Welcome to The Chief Brief!

Happy Sunday Seminole!

Here’s what’s on the docket for you on this restful day. Tune in to ESPN at 2PM to check out our baseball team in an elimination game.

🏊‍♂️ FSU Athletes Competing at U.S. Olympic Trials 🏊‍♀️
Six FSU swimming and diving athletes will compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials, including Maddy Huggins, Mason Herbet, and incoming freshmen Logan Robinson and Lleyton Arnold. Coverage will be on Peacock, USA Network, and NBC.

🏈 FSU Football’s Key Games and Betting Odds for 2024 Season 🏈
Florida State has key matchups this season

🏈 FSU's Final Prospect Camp of the Summer 🏈
FSU will host a highly talented prospect camp, featuring top recruits such as 4-star TE Evan Jacobson, OT Zyon Guiles, and WR Zion Legree.

🏈 Unique Prospect Jahzare Jackson Visits FSU 🏈
6'10" OT Jahzare Jackson, a former basketball player, visits FSU after camping at Florida and Georgia. He aims to decide after visiting Mississippi State and Georgia.

🏈 Calvin Russell's Recruitment Heats Up 🏈
Top 2026 WR Calvin Russell, with nearly 50 offers, highlights FSU and Syracuse as his current favorites, with plans to commit by next spring.

🏈 4-Star OT Johnnie 'DJ' Jones Visits FSU 🏈
4-star OT Johnnie 'DJ' Jones visited FSU, impressed by the facilities and receiving significant attention from OL coach Alex Atkins.

⚾ FSU's Heartbreaking Loss and Reflections ⚾
FSU baseball lost 12-11 to Tennessee in the College World Series opener. A controversial check-swing call contributed to Tennessee's comeback. Coach Link Jarrett gave players a day off to recover before facing Virginia in an elimination game today at 2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

🏊‍♂️ FSU Athletes Competing at U.S. Olympic Trials 🏊‍♀️

Six athletes from the Florida State swimming and diving teams are set to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Maddy Huggins, Mason Herbet, incoming freshmen Logan Robinson and Lleyton Arnold, Samantha Vear, and Katrina Young will represent FSU in this prestigious event.

Swimming Trials (June 15-23, Indianapolis)

• Maddy Huggins: 100m breaststroke (June 16) and 200m breaststroke (June 19)

• Mason Herbet: 100m butterfly (June 21)

• Logan Robinson: 200m butterfly (June 18)

• Lleyton Arnold: 200m breaststroke (June 18)

Top 16 swimmers from heats will compete in semifinals, and the top 8 will race in the finals. Coverage will air live on Peacock and USA Network, with finals on NBC and Peacock.

Diving Trials (June 17-23, Knoxville)

• Katrina Young: 10m synchro (June 18) and individual 10m (June 21)

• Samantha Vear: 3m springboard (June 20)

Top 18 from prelims advance to semifinals, and the top 12 move to finals. Scores carry over each round. NBC and Peacock will provide live coverage.

🏈 FSU Football’s Key Games and Betting Odds for 2024 Season 🏈

The college football offseason is turning a corner and anticipation is building for the 2024 campaign. As teams wrap up summer recruiting and gear up for practice, Circa Sports has released betting odds for many of the season’s most highly anticipated games, excluding Week 1.

Week 0/1

No lines listed yet, but FSU kicks off with Georgia Tech in Ireland. Week 1 features exciting matchups like Clemson-Georgia, Florida-Miami, and USC-LSU.

Week 5

• Florida State (-9) at SMU: A key non-conference game for FSU to maintain momentum.

Week 6

• Clemson at Florida State (-4): A critical ACC showdown that could preview the conference title game.

Week 9

• Florida State (-2) at Miami: FSU aims for a fourth straight win in the rivalry series.

Week 11

• Florida State at Notre Dame (-3): A late-season non-conference clash with significant CFP implications.

Week 14

• Florida at Florida State (-11): The regular season finale in the storied Sunshine Showdown.

Other notable matchups across the college football landscape include Alabama at Wisconsin, Texas at Michigan, and Georgia at Texas. These games will shape the season and the expanded College Football Playoff race. Stay tuned for more updates as the season approaches!

🏈 FSU's Final Prospect Camp of the Summer 🏈

Florida State is set to host their final individual prospect camp of the summer on Sunday, which is expected to be their most talented workout this June, aside from their Elite Camp last weekend. Noles247 highlighted ten intriguing prospects to watch:

• 4-Star TE Evan Jacobson (2026): A multi-sport star with impressive blocking skills and potential as a downfield threat.

