Florida State’s trip to unbeaten Miami comes with another hit to its roster and its reputation. The Seminoles dismissed freshman cornerback Chuck Kennon on Tuesday, removing the highest-rated signee from their 2026 recruiting class just days before a rivalry road test for a team already sitting at 3-3 under seventh-year coach Mike Norvell.
A university spokesman said Kennon was dismissed for “conduct detrimental to the team,” and he is no longer listed on the official roster. The school did not offer any additional explanation.
Kennon arrived as one of the most prized recruits to sign during Norvell’s tenure. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back out of Booker High School was Florida State’s only top-100 recruit in the class, and the 247Sports Composite placed him at No. 41 nationally and No. 3 among cornerbacks. Florida State beat out Georgia, Florida, Miami and LSU for his commitment in July 2025, and Kennon stuck with the Seminoles even as questions swirled around Norvell’s future during his senior season.
“I’m a Seminole fan at the end of the day. I love Florida State. No matter the coaching staff, I feel like I’d still be where I’m at,” Kennon said.
Before the season, there was at least a path for Kennon to crack the rotation. Defensive coordinator Tony White said he had a shot to earn playing time as a freshman, and cornerbacks coach Blue Adams praised him during camp.
“He’s young, he’s energetic,” Adams said. “Sometimes you’ve got to tell him, ‘Hey, focus up.
We’re going this direction.’ But he’s coachable.
That’s what I like about him.”
That opportunity never really developed. Kennon did not dress for games early in the season, and his only appearance came on one snap in Florida State’s 38-7 win over Virginia on Oct. 3.
His departure matters more for the future than for Saturday’s game plan, but it still cuts into a defense that just got bullied in a 44-20 loss at Louisville last Friday. White’s group had flashed big-play potential earlier, piling up 10 sacks against Virginia - Florida State’s most since 1997 - before giving up 397 rushing yards to the Cardinals. Running back Isaac Brown did most of the damage, ripping off 235 yards on 17 carries.
Afterward, Norvell pointed the finger inward.
“Too many times, we didn’t show the detail, the discipline, the mental toughness that’s necessary on the road. And it starts with me,” Norvell said after the loss.
That result extended Florida State’s road losing streak that dates to 2023 and kept Norvell in the latest college football hot seat index.
Florida State (3-3, 1-2 ACC) plays at Miami on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Kennon had chosen the Seminoles over the Hurricanes.
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