Anonymous ACC coaches reveal what went wrong at Florida State

Under the guise of secrecy, two unidentified coaches did not hold back on the program's rise and fall.

Sep 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Florida State football team has seen its fair share of ups and downs during head coach Mike Norvell's tenure.

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From 10-3 to 13-0 to 2-10, the Seminoles went from contenders to champions to the bottom of the league.

And opposing head coaches have noticed.

Per Athlon Sports, both coaches who commented on the state of FSU's football program mentioned the Seminoles' recruiting woes and lack of player development.

“There’s a significant disconnect in the talent at this program. On paper, in the rankings, they’re doing great. But a lot of their rivals feel like they’re not recruiting at a truly elite level, and the guys they get aren’t developing," one coach said per Athlon Sports.

Another one said, “It fell apart faster than I’ve ever seen. They were really early adopters to the portal, and that ‘23 team was an absolute nightmare to scheme against. You had the combination of in-house, development guys from Florida high schools and transfers. They started missing in both categories after that.”

The comments from these coaches do not necessarily seem shocking or even mean-spirited in nature. In fact, they seem to reflect the general attitude toward the program nationwide.

The wheels fell off, the players simply did not produce at the levels seen in 2023.

The 'Noles will need to cash in on their 2025 recruiting class, as it was ranked 20th in the country. If FSU's development under the new coaching staff doesn't take root, it could be a long year in Tallahassee.

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