🏹 October 15th - The Chief Brief 🏹

Hoops beginning, Fall Ball Outlook, and a West Coast Wake Up Call

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The Chief
October 15, 2025

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🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy hump day, Seminole!

Florida State’s midweek is stacked with headlines — from hardwood showdowns to West Coast kickoffs — and a recruiting surge that’s keeping the momentum alive off the field.

1️⃣ 🏀 Crosstown Showdown Returns — The Tallahassee Tip-Off is back Oct. 26 as Seminole legends Luke Loucks and Charlie Ward face off for FSU vs. FAMU. Ward’s jersey retirement and a rally towel giveaway headline what promises to be a packed Tucker Center celebration.

2️⃣ 📉 Low Expectations, High Opportunity — The ACC preseason poll slotted FSU basketball 15th, with no Seminoles earning individual honors — a true blank slate for Loucks’ first season at the helm.

3️⃣ ⚾ Fall Ball in Pensacola — Link Jarrett’s crew opens exhibition play vs. Mississippi State on Saturday, featuring standout arms like Payton Manca, Wes Mendes, and transfer Bryson Moore. The early focus: development, depth, and finding game-day poise.

4️⃣ 🧩 Defense Under Review — Linebacker coverage woes persist, with Elijah Herring and Justin Cryer ranking near the bottom nationally. Expect simplified calls and extra safety help in this week’s defensive overhaul.

5️⃣ 🏈 West Coast Wake-Up Call — FSU travels to Stanford for its first-ever meeting with the Cardinal (Sat, 10:30 PM ET on ESPN). The Noles’ pass rush will look to exploit a vulnerable Stanford O-line that ranks 125th nationally in sacks allowed.

6️⃣ 🔥 Recruiting Reignites — Despite recent losses, FSU’s recruiting machine is thriving. The Seminoles lead for DE Chris Carbin, will host RB Qwantavius Wiggins (FIU commit) on Nov. 1, and are lining up Edge Jaemin Pinckney (USF commit) for a Nov. 15 visit.

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🏀 Tallahassee Tip-Off Set for October 26 🏀

The city’s basketball heart will be on full display later this month as Florida State and Florida A&M renew their crosstown rivalry in the Tallahassee Tip-Off, presented by Champions First Credit Union.

🔥 Seminole Legends Return to Lead

  • FSU’s Luke Loucks (2009–12) makes his head coaching debut in the Tucker Center against none other than FSU legend Charlie Ward (1991–94), now in his first season at FAMU.

  • Both men were record-setting point guards for the Seminoles — Ward ranks ninth in career assists (396) and first in steals (238), while Loucks sits 10th in assists (391) and still holds the ACC Tournament single-game assist record (13 vs UNC, 2012).

🎟️ Event Details

  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 — 4 PM at the Donald L. Tucker Center

  • Tickets: $10 general admission, free for FSU and FAMU students with valid ID

  • Giveaway: The first 1,000 fans receive a Charlie Ward 1993 Jersey rally towel courtesy of Champions First Credit Union.

🎖️ Honoring a Seminole Great
The night will include a jersey retirement ceremony for Charlie Ward, celebrating his historic two-sport legacy and decade-long NBA career. Loucks called it “a celebration of Tallahassee… and of Charlie Ward’s career being honored in the rafters where it belongs.”

📅 Next Up
Florida State opens the regular season Nov. 4 vs Alcorn State, also at the Tucker Center. Season tickets for all 16 home games start at $150 and are on sale now via Seminoles.com.

🏀 FSU Picked 15th in ACC Preseason Poll 🏀

The ACC preseason media poll projects Florida State to finish 15th in the 18-team league — a modest expectation for first-year head coach Luke Loucks as he begins rebuilding the program.

📊 Poll Snapshot

  • 1. Duke (866 pts)

  • 2. Louisville (842)

  • 3. North Carolina (741)

  • 15. Florida State (221)

No Seminoles were named to the Preseason All-ACC teams or received individual honors.

📅 What’s Ahead
FSU faces No. 15 Alabama in an exhibition on Thursday, Oct. 16 (8 PM ET) in Birmingham before opening the regular season Nov. 4 vs. Alcorn State at the Tucker Center.

⚾ Seminoles Open Fall Ball vs. Mississippi State ⚾

Florida State baseball kicks off fall ball this Saturday in Pensacola with an exhibition against Mississippi State — a rematch of the 2025 NCAA Tallahassee Regional Final that FSU won twice. First pitch is set for 2 PM ET / 1 PM CT at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

🔥 Early Standouts
Pitching coach Micah Posey highlighted several arms making big strides this fall:

  • Payton Manca – Velocity up, slider now 83–85 MPH after an All-Star summer in the Cape Cod League.

  • John Abraham – Added muscle (now 210–215 lbs) and improved velocity.

  • Wes Mendes – Revamped delivery, sitting mid-90s; showing renewed edge after last season’s ending.

  • Bryson Moore – Transfer with five above-average pitches and elite command.

  • Cole Stokes – Fastball topping 99 MPH, emerging as a potential closer.

💪 Position Players on the Rise
Recruiting coordinator Ty Megahee noted big falls from Brody Delamielleure, Hunter Carns, and Myles Bailey, while newcomers like John Stutzer, Kelvyn Paulino, and Brayden Dowd (USC transfer) have impressed early.

🧠 Fall Focus
The staff’s emphasis is on evaluation over roles — “Right now it’s about making them better pitchers,” Posey said. Saturday’s exhibition will showcase roughly 10 arms, balancing development with game reps in a live environment.

🎯 What to Watch
Expect the Seminoles to test their depth and athleticism in front of a strong Pensacola crowd. “It’s about seeing who can perform when the lights come on,” Megahee said.

