🏹 May 24th - The Chief Brief 🏹

Offense Erupts, Softball Exits & Norvell Gets Real

Author

The Chief
May 24, 2025

Forwarded this email from a friend? Subscribe at the button below

Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

Who was the MVP of FSU’s 14–7 win over Duke?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Saturday, Seminole!

From a 14-run outburst in Durham to a gut-wrenching Super Regional exit in Tallahassee, FSU’s postseason rollercoaster is in full swing — and Mike Norvell is owning every bit of the football rebuild.

Here’s what’s inside today’s edition:

⚾ FSU Baseball Blasts Duke to Reach ACC Semis ⚾
Myles Bailey’s 468-foot missile highlighted a historic offensive showcase as the Noles cruised into Saturday.

🥎 FSU Softball Season Ends in Super Regional Loss 🥎
The WCWS dream dies in a one-run heartbreaker — but this 49-win team made its mark.

🏃‍♂️ 4⭐ ATH Derrek Cooper Locks in FSU Visit 🏃‍♂️
The top-40 playmaker from South Florida is still open — and FSU gets its shot June 15.

🏀 FSU in Early on 4⭐ Wing Herly Brutus 🏀
A rising in-state prospect with an elite motor and growing offer sheet. The Noles were first in the door.

🐗 Seminoles Offer 285-lb DT/FB Ashton Dawson 🐗
Yes, you read that right — FSU wants the Louisiana tank to lead-block in Garnet & Gold.

🎙️ Norvell on Collapse, Castellanos & Championship Standards 🎙️
In a raw, reflective sit-down, Norvell breaks down 2024’s failures, 2025’s identity, and why Alabama in Week 1 is exactly what this team needs.

Let’s get into it. 👇

Car insurance costs to hit record highs in 2025

With car insurance premiums projected to reach a record $2,101 annually in 2025, it's more important than ever to make sure you're not overpaying. In fact, switching car insurance providers could save drivers over $1,300 a year, according to a 2024 survey.

⚾️ Noles Smash Duke to Advance to ACC Semifinal ⚾️

Bring the bats — the Noles are moving on.

No. 6 Florida State opened ACC Tournament play with an offensive explosion, blasting past No. 7 Duke 14–7 in Friday’s quarterfinal matchup in Durham. It’s the highest-scoring ACC tourney game for FSU since 2004.

💥 Big Day at the Plate:
• Myles Bailey: 4-for-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R — including a 468-foot bomb
• Alex Lodise: 2 H, 2 RBI, 2 R — keeps raking as ACC Player of the Year
• FSU hit for the team cycle in an 8-run 3rd inning that blew the game open
• 18 hits total — with six players tallying multi-hit games

🎯 On the Mound:
• Jamie Arnold improved to 7–2 with 7 Ks in 5 IP
• Joe Charles closed it out with a 3.1-inning save, allowing just one hit

🗓️ Next Up:
FSU (38–13) will play the winner of UNC vs. Boston College on Saturday at 5 PM ET in the ACC Semifinal (ACC Network). The championship game is set for Sunday at noon (ESPN2).

🥎 FSU Softball Falls to Texas Tech, Season Ends in Super Regional 🥎

Heartbreak at The Plex.

Florida State’s season came to a close Friday in a 2–1 loss to Texas Tech, as the No. 5 Noles were eliminated from the Tallahassee Super Regional in back-to-back one-run games. FSU finishes the year 49–12.

🧊 How It Happened:
• Texas Tech struck first with a sac fly in the 1st
• Defensive miscues in the 5th led to another Red Raider run
• Noles rallied in the 7th with a Dack walk and Edenfield double
• Shelby McKenzie drove in a run, but FSU stranded the tying run at third

⚾ Final Snapshot:
• 12th Super Regional appearance
• 49-win campaign
• A top-10 offense and pitching staff by nearly every metric
• Multiple All-Americans and breakout stars — including Isa Torres, Jazzy Francik, and Katie Dack

It wasn’t the ending they wanted — but this was still one of the most balanced and dangerous teams in the country. The future remains bright in Tallahassee.

🏃‍♂️ 4⭐ ATH Derrek Cooper Schedules FSU OV, Recruitment Still Fluid 🏃‍♂️

One of the top all-purpose playmakers in the 2026 class is circling June 15 on his calendar — and Florida State is still firmly in the mix.

Derrek Cooper, a 6'1", 205-pound athlete out of Chaminade-Madonna (FL), holds 30+ offers and is ranked No. 39 nationally and No. 6 in Florida by 247Sports. Cooper is expected to take an official visit to FSU on June 15, joining a loaded weekend of blue-chip talent in Tallahassee.

