FSU relies on family culture to attract top transfer targets

When Casey Roddick decided to transfer from Colorado, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound redshirt senior offensive lineman took a business approach.

With a short window, Roddick’s decision wouldn’t come down to a fancy recruiting pitch like in high school. This time, it would be where he felt the perfect fit would be for him as he played out his final year of eligibility.

The fit turned out to be Florida State.

“I’ve had a great opportunity to be a part of two really good historical programs right now and with Colorado and Florida State now,” said Roddick. “The biggest thing about it was the culture and the people you’re around, more importantly, the people you work with you get to learn from and grow with as well.”

Florida State has built a family culture under coach Mike Norvell that’s attracted some of the top transfer targets in the country. Those players, such as former Colorado offensive lineman Casey Roddick, have helped the Seminoles return to national relevance in three years. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

Roddick’s evaluation of the program isn’t new. It’s a theme carried throughout Mike Norvell’s time as FSU’s coach. Norvell was hired in 2020 and inherited a roster that looked nothing like the Seminoles’ program had seen in decades, lacking depth and talent.

To alleviate the issue, Norvell turned to the transfer portal, where he could address many urgent needs. He’s added 43 transfers in the last four recruiting classes: 7 (2020), 12 (2021), 14 (2022) and 10 (2023). The group included 11 4-star and 30 3-star prospects, according to 247Sports rankings.

Former edge rusher Jermaine Johnson would win ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. He was one of seven transfers to earn a spot on the all-ACC team along with safety Jammie Robinson, running back Jashaun Corbin, edge rusher Keir Thomas, offensive guards Dillan Gibbons and Devontay Love-Taylor and defensive tackle Fabien Lovett.

The following year, the Seminoles had nine transfers named to the All-ACC list with edge rusher Jared Verse, running back Trey Benson, receivers Johnny Wilson and Mycah Pittman, linebacker Tatum Bethune and guard D’Mitri Emmanuel along with Gibbons, Robinson and Lovett.

“You have to know what you’re looking for and need,” said Norvell. “I’ve said we’re looking for the right fit since I arrived at Florida State. We’ve been able to find it at the high school ranks and as well as the transfer portal. Guys have bought into how and what we’re trying to do. They’ve become great leaders and made a great impact.”

Florida State has added 43 players from the transfer portal during the four recruiting cycles under coach Mike Norvell, including former Auburn offensive lineman Keiondre Jones (58). (Matthew Hinton/AP)

The right fit has paid off for FSU, which saw its win total climb from 3 in 2020 to 10 in 2022. Last season, the Seminoles were ranked for the first time since 2018 and qualified for a bowl game for the first time since 2019. The win over Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl was the first postseason victory for the program since the 2017 Independence Bowl.

“When you can show the examples, not just talk about what can be done but show how we’ve done it and the success, guys want to be a part of that,” Norvell said of the transfer process. “They can see themselves in those situations.”

Many of the 10 transfers who joined the Florida State roster this spring did so for various reasons. But it was Norvell and his coaches who won over many of those players in their initial conversations.

“Coach Norvell was one of the first guys to reach out to me and that stuck with me,” said tight end Jaheim Bell (South Carolina). “The conversations I had with him over the phone — I wouldn’t say they were mind-blowing — they were just different. It wasn’t coachspeak. It was real talk.”

Said Roddick: “He was the first person to reach out to me, so that struck something in my head. If Florida State wants me, that’s big. That’s something I have to pursue.”

Keiondre Jones appeared in 36 games (22 starts) in four seasons at Auburn, with the 6-3, 335-pound offensive guard totaling 1,598 offensive snaps with the Tigers. When asked why he chose to finish his career with the Seminoles, his answer came down to culture.

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“Why not?” Jones said. “We’ve got championship hopes and championship goals.

“That was big to me coming from a program with the same expectation — a championship year in and year out — to have the same type of expectation and have proven they can do it recently.”

This type of culture has attracted many players to play for a program that last won an ACC championship and qualified for the College Football Playoff in 2014.

“It’s very family-oriented here. That’s what I cherished the most,” said offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers. “That bond and that chemistry when it comes to a team because you won’t win without that.”

Added Jones: “I had been talking to a lot of players and coaches beforehand and it felt like home once I got here. It was, ‘Yeah, this is it.’ I felt at peace and home, so I just knew.”

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.