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- 🏹 November 25th - The Chief Brief 🏹
🏹 November 25th - The Chief Brief 🏹
A week where FSU bet big, swung big, and prayed the landing gear works
The Chief
November 25, 2025
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🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
Happy Turkey Tuesday, Seminole!
Everything in Tallahassee is loud right now. Between record-breaking athletes, reloads on the diamond, recruiting whiplash, and a decision that set the fanbase on fire, this week delivers one theme: FSU is betting big on the future… whether fans like it or not.
⚡️ Henke Goes Pro ⚡️
FSU volleyball star Iane Henke caps a historic season by getting drafted into Major League Volleyball — becoming just the third Seminole ever to reach the league.
🏀 Hoops Heat Check 🏀
Luke Loucks’ squad keeps rewriting the record book and leads the nation in three-point volume heading into tonight’s Battle in the Bay matchup vs. Cal State Bakersfield.
⚾️ Baseball Reloads, Not Rebuilds ⚾️
Despite losing five core starters, Link Jarrett’s 2026 lineup looks loaded with power, depth, and high-impact transfers — opening day just 81 days away.
❤️ Seminoles Give Back ❤️
Darrell Jackson Jr. and Micah Pettus feed over 100 families through Thanksgiving giveaways, proving the biggest wins aren’t always on the field.
🛑 Redshirts for the Future 🛑
DT Kevin Wynn and RB Kam Davis shut it down at four games, preserving eligibility and long-term upside.
🛬 Recruiting Rollercoaster 🛬
4⭐ LB Izayia Williams doubles down on his commitment… but 3⭐ OL Da’Ron Parks decommits as signing week approaches.
📈 Recruits React to Norvell 📈
While fans are fuming, commits and 2027 targets overwhelmingly applaud the move — stability sells in recruiting.
🎙️ Norvell Speaks — and the Stakes Rise 🎙️
The head coach calls Gainesville “huge,” insists FSU is “close,” and dodges big-picture questions while eyeing win No. 6.
🏗️ Why FSU Kept Norvell 🏗️
Leadership is betting on a major structural overhaul instead of a $58.5M firing — banking on front-office reform, not a fresh start.
💰 And Why It Might Backfire 💰
Another column says FSU didn’t save $60M: it just delayed a massive bill while risking fan apathy and donor fallout.
🧠 Bottom Line
Rivalry week isn’t just about beating Florida: it’s about proving this entire strategy wasn’t a $60 million stall.
Let’s dive in. 🍢🔥
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🏐 FSU’s Iane Henke Drafted into Major League Volleyball 🏐
Florida State’s superstar outside hitter Iane Henke is headed to the pros — selected 24th overall by the defending MLV champion Orlando Valkyries.
🔥 Historic Season
390 kills across 88 sets
4.43 kills per set — 4th in ACC, 25th nationally
On pace to break FSU’s single-season kills-per-set record
21 straight matches with double-digit kills
💥 Elite Production
5.10 points per set — 15th nationally, 2nd all-time at FSU
20+ kills in four straight matches — first in program history
Career-high 27 kills on Oct. 18
Seven service aces in the opener — tied 4th-most in school history
🌟 Joining Rare Company
Henke becomes just the third Seminole to reach the Major League Volleyball ranks, joining Taylor Head and reigning MLV Rookie of the Year Khori Louis.
🏀 FSU Chases More History vs. Cal State Bakersfield 🏀
Florida State men’s basketball is rolling into Tuesday night’s matchup with Cal State Bakersfield riding momentum, records, and a whole lot of three-pointers.
🔥 Record-Breaking Start Under Luke Loucks
Robert McCray set a program-record 17 assists in the opener
Lajae Jones tied the FSU record with 10 made threes vs. Georgia Southern
FSU broke its own ACC record for 3-point attempts (49)
Loucks openly encourages players to chase milestones: “Records are hard to break… we’re going to celebrate it.”
