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Happy Tuesday, Seminole!

🏀 🌟 McCray’s Heater Gets ACC Recognition 🌟 🏀
Robert McCray V’s takeover performances earn him ACC Player of the Week honors as FSU’s midseason surge continues.

🏀 🔥 Rivalry Rematch with Real Momentum 🔥 🏀
Winners of seven of nine, the Seminoles return home to face Miami with a season sweep and ACC positioning on the line.

🥍 🎀 Paint It Pink at Noon 🎀 🥍
Unbeaten at home, FSU lacrosse hosts No. 11 Boston College in a meaningful ACC matchup supporting cancer awareness.

🏈 🔁 Familiar Faces, Staff Reinforcements 🔁 🏈
Mike Norvell brings back Manrey Saint-Amour while adding fresh support pieces as continuity builds within the program.

⚾ 📊 Rankings Reality Check 📊 ⚾
After a volatile weekend in Arlington, Florida State baseball slides in the polls but remains firmly in the national conversation.

🏈 🧱 Linebacker Momentum Building 🧱 🏈
Ernie Sims is stacking relationship equity with elite linebackers — and spring visits could determine if that momentum turns into commitments.

🏈 🔥 EDGE & DL Recruiting Pressure Points 🔥 🏈
Premium defensive targets are circling Tallahassee, with official visit season looming as the next true inflection point.

🏀 🌟 Barnes Watch in Tallahassee 🌟 🏀
Four-star guard Martay Barnes visits for the Miami game, and the Seminoles appear to have real traction heading into decision time.

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Robert McCray V is officially on a heater and the ACC took notice. The senior guard earned ACC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career after averaging 28.0 points in wins over Boston College and No. 24 Clemson.

🔥 By the Numbers
McCray shot 55.9% from the field (19-of-34), 46.7% from three (7-of-15), and 84.6% from the line (11-of-13). He dropped 27 against BC and followed it with an ACC career-high 29 at Clemson.

Even more impressive? His takeover timing.

📈 Second-Half Closer

When FSU needed buckets late, McCray delivered.

📊 Big Picture Impact
FSU was 0–5 in ACC play before turning the corner. Now? Winners of seven of nine, sitting at 14–13 (7–7 ACC). McCray has scored in double figures in 14 straight games and ranks top-15 in the ACC in scoring (15.7 ppg) and top-5 in assists (5.9 apg).

Up next: Miami at the Tucker Center.

👉 Read more for full stats and ACC notes.

Florida State returns to the Tucker Center riding a three-game winning streak and seven wins in its last nine games; a dramatic turnaround from its 0–5 ACC start. Now 14–13 overall and 7–7 in league play, the Seminoles welcome Miami looking to complete the season sweep.

📈 From 0–5 to 7–7
FSU has as many wins in its last nine games as it did in its first 20. The surge has been fueled by connected defense, sharper ball movement, and dominant second halves.

In the last three games alone, the Seminoles have:

🧠 Momentum Meets Rivalry
FSU already beat Miami 65–63 in Coral Gables and has won 15 of the last 16 in the series. Tuesday offers a chance at a season sweep — and another statement in a tightening ACC race.

The Seminoles will also wear their Nike Seminole Heritage turquoise uniforms for the 35th time in program history.

💬 Loucks’ Take
“Our guys are competing, they’re connected, and they’re committed to getting better every day.”

Why It Matters: February basketball is about trajectory. FSU is playing its most confident and complete basketball of the season and rivalry games amplify everything.

Tip-off: 9 p.m. on ACC Network.

👉 Read more for broadcast info and full series notes.

Florida State (2–3, 0–1 ACC) returns home Tuesday at noon to face No. 11 Boston College in its annual Paint It Pink game at the Seminole Lacrosse Complex.

🏠 Strong at Home
The Seminoles are unbeaten in Tallahassee and look to bounce back after a three-game road stretch that included a neutral-site matchup with No. 21 Army.

🔥 Offensive Leaders
Lola Mancuso and Meg Kenny pace the attack with 10 goals apiece, with Kenny heating up lately (four-goal game + hat trick over the last three). Freshman Brynn Perkins (7 goals) and Summer Harrell (5 goals) continue to provide early depth.

🛡️ Defensive Backbone
Mary Grace Tibbs (7 caused turnovers) and Superia Clark (6) anchor the defense, while Catrina Tobin has 23 saves in goal.

👉 Tickets: $7 adults, $4 youth; free for FSU students.

 If you’re thinking about cutting back on red meat for better health, wild-caught seafood could be your secret weapon. Science shows that eating fish 1-2 times a week can support healthy heart and brain function, help reduce inflammation, and even may give your metabolism a little boost.

Here’s what wild-caught seafood delivers: essential n‑3 polyunsaturated fats (specifically, the marine-based omega-3 fatty acids that nutritionists love so much!), lean and digestible protein, and a smorgasbord of nutrients. Compare that to conventional red meat, which often comes with higher saturated fat, an unhealthy balance of omega‑6 fatty acids, and a limited range of nutrients.

Switching to seafood as your go-to protein is not just a shift away from a red meat rut. It’s a shift toward higher-quality nutrients and a more diversified diet for well-rounded health.