• OT Zyon Guiles (2026): Recently gained weight, attracting offers from top programs. Known for his athleticism and mean streak.

• 4-Star OT Felix Ojo (2026): Dominant with great length, looking to showcase power at camp.

• DT Trashawn Ruffin (2026): Powerful run defender with hints of pass rush potential.

• DL KeShawn Stancil (2026): Likely three-technique tackle with notable pass rush skills.

• WR Mike Peterson Jr. (2025): Elite quickness but needs to increase productivity and mass.

• LB Max Brown (2027): Younger brother of former Clemson signee, shows potential in multiple aspects of the game.

• OT Blaise Thomassie (2026): Extremely athletic for his size, attracting interest from top programs.

• WR Zion Legree (2026): In-state speedster with potential for outside play.

• 4-Star S Kaiden Hall (2026): Fits FSU’s Buck safety prototype with impressive size and skills.

🏈 Unique Prospect Jahzare Jackson Visits FSU 🏈

The standout prospect at Florida State's Elite Camp last weekend was undoubtedly Jahzare Jackson. At 6-foot-10 and over 300 pounds, Jackson is a former basketball player transitioning to football.

Recruitment Journey:

• Recent Visits: Jackson has camped at FSU, Florida, and Georgia. He's currently on an official visit to Gainesville with the Gators.

• Upcoming Visits: He is expected to visit FSU from Monday to Wednesday, Mississippi State midweek, and Georgia next weekend.

• Decision Timeline: Jackson aims to decide after his Georgia visit, planning to enroll for Summer Session B.

Background:

• Played for Overtime Elite's City Reapers, averaging 12 points and 7 rebounds per game.

• Former teammate of Bronny James and FSU wide receiver Hykeem Williams.

🏈 Calvin Russell's Recruitment Heats Up 🏈

Miami (Fla.) Northwestern High School's Calvin Russell, a top playmaker in the class of 2026, is garnering significant attention. The 6-4, 181-pound wide receiver is ranked No. 5 overall nationally and No. 2 in his position by 247Sports.

Key Points:

• Offers: Nearly 50 offers from top programs across the country.

• Top Schools: Florida State and Syracuse are currently showing the most interest.

• Background: Russell grew up idolizing Andre Johnson and Lamar Jackson. His mother played basketball at Miami.

• Visits: Russell has visited FSU and Syracuse, praising the environments and coaching staff.

• Future Plans: He aims to commit by next spring, with potential official visits to Syracuse, FSU, Miami, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, and Oregon.

🏈 4-Star OT Johnnie 'DJ' Jones Visits FSU 🏈

Tampa's Berkeley Prep four-star offensive tackle Johnnie 'DJ' Jones visited Florida State on Friday. The 6-foot-6 lineman was impressed with the facilities and received significant attention from offensive line coach Alex Atkins.

Key Points:

• Coach Interaction: Atkins invited Jones to attend a camp to experience FSU's coaching firsthand.

• Facilities Tour: Jones enjoyed seeing the FSU facilities and had positive discussions with head coach Mike Norvell, who encouraged him to keep improving.

• Recruitment Status: Although FSU hasn't offered Jones yet, he holds 18 offers from schools like Georgia, Florida, and Miami.

Jones is ranked No. 131 overall and No. 11 among offensive tackles in the 2026 class by 247Sports.

⚾ FSU's Heartbreaking Loss and Reflections ⚾

Florida State baseball suffered a tough 12-11 loss to No. 1 Tennessee in the opening round of the College World Series, despite leading 11-8 in the ninth inning.

Tennessee's comeback, highlighted by a controversial check-swing call, led to a walk-off win. Coach Link Jarrett, who has advocated for making check swings reviewable, reflected on the difficulty of the call and the emotional impact on his players.

Following the loss, Jarrett gave his team most of Saturday off to recover and prepare mentally for their elimination game against Virginia on Sunday.

Key Highlights:

• Controversial Call: A check-swing call that wasn't reviewed allowed Tennessee to tie the game, leading to their walk-off victory.

• Team Recovery: Jarrett gave players time off to recuperate emotionally and physically, emphasizing the need for rest and mental preparation.

• Coach's Advocacy: Jarrett has been pushing for check swings to be reviewable, citing the importance of technology in making accurate calls.

Next Steps

Florida State will face Virginia in an elimination game at 2:00 p.m. ET today, with their season on the line. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

And that’s a wrap!

Stay tuned for more updates on Florida State's athletes as they compete on the national stage and prepare for an exciting football season.

We'll keep you informed on all the latest recruiting news and key matchups.

Go Noles!