College Football’s transfer portal has evolved into a ruthless game of poker. One wrong read ends up affecting the future of a program for years. The margin between success and failure hinges upon a single decision of choosing the best player suited to your system. Just like a player of the caliber of Cam Ward is passed over just because he might not fit your system. He goes on to become the first draft pick in the NFL, while your program endures a humiliating 2-10 season. Yes, you guessed right, we are talking about Mike Norvell and the Seminoles’ shocking decision of not signing Cam Ward. While bringing in DJ Uiagalelei, who ended up with a below-par season with them.

The Seminoles are 3-4 this season while sitting second last in the ACC. They have lost all their conference matches this season, and this team looks like an extension of what happened last year. The Cam Ward to Seminoles saga was what DeCalon Brooks, ex-Florida State LB, talked about in the latest Coop Podcast hosted by Robert Cooper, Christian Meadows, and Kalen DeLoach. He said, “He was in a talk with us, and they told him, Yeah, you don’t fit our system,  or what we’re trying to do.”  

Cam Ward visited the Seminoles before choosing Miami. But the surprising fact is that they told him he wouldn’t fit in. Last season, Mike Norvell was out shopping for quarterbacks. This has been the norm throughout his tenure, and Ward might have served as the catalyst they needed. Even though DJ Uiagalelei wasn’t a bad choice, but honestly he was no Cam Ward. 

Cam Ward and DJ Uiagalelei were classes apart in 2024.  The gap between their performances highlights a missed opportunity for Mike Norvell and FSU. Ward threw for more than 4000 yards and 39 TDs with a completion rate of 67.2%. As he set numerous personal and school records, all while getting Heisman finalist honours.

On the other hand, Uiagalelei completed just 53.8% of his passes for 1065 yds for 4 tds before a season-ending injury. He also had 6 interceptions in the 5 matches that he played. Ward’s aggressive and creative style of playmaking helped Miami to a near-perfect 10-2 record and a place in the playoffs. Even though fate had a big hand in both their outcomes, Ward’s performance and quality overshadowed that of DJ’s by manyfold.

His elite quality and performance were applauded by Mike Norvell himself after they lost to Miami 14-36 last season. He said, “I mean, he’s playing at an elite level, I mean, as good as any quarterback in the country, and, you know, you see that, you know, the confidence, the poise, you know, he’s able to extend plays, you know, he’s done a good job of being able to find, you know, receivers, you know, on rhythm and on time.” Cam Ward went on to play as the No.1 draft pick for the Tennessee Titans. While Florida State’s struggles continue this season as well.

Meanwhile, HC Norvell is on a 7-day ultimatum to change FSU’s fortunes.

FSU’s Stunning Collapse: Two Years That Shattered the Seminoles’ Identity

Florida State has experienced one of college football’s most heartbreaking collapses over the last two seasons. From an undefeated ACC champion to a program facing existential questions. The Seminoles went 13-0 in the 2023 regular season under Mike Norvell. While defeating eight Power 5 opponents and claiming the ACC Championship. However, the team was snubbed from the College Football Playoff despite their perfect record, a decision that left Norvell and athletic director Michael Alford disappointed, along with fans. The season ended with a bowl loss to Georgia.

The 2024 season started with them as the favourites to win the ACC championship. But to everyone’s dismay, Florida State finished 2-10, marking the worst record for the program in nearly 50 years in a drastic change of fortunes from last season. The Seminoles became just the fourth team in AP poll history to start a season ranked in the top 10 and finish with fewer than three victories. The collapse included a nine-game losing streak in ACC play, the worst stretch in program history since joining the conference in 1992. FSU lost to teams like Boston College, Memphis, and Stanford. Opponents, they would have dominated and outscored just a season before.

Norvell’s transfer portal strategy, which had built the 2023 team, backfired spectacularly in 2024. The team lacked character, leadership, and a sharp cutting edge evident in his previous squads. Quarterback shopping became a recurring theme throughout Norvell’s tenure, and the rejection of Cam Ward in favor of DJ Uiagalelei symbolized the program’s miscalculations. With a buyout exceeding $55 million and mounting pressure from fans and advocates. Norvell faces an uncertain future despite being given the time till the end of the season. He has lost the locker-room and looks wayward. The last two years have left Florida State searching for answers about how to reclaim its throne and position as one of the powerhouses in the ACC.