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🧩 Linebacker Coverage Woes Exposed Again 🧩

Florida State’s defensive struggles continue to center on the linebacker unit, where missed assignments and slow reactions have repeatedly turned into explosive plays for opposing offenses.

🔥 Coverage Breakdown
Head coach Mike Norvell acknowledged the mismatch issues, saying the staff must “put guys in the best position to be successful” while still maintaining flexibility in defensive looks. The results so far, however, have been grim:

  • Justin Cryer: 40.9 PFF coverage grade (446th nationally)

  • Elijah Herring: 34.5 (458th nationally), allowing 11 of 12 targets and 2 TDs for a 123.6 NFL passer rating

  • Blake Nichelson: 51.2 (384th nationally)

  • Omar Graham: 64.0 (178th nationally, team’s best LB in coverage)

🚨 Repeat Mistakes
Herring has been beaten twice on wheel routes for touchdowns in losses to Virginia and Pittsburgh — both pivotal plays in one-possession defeats.

🎯 Coaches Respond
Defensive coordinator Tony White continues to shuffle the linebacker rotation in search of consistency. “We practiced great all week — then we get timid in the game,” White said. “That starts with me. We’ve got to cut the crap down and let those boys fly around.”

🧠 What’s Next
Expect to see simplified assignments and more safety help against backs and tight ends as FSU tries to patch one of its most glaring weaknesses ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stanford.

🏈 FSU Heads West for First-Ever Matchup vs. Stanford 🏈

Florida State travels to the West Coast for a rare late-night showdown at Stanford Stadium this Saturday (10:30 PM ET, ESPN). It marks the first-ever meeting between the Seminoles and the Cardinal — and FSU’s first regular-season game in California since 1997.

🔥 Know Your Opponent
Stanford enters the matchup 2–4 (1–2 ACC) under interim head coach Frank Reich, who’s in his first collegiate season after an NFL career that included six years as a head coach. The Cardinal are 2–0 at home and seeking their first 3–0 home start since 2018.

📊 Key Stats

  • Stanford ranks 100th or worse in 11 statistical categories, including 125th in sacks allowed (3.33 per game).

  • Defensively, they’ve allowed the third-most red-zone trips in the nation (30) but give up touchdowns on only 40% of those drives — ninth-best nationally.

  • The Cardinal have two defensive touchdowns, tied for second-most in the ACC.

⭐ Players to Watch

  • QB Ben Gulbranson – 1,445 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs; thrives at home (161.3 passer rating).

  • WR CJ Williams – Leads ACC in receptions (35) and has topped 100 yards in three straight games.

  • DT Clay Patterson – Team leader in sacks (3.0) and tackles for loss (4).

  • LB Matt Rose – 47 tackles, ranks seventh in ACC (7.8 per game).

💥 FSU Angle
Stanford’s offensive line has allowed consistent pressure, which could help Florida State’s pass rush find momentum after recent struggles. However, FSU’s defense must contain CJ Williams — one of the ACC’s hottest receivers — and avoid another slow start on the road.

📅 Kickoff
Saturday, 10:30 PM ET (ESPN)
Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, Calif.

🔥 FSU Building Recruiting Momentum with Key Defensive and Offensive Targets 🔥

Florida State may be struggling on the field, but its recruiting operation is heating up — with three major developments that could reshape the 2026 class.

🏹 FSU Surges Ahead for DE Chris Carbin
Georgia edge rusher Chris Carbin (6'4", 230) — formerly committed to Georgia Tech — called his Tallahassee visit “so great” and confirmed FSU is now his clear leader.

Carbin raved about the “family atmosphere” and praised defensive coaches Tony White and Terrance Knighton, who told him he could play both DE and JACK linebacker. He also highlighted the program’s history of producing NFL defenders like Brian Burns and Jermaine Johnson, saying:

“Most likely, probably might call them home, but we’ll see. They’re definitely leading right now.”

Hosted by freshman twins Mandrell and Darryll Desir, Carbin said the trip showed him where he could “play early and be developed into a first-rounder.” He plans additional visits to Auburn, Michigan, and Tennessee, but the Seminoles currently hold a commanding edge.

💨 RB Qwantavius Wiggins Locks in Visit
FSU will host FIU commit Qwantavius Wiggins (Langston Hughes HS, GA) for an official visit on Nov. 1 when the Seminoles face Wake Forest.

  • Stats: 57 carries, 599 yards, 11 TDs this season.

  • Recently offered by both FSU and Auburn, Wiggins has quickly become a priority target as the Noles look to fill their RB gap in the 2026 class.

🏈 Edge Rusher Jaemin Pinckney to Visit
Another flip candidate, Jaemin Pinckney (South Carolina, 6'5", 217), will take an official visit Nov. 15 for the Virginia Tech game.

  • Currently committed to USF, Pinckney impressed during an earlier unofficial visit for the Miami game, where he earned an offer on the spot.

  • Ranked the No. 80 edge rusher nationally and No. 14 player in South Carolina, Pinckney fills a major positional need with FSU’s current DL commits projected to move inside.

💡 Why It Matters
Despite recent losses, FSU’s recruiting staff is hitting its stride, pushing for immediate-impact athletes in the trenches and backfield. Carbin’s lean toward Tallahassee — paired with visits from Wiggins and Pinckney — signals a resilient and opportunistic approach that could pay dividends by December’s signing period.

👉 Read more here, here, and here

And that’s a wrap!

Stay sharp, stay loyal, and keep chopping — from Tallahassee to the West Coast, the spirit of the Garnet & Gold never sleeps.

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