🎯 Official Visit Schedule:
• ✅ Auburn (past weekend)
• Miami – May 30
• Alabama – June 6
• Georgia – June 13
• Florida State – June 15
• Ohio State – June 20
• Texas – TBD

🔥 The Buzz:
• Miami has momentum, with many insiders pointing to the Hurricanes as the current frontrunner
• FSU has kept steady contact, and the June visit presents a chance to flip the script
• Cooper was once committed to Georgia and continues to show real interest in Ohio State and Texas

📣 Recruiting Insider Take:
“Cooper is the type of player Miami can’t let leave South Florida. But FSU is one of the few programs with a real shot to change the narrative.”

The Seminoles will get their shot in June. Now it’s about execution.

🏀 4⭐ Wing Herly Brutus Gaining Steam, FSU Among Early Offers 🏀

A rising in-state talent is heating up — and Florida State is in early.

Herly Brutus, a 6’5”, 180-pound small forward/combo guard out of The Villages (FL), has quickly become one of the most coveted 2026 prospects in Florida. FSU was among his earliest offers, and the competition is growing fast.

📊 Rankings Snapshot:
• No. 24 SF | No. 15 FL prospect (Composite)
• No. 39 SF | No. 114 Top247

🎯 Recent Offers:
• Ole Miss (latest)
• Mississippi State, LSU, Maryland, Dayton, ECU
• Early offers: FSU, USF, Jacksonville, Stetson

📝 Scouting Reports:
• “Nonstop motor, elite defender, physical slasher, transition finisher.”
• “Thrives doing the dirty work — rebounds, defends, runs, scores.”

Last season, Brutus averaged 10.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.6 SPG in 25 games — and he’s just getting started.

With SEC and ACC programs circling, the Noles may need to turn up the heat if they want to stay in the race.

🐗 FSU Offers 285-lb DT/FB Ashton Dawson, Eyes Potential Fullback Revival 🐗

Could the fullback be making a Garnet & Gold comeback?

Florida State extended a scholarship offer this week to Ashton Dawson, a 6’2”, 285-pound jumbo athlete from Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, LA) — and yes, he plays both defensive tackle and fullback.

📬 The Offer:
• Evaluated by OC Gus Malzahn during a recent visit
• Officially offered by TE coach Chris Thomsen
• FSU envisions him as an H-back/fullback hybrid

💬 Dawson on FSU’s Pitch:

“That’s every big dude’s dream — to run the ball. It’s a big opportunity and I’m going with it.”

📆 Visit Plans:
• In contact with both FSU and Arkansas about official visits this summer
• Dawson says the Noles plan to follow up next week to lock in a date

🚨 Status:
• Unranked by 247Sports (for now)
• Holds offers from Troy, Grambling, and Jackson State

Whether he’s clearing lanes or stuffing gaps, Dawson could be the physical, throwback chess piece FSU’s offense hasn’t had in years.

🎙️ Norvell Talks 2–10 Collapse, Portal Reset & 2025 Redemption Plan 🎙️

Mike Norvell isn’t sugarcoating it.

After going from 13–1 in 2023 to 2–10 in 2024 — the biggest single-season swing in AP poll history — Florida State’s head coach says the introspection has been deep, the changes intentional, and the goal unchanged: get FSU back to elite.

🧠 Lessons from 2024:
• Portal chemistry failed — 17 transfers last year didn’t click
• QB struggles were glaring — enter Thomas Castellanos, the new leader
• New OC Gus Malzahn brings a sharp, aggressive edge Norvell embraces

🔥 Norvell on Castellanos:

“He’s taken immediate ownership… his care for the university is real.”

🔄 This Year’s Approach:
• 23 new transfers, 40+ newcomers total
• Clear focus on personality fit and competitive edge
• Norvell emphasizes “player accountability” and reestablishing FSU identity

🏟️ Eyeing Alabama:
• FSU opens the 2025 season vs. the Crimson Tide
• Norvell: “You’ve got to embrace the stage — then go make the most of it.”

💰 NIL & Facilities:
• New $150M football facility nearing completion
• Norvell says FSU is “well-positioned to win” in the modern CFB landscape

The tone is urgent. The margin is thin. And the spotlight hits early.

And that’s a wrap!

Until the Next Snap, Swing, or Shot…

Whether it’s Norvell reloading, Bailey launching bombs, or softball leaving it all on the dirt — one thing’s clear: the Seminoles don’t quit, and neither do we.

We’ll be watching Saturday’s ACC Semifinal, tracking every OV this summer, and gearing up for what could be the most telling football season of the Norvell era.

Catch you back here tomorrow with more Garnet & Gold headlines. 👊

— The Chief Brief Team

How'd we do?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.