📊 The Numbers Tell the Story
Nation’s leader in 3-point attempts per game: 39.0
2nd nationally in threes made per game: 13.8
Four different leading scorers in five games
Undefeated at home (4–1 overall, two straight wins)
🏀 Tonight’s Matchup
FSU vs. Cal State Bakersfield
Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET | Donald L. Tucker Center
Broadcast: ACCNX
Part of the Battle in the Bay Tournament
💡 Scouting the Roadrunners
3–3 on the season
Bottom 20 nationally in 3-point attempts (16.8 per game) — the polar opposite of FSU
11–50 on the road since 2021–22
Led by G Dailin Smith (17.0 ppg), coming off 53 points in his last two games
🔢 Current FSU Standouts
Lajae Jones — 17.8 ppg, tied the 3-point record
Robert McCray — 15.4 ppg, 8.0 apg
Kobe MaGee — 11.2 ppg, 4 threes vs Alabama State
🧠 Why It Matters
FSU is winning and rewriting the record book, building confidence, and gearing up for a tougher test Friday vs. Texas A&M.
👉 Full game coverage and live updates available through Noles247 and CBS Sports
⚾ FSU Baseball Reloads for 2026 — Not Rebuilds ⚾
With Opening Day just 81 days away, Link Jarrett’s program enters year three with the same expectation as the last two: elite offense and winning baseball — even after major roster turnover.
🔥 Production Stays Elite Despite Departures
FSU won 91 games over the last two seasons.
Offense posted a .311 AVG / .929 OPS in 2025, nearly matching 2024’s monster numbers.
Three cornerstone starters up the middle — Lodise (SS), Williams (CF), Faurot (2B) — all drafted in the top four rounds.
📉 What’s Gone
5 of 9 most common starters from last year.
Everyday hitters from spots 1–3 in the lineup.
55% of games started — meaning more than half the lineup must be reshaped.
✅ What’s Back — And Why It Matters
Returners historically improved OPS by .138 and WRC+ by 25 points year-over-year under Jarrett.
44.6% of games started return — enough core experience to build around.
Key returners:
1B Myles Bailey — 19 HR, legit 30+ HR upside
C Hunter Carns — .860 OPS as a freshman; 1.033 OPS in Cape Cod
3B/2B Cal Fisher — versatile, everyday bat
OF Chase Williams — healthy and expected back Opening Day
🆕 Impact Additions
3 transfers, including USC CF Brayden Dowd, the heavy favorite to lead off:
.324 AVG, .446 OBP, 10 HR
Walk rate > strikeout rate
Depth behind them includes put-up-power bats like Eli Putnam and freshmen Paulino Jr. & Buckles.
🏟️ Big Position Battles to Watch
Middle Infield (2B/SS/3B)
Four leaders for three jobs: Putnam, Fisher, McCulley, Fraser.
Shortstop likely comes down to McCulley vs. Arkansas transfer Fraser.
Outfield
Dowd and Williams lead the group; DeLamielleure pushes for a corner role.
Freshman John Stuetzer is a sleeper — big fall power.
Designated Hitter
Putnam, DeLamielleure, Sheffield, Paulino Jr., Buckles — all in play.
🧩 Lineup Identity Is Clear
Jarrett has always built around:
1️⃣ Left-handed leadoff
2️⃣ Right-handed two-hole
3️⃣ Left-handed three-hole
…and alternates handedness throughout.
Early projection:
Dowd (L)
Carns (R)
Bailey (L)
Putnam (R)
Fraser (L)
📈 One Huge Trend
Jarrett used 44 different lineups in 58 games last year — Opening Day is just the starting point, not the blueprint.
🧠 Why It Matters
FSU lost stars but not standards. With proven player development, a power core returning, and high-impact transfers, the 2026 offense projects as reload, not rebuild.
❤️ FSU Players Feed 100+ Families in Thanksgiving Giveaways ❤️
Two Seminoles turned the holiday week into something much bigger than football, giving back to Tallahassee and their hometown communities in a major way.
