Welcome to The Chief Brief!

Happy (stress-free) Saturday Seminole!

Here’s what’s lined up in today’s edition:

⚽ Sunshine Showdown: FSU Soccer Ready for Rivalry Clash ⚽
FSU Soccer heads to Gainesville for a highly anticipated Sunshine Showdown against in-state rivals Florida.

🏐 Noles Stay Perfect with Sweep Over Cal Poly! 🏐
FSU Volleyball continues their strong start with a sweep against Cal Poly at the Auburn Invitational.

🏀 Top Recruit Jasper Johnson Commits to Kentucky; FSU in the Mix for Kiyan Anthony 🏀
FSU is still in the running for Kiyan Anthony after Jasper Johnson's commitment to Kentucky.

🏈 FSU Coaches Hit the Recruiting Trail During Bye Week 🏈
FSU's coaching staff takes advantage of the bye week to solidify key commitments.

🏈 Tight End Commit Chase Loftin Shines in Senior Season 🏈
FSU's four-star TE commit Chase Loftin impresses with standout performances in his senior year.

🏈 2025 QB Commit Tramell Jones Stands Firm Amid FSU Struggles 🏈
Despite a rough start to the season, QB commit Tramell Jones stays loyal and confident in the program.

⚽ Sunshine Showdown: FSU Soccer Ready for Rivalry Clash ⚽

The No. 3 Florida State soccer team (4-0-1) heads to Gainesville for the 30th Sunshine Showdown against in-state rival Florida (2-0-3).

The Seminoles have dominated the series recently, winning the last six matchups, outscoring the Gators 16-3.

FSU holds a 37-game unbeaten streak in non-conference play and remains strong defensively, recording four shutouts in five games this season.

With players excelling domestically and internationally, FSU looks to continue their streak in Sunday’s 2 p.m. showdown on SEC Network.

Read more here

🏐 Noles Stay Perfect with Sweep Over Cal Poly! 🏐

The No. 15 FSU volleyball team improved to 4-0 with a commanding sweep (26-24, 25-19, 25-19) over Cal Poly at the Auburn Invitational.

Taylor Head’s clutch finish secured the first set, while Audrey Koenig and Iane Henke led offensively with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.

The Noles maintained momentum through all three sets, thanks to key contributions from Khori Louis and Loren Robertson. FSU will face host Auburn on Sunday at 1 p.m. on SECN+.

Read more here

🏀 Top Recruit Jasper Johnson Commits to Kentucky; FSU in the Mix for Kiyan Anthony 🏀

Jasper Johnson, the No. 12 recruit in the Class of 2025, committed to Kentucky, joining a growing list of top players staying in their home states.

Meanwhile, Florida State is in the hunt for Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony.

Competing with programs like Syracuse, Auburn, and USC, FSU is making a push to secure the No. 34 overall prospect. Anthony would be a key addition to the Noles’ future basketball success.

Read more here

🏈 FSU Coaches Hit the Recruiting Trail During Bye Week 🏈

Florida State is utilizing its bye week to strengthen its No. 18 ranked 2025 recruiting class and explore future prospects.

Head Coach Mike Norvell will be in Jacksonville, checking in on quarterback commit Tramell Jones Jr. and five-star OL commit Solomon Thomas.

Defensive ends coach John Papuchis will scout four-star DE commit Javion Hilson and target Jake Kreul at a big Central Florida matchup.

Meanwhile, DB coach Patrick Surtain Sr. will head to South Florida for key games, eyeing top recruits at American Heritage, Chaminade Madonna, and St. Thomas Aquinas.

Tight ends coach Chris Thomsen will be in Jacksonville to watch four-star TE target Corbyn Fordham in action, along with two other FSU prospects at Bolles.

Read more here

🏈 Tight End Commit Chase Loftin Shines in Senior Season 🏈

Florida State’s four-star tight end commit Chase Loftin is off to a stellar start at Millard South (NE.), racking up 18 receptions for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns in just two games.

Despite FSU’s 0-2 start, Loftin remains confident in Coach Norvell and appreciates the team's emphasis on tight ends in the passing game.

Loftin remains locked in with the Noles, having turned down Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Missouri. He’s expected to enroll in Tallahassee early next year.

Read more here

🏈 2025 QB Commit Tramell Jones Stands Firm Amid FSU Struggles 🏈

Despite Florida State’s challenging 0-2 start and some recruiting setbacks, four-star QB commit Tramell Jones has reaffirmed his confidence in Coach Mike Norvell and the FSU program.

Even sidelined by a recent injury, Jones is actively recruiting for FSU, emphasizing the program’s strong culture and his belief in Norvell’s long-term vision.

With FSU battling to hold onto key recruits like WRs CJ Wiley and Malik Clark, Jones’ leadership could be crucial in maintaining the strength of the 2025 class.

Jones acknowledged the adversity the team faces but remains confident that the staff will lead the Seminoles to success.

He sees this period as a "minor setback" and continues to praise the family-like culture at FSU, adding that he remains in close contact with coaches like QB coach Tony Tokarz.

His message to other recruits is clear: stick with Norvell’s vision. The four-star QB is also determined to have a strong senior season after his recovery and is expected to enroll early in January.

While there are concerns with WR CJ Wiley and DL Myron Charles being targeted by other programs, Jones' public support for the coaching staff strengthens FSU’s position with current and potential recruits.

Additionally, the Seminoles landed a key commitment from four-star LB Izayia Williams for the 2026 class, giving a boost to future recruiting efforts.

Florida State’s next few games, particularly home matchups against Memphis, Miami, and Clemson, will be critical in maintaining the momentum and quieting the noise around the program.

Read more here

And that’s a wrap!

From thrilling soccer rivalries and volleyball dominance to major recruiting updates, it's been a packed edition.

Stay tuned for more updates as FSU coaches hit the recruiting trail and our teams continue to shine on the field.

As always, keep believing in the Garnet and Gold!

Go Noles!