Florida State’s decision to move on from Mike Norvell could end up giving Alabama a real opening with one of its top 2027 targets.
The Seminoles fired Norvell on Sunday after Saturday’s home loss to Clemson dropped them to 3-5. Florida State announced the change immediately, naming Rick Stockstill as interim head coach.
Norvell’s run in Tallahassee had already taken a sharp turn after those back-to-back double-digit win seasons in 2022 and 2023. Since finishing 13-1 in 2023, Florida State has gone 10-22, with the upset of Alabama in last season’s opener standing out as the lone bright spot in that stretch.
That coaching change could shake up the Seminoles’ recruiting class, and Alabama is positioned to benefit with 4-star safety Jernard Albright.
Albright, a Springfield, Georgia native, had already been taking a hard look at other options before Norvell was let go. He has visited Alabama twice in recent weeks, including an official visit to Tuscaloosa for the win over Texas A&M. The Tide had been pushing harder for him lately, and with Florida State in transition, Alabama may now be the team to beat.
At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Albright brings size and versatility that would fit nicely in Kane Wommack’s defense. The fact that he made two trips to Tuscaloosa in October says plenty about the mutual interest there.
South Carolina could also try to get back into the mix. Albright was once committed to the Gamecocks before flipping to Florida State over the summer, but he has not returned to Columbia this fall. Outside of his trips back to Tallahassee, Alabama is the only school he has visited.
Albright may not be the only Florida State pledge worth watching, either. Three-star wide receiver Majay Thompson, who Alabama had pursued during the summer before he chose the Seminoles, decommitted shortly after Norvell’s firing became official.
Whether Alabama circles back on Thompson remains to be seen, especially with 4-star Osani Gayles and 3-star in-state receiver Cedrick Simmons already committed in the 2027 class.
In Other News...
Auburns Ole Miss Collapse Drew A Pointed Response From Alex Golesh
Auburns trip to Ole Miss ended with a 45-15 loss that left Alex Golesh sounding every bit like a coach who knows his team is running out of margin for error. Afterward, he pointed to the Tigers lack of finish, noting the offense never found enough consistency to keep pace and that the running game never got going, with Auburn held to just 63 rushing yards.
Golesh also talked through offensive line changes and the kinds of costly mistakes that can swing a game off course, including penalties that made life harder throughout the afternoon. With bowl eligibility still in play, he challenged both players and coaches to clean things up quickly, because Auburn cannot afford many more second-half fades like the one it suffered against the Rebels. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Biggest Problem Looks Worse Than A Talent Issue
Auburns 45-15 loss to Ole Miss did more than add another mark in the wrong column. It exposed a team still searching for basic stability, with penalties, special teams mistakes, offensive line inconsistency and a general lack of clean execution all piling up in a game that never felt close. Alex Golesh has already started making changes up front, a sign that the staff is trying to find answers quickly rather than wait for the problems to sort themselves out.
The bigger concern is that this does not look like a simple talent gap that can be fixed by one or two breakout performances. Auburns issue has become one of finishing and functioning, and the next stretch against Arkansas, Mississippi State and Samford will say a lot about whether the Tigers can turn that frustration into progress. Those games should offer a clearer read on how much of this is fixable and how much deeper the trouble really goes. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Delivered The Kind Of SEC Road Finish Fans Love
Auburns trip to Fayetteville on Oct. 25 had the feel of a classic SEC road test, the kind that asks plenty of questions before it gives any answers. At Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the Tigers handled Arkansas 33-24 behind a mix of contributions from Cam Coleman, Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels and Jeremiah Cobb, a balanced showing that gave Auburn enough offense to keep control through the finish.
For Hugh Freeze, it was the sort of result that can travel well in conference play, especially with Auburn getting production from multiple spots instead of leaning on one player alone. Arkansas interim coach Bobby Petrino was on the other sideline as the Tigers closed out a win that should resonate with fans who value a tough road finish, even if the bigger picture in the SEC still has plenty of work ahead. [Read more 🡒]