Mike Norvell is adding experience and familiarity to his staff. Manrey Saint-Amour is returning to Florida State as assistant offensive line coach, replacing Cooper Williams as Herb Hand’s top assistant.

Saint-Amour was a graduate assistant on Norvell’s first FSU staff in 2020 before stops at Alabama (under Nick Saban), Charleston Southern, Georgia (under Kirby Smart), and most recently Georgia State, where he served as offensive line coach in 2024.

Notably, he stepped in as Georgia’s O-line coach during the 2023 Orange Bowl vs. FSU due to illness within the Bulldogs’ staff.

🔄 Pattern Emerging
Saint-Amour becomes the latest former Seminole staffer to return, joining GM John Garrett and assistant coach Gabe Fertitta in a growing trend of familiarity within the building.

🧠 Another Addition
FSU is also bringing in Terry Richardson III, a Miami native and former FIU receiver, to assist running backs coach Kam Martin. Richardson most recently worked at Appalachian State.

👉 Read more for full staff breakdown and background details.

Florida State opened the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series with a strong 6–1 win over Michigan — but back-to-back losses to Auburn (8–5) and Nebraska (10–1) cooled the momentum and handed the Seminoles their first two defeats of 2026.

Once a consensus top-16 team, FSU slipped in the latest polls following the 4–2 start:

📈 Through Six Games
The offense is hitting .289 with a .398 OBP and .418 slugging percentage, producing nine doubles, one triple, and five home runs.

On the mound, FSU holds a 4.86 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 50 innings. Defensively, the Seminoles sit at a .971 fielding percentage with six errors.

Why It Matters: The résumé still reflects a solid start but the Arlington volatility cost them national positioning. Early-season perception can shift quickly.

FSU returns home Wednesday to face North Florida (5 p.m., ACCNX).

👉 Read more for full rankings updates and analysis.

For years, linebacker recruiting hasn’t been Florida State’s calling card under Mike Norvell. That narrative might be shifting and Ernie Sims is at the center of it.

Early feedback from top prospects at the Under Armour Next Camp suggests Sims is building serious relationship equity.

🗣️ “He’s Genuine.” “He Keeps It Real.”
Three-star LB Theo Wilson and 2028 standout Gabriel Player both said Sims is the coach they feel closest to nationally. Wilson is planning a spring return and setting up an official visit.

Even five-star-level 2027 LB Kaden Henderson, the nation’s No. 3 linebacker, praised Sims’ relatability as a former elite recruit and NFL player:
“Just knowing I could be coached by a guy like that speaks volumes.”

📍 Major Visit Locked In
Top247 linebacker Mikahi Allen (No. 15 LB nationally) will return to Tallahassee April 7 for a spring visit. FSU is pushing hard to secure an official visit as Miami, Texas A&M, Penn State, and others circle.

🔥 The Henderson Factor
Henderson’s recruitment is stacked: Alabama, Miami, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Florida and FSU.

Miami is pushing priority status. Notre Dame just added momentum with a coaching hire. Alabama and Ohio State offer development pedigree.

But here’s the line that matters:

“I grew up a Florida State fan… I always see myself playing for Florida State.”

FSU has ground to make up but the door isn’t closed.

Why It Matters: Sims is winning the relationship phase. Now comes the hard part: closing. If FSU can convert one of these top-50 linebackers, it changes the perception of the position group overnight.

Spring visits will tell us a lot.

Florida State is pushing hard at two premium defensive positions and the next few months will be critical.

Four-star Orlando edge rusher Frederick Ards (No. 108 nationally, No. 16 EDGE) returns to Tallahassee on March 30 for a key spring visit as he evaluates whether to lock in an official visit.

Texas A&M and Florida may have early positioning, but FSU is firmly in the mix — largely because of his long-standing relationship with edges coach Nick Williams.

“Coach Nick… I’ve known him the longest.”

Ards already has official visits scheduled with Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, and South Carolina. If FSU can convert this next visit into a June OV, it becomes a real battle.

6'5", 265-pound Alabama defensive lineman Avrian Pauley has scheduled an official visit to FSU for June 5.

Alabama is currently viewed as the favorite, but the Seminoles officially entered the race after DL coach Terrance Knighton extended an offer in January.

Pauley is unranked for now but SEC-region interior linemen with that frame don’t stay under the radar long.

Florida State is hosting four-star guard Martay Barnes for the Miami matchup; his final visit before making a decision.

Barnes recently reclassified to 2026 and was previously ranked as a top-50 player and the No. 2 combo guard in the 2027 class. At 6'2", 170 pounds, he’s viewed as a tough, downhill scorer who finishes through contact.

FSU has recruited him aggressively since Luke Loucks was hired; offering last May, hosting him for visits, and making multiple in-person stops at his school.

Multiple sources indicate the Seminoles currently hold momentum. While nothing is finalized, Barnes would be a major addition to an already strong 2026 class.

Why It Matters:
Loucks is building something real on the trail. Adding a top-50 guard would elevate the class from strong to nationally dangerous.

👉 Read more for full recruiting breakdown and timeline details.

Momentum is a fragile thing.

Right now, basketball has it.
Recruiting is building it.
Baseball is trying to reclaim it.

February separates belief from proof and this week gives us a little bit of everything.

See you after Miami.

— Chief 🏹