🔥 Two Events, One Mission
Darrell Jackson Jr. partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend at Springfield Apartments.
Provided 100 families with:
Frozen turkey
Stove Top stuffing
Instant potatoes
Dessert pie
Micah Pettus hosted a similar giveaway on campus with support from Legends Hospitality, offering free meals and facility tours for local families.
💬 Why It Matters to Them
Jackson, raised in a single-parent home, said he once relied on events like this:
“We needed help… God blessed me, so I want to be able to give back.”
Pettus echoed that commitment, continuing a tradition he began at Ole Miss.
🤝 Who Showed Up to Support
Teammates, coaches, and FSU staff
Associate HC Odell Haggins
DL coach Terrance Knighton
Recruiting director Devin Rispress
And even Mike Norvell, who stopped by Pettus’ event
🎄 What’s Next
Jackson plans to host a Christmas toy drive in Havana next month.
🧠 Why It Matters
At a time when the program’s on-field story is tense, its players just delivered a reminder of what Seminole culture is supposed to be: service, community, and heart beyond the scoreboard.
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🛑 FSU to Redshirt DT Kevin Wynn & RB Kam Davis 🛑
Florida State confirmed Monday that freshman defensive tackle Kevin Wynn and sophomore running back Kam Davis will be redshirted after each hit the four-game participation limit.
🔥 Why the Decision
Both players dealt with injuries earlier in the season.
Norvell said he didn’t want them playing limited snaps “just to play a fifth game.”
The goal: preserve eligibility and maximize their future workload.
📊 Season Snapshots
Kevin Wynn (DT, 6’2”, 334 lbs)
4 games played
1 assisted tackle, 1 pass breakup
Kam Davis (RB, 5’10”, 218 lbs)
8 carries, 51 yards, 1 TD
3 catches, 46 yards
🧠 Why It Matters
Both were major recruiting wins — and now FSU protects two key long-term pieces for 2026 and beyond.
🌟 4⭐ LB Izayia Williams Reinforces Commitment to FSU 🌟
One of Florida State’s premier 2026 pledges — four-star linebacker Izayia Williams — made it clear Sunday that he’s all-in on the Seminoles, regardless of recent turmoil.
🔥 His Reaction to Norvell Staying
Williams said the decision “means a lot” since Norvell recruited him harder than anyone.
He feels relief knowing he’ll play for the same coach who brought him into the fold.
✅ Rock-Solid Commitment
Williams revealed he was signing with FSU no matter what happened with Norvell.
His pledge remains one of the most stable in the class.
📊 Player Profile
Rankings:
No. 196 overall (247Sports)
No. 10 linebacker nationally
No. 79 overall / No. 6 LB in 247 Composite
Size: 6’1.5”, 215 lbs
Status: Enrolling in January
Injury: Missed senior season with ACL tear, expected back fully healthy next summer
📉 FSU Loses 2026 Commit: 3⭐ OL Da’Ron Parks Decommits 📉
Florida State’s 2026 class took a hit Monday as interior offensive lineman Da’Ron Parks announced he is backing off his pledge.
🔥 Key Details
Parks had been committed since July.
Originally chose FSU over Ohio State, Auburn, Kentucky, and Rutgers.
Decommitment was announced publicly through Hayes Fawcett.
📊 Recruiting Profile
247Sports: High 3⭐ (Grade: 88), No. 44 IOL nationally.
Composite: 4⭐, No. 434 overall, No. 34 IOL in 2026.
🧮 Class Impact
FSU now sits at three OL commitments for 2026.
Comes just one week before the Early Signing Period, tightening the margin for replacement options.
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🛬 Top Recruits Applaud Norvell’s Return — Stability Sparks Momentum 🛬
While fans wrestle with Florida State’s decision to keep Mike Norvell through 2026, the reaction from key recruits has been overwhelmingly positive — and that matters in a recruiting-driven sport.
