Florida State has landed another piece for its 2027 class, and this one comes with a strong leg and a quick finish to the recruiting process.
Orlando The First Academy kicker Vance Fones announced that he has committed to the Seminoles, ending his recruitment after building a relationship with the staff over the spring and summer. Fones said the trip to Tallahassee in April left a real impression on him, and his June workout helped seal the deal.
"I made the trip out in April for spring practice and was very impressed with the facilities and the coaching staff. I got the chance to showcase myself to Coach Scheier later in June and have great conversations.
After keeping in contact with Coach Scheier, he offered," Fones said on Tuesday. "I knew FSU was where I wanted to be, so the decision to commit was a yes for me.
"Super excited for what's to come and God is great," Fones added. "Go Noles!"
Fones also described his June 14 camp at Florida State as a productive one, going 11 of 12 on field goals in front of special teams coordinator Adam Scheier. He had already visited the program on April 13 for spring practice, giving him two chances to get a closer look at the Seminoles before making his call.
"Great day at Florida State today," Fones said following his June camp. "Grateful for the opportunity to work out for Coach Scheier and Coach Flaherty to showcase my abilities."
The 6-foot-3 kicker is rated a five-star prospect by Kohl's rankings, where he sits No. 21 nationally and No. 3 in Florida at his position. His commitment makes him the 14th member of Florida State's 2027 class.
In Other News...
Florida State Just Made A Quarterback Decision Fans Will Debate
Ashton Daniels has spent enough time in college football to know how quickly a quarterback can be judged, and now he gets the biggest stage of his career at Florida State. The transfer from Stanford and Auburn arrives with plenty of experience and a mixed rsum, but also with the kind of edge that comes from hearing doubt follow him around. He has leaned into that skepticism before, and the Seminoles are betting his path has prepared him for the pressure that comes with running a program that expects to win.
Daniels also walks into a roster that looks very different from the one fans remember, with more than half the team new and only two returning offensive starters. Even so, he has sounded encouraged by the culture he found and by the talent around him, especially a group that is still sorting out its identity. For Daniels, the challenge is bigger than simply settling in at quarterback. It is about proving he can meet Florida States standard while helping a new-look offense come together quickly. [Read more 🡒]
The Job Security Bar For Mike Norvell Just Got Very Real
Mike Norvell is heading into his seventh season in Tallahassee with the kind of pressure that tends to follow a coach after back-to-back losing years. Florida States 13-0 regular season in 2023 still stands as the high-water mark of the Norvell era, but the Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff after Jordan Travis went down, then dropped the Orange Bowl, and the program has spent the time since trying to regain its footing.
The latest reminder of how sharp the spotlight has become came from CBS Sports analyst Danny Kanell, who put a clear standard on Norvells future. Florida State has a demanding 2026 slate ahead, and the conversation around the season is no longer just about improvement or momentum, but about how many wins it will take before the school feels comfortable keeping the staff in place for another year. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Finally Honors One Of The Most Beloved Voices Ever
For more than four decades, Gene Deckerhoff was part of the soundtrack at Florida State, calling football and mens basketball through some of the programs biggest moments and becoming one of the most familiar voices in Seminoles history. The university has now chosen to recognize that run in a way that fits the setting, with head coach Mike Norvell delivering the news to Deckerhoff during a ceremony and praising what he meant to the program.
Deckerhoff retired from Florida State broadcasts after the 2022 spring game, but he is not done behind a microphone just yet. He will continue calling Tampa Bay Buccaneers games in what he says will be his final season there, while FSU makes room for his name in the stadium where so many of his calls lived. [Read more 🡒]