSU’s Pursuit of 4⭐ RB Ousmane Kromah Spanned Four Years—And Paid Off

Some flips come together in the final days before Signing Day. Ousmane Kromah’s journey to Florida State? That took four years.

Mike Norvell had his eye on the 4-star running back from the moment he saw him torch Lowndes for 215 yards as a high school freshman. FSU offered Kromah the following Monday—and never stopped recruiting him.

"There’s not one player I’ve watched live more in my coaching career," Norvell admitted.

That persistence paid off in December when Kromah stunned Georgia fans by flipping to the ‘Noles.

🔥 A Crucial Win in a Tough Recruiting Cycle

FSU’s 2024 season didn’t make recruiting any easier, but Kromah and his family saw the bigger picture.

"To be able to get him was big … especially the season we’re coming off," Norvell said. "He’s believing in what’s ahead rather than what just happened."

Norvell also credited running backs coach David Johnson for building a strong bond with Kromah’s family throughout the process.

⏳ What’s Next?

Kromah won’t enroll until the summer, but expectations are already sky-high.

"You watch his film, and he’s a special player," Norvell said. "His best clips? When he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. He’s a real one."

🔗 How FSU pulled off the flip—full story here.

And that’s a wrap!

And that’s a wrap on another jam-packed edition of The Chief Brief! 🚀

What’s next?
🏆 Baseball’s Opening Day countdown is on—will the offense stay hot?
🏈 Recruiting battles are heating up—who’s trending toward the Noles?
🏀 FSU hoops looks to bounce back—can they defend home court on Sue Semrau Night?

Stay locked in, stay loud, and stay reppin’ the Garnet & Gold! 💪🔥

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🍢 Until next time… Go Noles! 🍢