🔥 Big-Time Commits On Board
4⭐ LB Izayia Williams: “Feels great knowing for sure I’m going to play for him.”
4⭐ TE Corbyn Fordham camp: Fully supportive.
3⭐ LB Karon Maycock (recent Texas interest): “Excited” about the decision.
🌟 Recent Commits Double Down
DE Chris Carbin: “Feel great about it.”
DL Franklin Whitley: “Very happy about the decision.”
JUCO Edge Jalen Anderson: “2026 gonna be the year we get this program back to winning.”
💪 Future QB1 Locked In
QB Jaden O’Neal: Focused on development, not NIL—just wants to get on campus and compete.
👀 2027 Targets Take Notice
4⭐ LB Greg Batson: Believes Norvell “deserves another shot.”
4⭐ WR Sean Green: Move “keeps FSU as a top pick.”
4⭐ WR Jaden Upshaw: “He’s definitely a good coach.”
Top-100 WR Anthony Jennings: Sees Norvell’s stability as a positive in a chaotic coaching landscape.
🧠 Why It Matters
Whatever fans think, recruits value continuity and Norvell’s return has clearly steadied the board, keeping FSU firmly in play for top talent in 2026 and beyond.
🗣️ Norvell Addresses Future, Failures, and Florida 🗣️
Mike Norvell met with the media Monday for the first time since being retained — and the tone was equal parts defensive, determined, and desperate for a sixth win.
🔥 Key Takeaways
Called the NC State loss “disappointing” and blamed turnovers, missed chances, and a lack of execution.
Said the focus is “100% on Gainesville and getting win No. 6” — dodged all bowl and future questions.
Admitted FSU has “not been close” to expectations but insists the program is “close” to turning the corner.
Acknowledged major offseason evaluation is coming, including front office structure, recruiting, and personnel.
💬 On Being Retained
Grateful to administration, says clarity helps players and recruits.
Still claims “elite level confidence” that championships will happen at FSU.
🚨 On Execution & Coaching Issues
Blamed focus mistakes, communication errors, and inconsistency — even late in the season.
Pointed to emotional maturity and young players, but maintained belief in the roster.
👀 On Facing Florida
Called UF “dangerous” and praised QB DJ Lagway’s talent.
Emphasized urgency: “This is huge.”
🧠 Why It Matters
Norvell delivered a long press conference without offering concrete answers but he did make Gainesville feel like a make-or-break credibility moment.
🏗️ Inside the Case For Keeping Norvell: FSU Bets on a Structural Fix, Not a Firing 🏗️
This column makes the argument that FSU’s leadership isn’t just being stubborn by keeping Mike Norvell but rather that they’re making another big, risky bet on long-term structure over short-term satisfaction.
🎯 From Suing the ACC to Backing Norvell
The same trio that led FSU’s aggressive, ultimately successful fight with the ACC — Peter Collins, Richard McCullough, and Michael Alford — is now bucking popular opinion again by retaining Norvell.
Just like the ACC lawsuit, the move is framed as deeply unpopular now but potentially visionary later if it works.
They openly admit on-field results have been “far from acceptable” and that “performance deficiencies” and “structural changes” are needed — but still chose continuity at head coach.
💰 The $58.5 Million Reality Check
Firing Norvell now would cost FSU $58.5M in buyout money, plus another $10–15M to clear assistants and bring in a new staff.
Admin appears unwilling to pay nearly $60M “to take a shot in the dark” in a crowded coaching market where Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Penn State, Auburn, Arkansas and others are all shopping.
A finish of 6–6 with a bowl (vs. 3–9 on top of 2–10) gives them just enough justification to not push the red button this year.
🏢 FSU’s New Bet: Fix the Machine, Not Just the Man
Leadership is said to be considering a massive overhaul of the entire football operation — not just play-calling or coordinators.
The idea: treat FSU more like a mini-NFL franchise with:
A true general manager–style front office overseeing scouting, recruiting, and personnel.
The head coach focused more on coaching & players than running a billion-dollar ecosystem.
Every area is on the table: recruiting, scouting, strength & conditioning, operations — “not one area … should be off-limits.”
If implemented, this model could reduce future reliance on mega buyouts and prevent the entire program from being held hostage by one contract.
🧩 Why Not Just Fire Him?
The column argues FSU didn’t know it would keep Norvell back after the Stanford loss — at 2–10 + 3–9, even $60M might not have saved him.
But going 2–2 since, plus the chance to get to 6–6 and a bowl at Florida, gave administration just enough cover to say:
The product is bad, but not irredeemable.
The money is enormous.
The national coaching carousel is messy and expensive.
❓ Huge Plan, Huge Questions
The piece backs the idea of structural reform but admits the execution is everything, and lays out key questions FSU must answer:
Who actually evaluates Norvell and the revamped staff, and who hires the new front-office pieces?
What’s FSU’s real plan in the NIL space, especially with other schools openly pouring more money into roster construction?
Does Norvell still have the voice and leadership juice to get the most out of the current locker room?
Would Norvell’s contract be restructured if responsibilities shift away from him — possibly lowering salary with performance-based incentives?
🧨 High-Risk, High-Reward… Again
Best-case: FSU modernizes its structure, stretches its ACC-lawsuit winnings even further, and becomes a model program in the “mini-NFL” era.
Worst-case: loss totals keep piling up, Norvell is fired in a year anyway, the buyout still exceeds $40M, and this decision overshadows the ACC victory in FSU history.
🧠 Why It Matters
FSU’s power brokers are passing on the emotional, popular decision — firing Norvell — to instead gamble that a deep organizational rebuild around him is smarter than spending $60M to spin the coaching roulette wheel again.
🔥 Opinion: Keeping Norvell Didn’t Save $60 Million — It Just Delayed the Bill 🔥
This column argues that FSU didn’t “save” anything by retaining Mike Norvell — it simply postponed an almost unavoidable, extremely expensive problem.
🏦 The Myth of the $58.4M Savings
FSU avoided paying Norvell’s $58.4M buyout this year — but that money isn’t magically available for NIL or roster upgrades.
Unless Norvell coaches through 2031 (highly unlikely), FSU will still owe tens of millions later.
If fired after 2026: FSU still owes $48.7M, plus his full 2026 salary — meaning the only real “savings” right now is about $9.7M.
📉 The Florida & Texas A&M Warning
Florida kept Billy Napier to “save money,” only to fire him later anyway and lost more in donations and momentum than they saved.
Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher despite his insane buyout because waiting didn’t actually fix the math and now they’re 11-0 with a new coach.
💸 Bottom Line: It’s Always Expensive
Fire Norvell now? ~$58M
Fire him next year? ~$48M
Fire him after 2027? ~$38M
The column’s point: if leadership isn’t fully convinced he can turn it around, they’re probably paying the bill eventually — just later.
🏗️ “Structural Changes” Come With a Price Tag
Hiring a real front-office/GM model could cost multiple millions a year.
If FSU wants to overhaul personnel, recruiting, scouting, and ops, the rebuild itself won’t be cheap.
Even replacing assistants like Malzahn could trigger more payouts.
🧮 And Don’t Forget the Hidden Costs
Lost donations
Declining ticket renewals
Booster apathy
NIL momentum collapsing
The real financial danger isn’t anger — it’s indifference. And this decision risks pushing fans from furious to checked-out.
🧠 Why It Matters
FSU didn’t solve its money problem but felt more comfortable gambling on hope. If Norvell doesn’t produce a rapid turnaround, the program could end up paying nearly the same massive buyout… after losing even more revenue along the way.
And that’s a wrap!
Until next time — stay loud, stay loyal, and remember: hope is not a strategy… but beating Florida is. 🍢🔥
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