Florida State’s recruiting class took another hit this week, with three-star tight end Troy Silberzahn becoming the second prospect to back away from his pledge since Mike Norvell’s firing.
Silberzahn announced Tuesday that he was reopening his recruitment, pointing directly to the coaching uncertainty surrounding the Seminoles.
"With the uncertainty of the coaching staff, I decided to decommit from Florida State University and open my recruitment back up," Silberzahn wrote. "I appreciate all of the FSU community, and I look forward to building a relationship with whomever they hire as their HC."
Silberzahn had been committed to Florida State since July, choosing the Seminoles over Florida, Miami, Texas A&M, and Penn State. The program offered him on May 1, and he later attended camp over the summer while working with tight ends coach Chris Thomsen.
The 2028 prospect transferred from Cocoa High School to Eau Gallie High School during the offseason and has taken a noticeable step forward as a junior. He has 32 catches for 450 yards and two touchdowns.
At 6-foot-3.5 and 212 pounds, Silberzahn is ranked by the 247Sports Composite Ratings as the No. 732 overall prospect, the No. 33 tight end, and the No. 83 player in Florida in the 2028 class.
His exit comes after three-star wide receiver Majay Thompson decommitted from Florida State on Sunday, just before the Norvell news became public. With Silberzahn now out of the fold, the Seminoles are down to four verbal commitments in #Tribe28, a class that still sits No. 8 nationally.
In Other News...
Florida State Fans Can Cross One More Name Off The Search List
The Florida State coaching search picked up another layer of clarity this week when Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz addressed the speculation head-on before his teams matchup with Texas. Rather than letting the rumor mill keep spinning, Drinkwitz said publicly that he is not a candidate for the Seminoles opening, while shifting the focus back to Missouris preparation and the challenge of slowing down Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
Drinkwitz has been at Missouri since 2020 and recently signed a six-year contract extension, two details that already made the fit look complicated for Florida State. Even so, his name had lingered in the conversation as the Seminoles sorted through possibilities, and his comments now remove one more prominent option from the list as the search continues to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State May Have Found Its Dan Lanning Style Hire
Florida States coaching search is starting to take on the shape of a familiar modern blueprint, with Glenn Schumann emerging as a name that fits the profile of a program looking for both continuity and edge. After Dan Lanning left Georgia for Oregon, Schumann stepped into the defensive coordinator role and helped guide a top-ranked unit during Georgias national championship run, adding another layer to a rsum already built on championship environments and high-level development.
For the Seminoles, the appeal goes beyond the scheme. Schumann has spent years helping mold NFL-caliber linebackers and has been part of multiple title teams at Alabama and Georgia, which gives him the kind of credibility programs lean on when they want a proven builder rather than a gamble. With Florida State searching for its next head coach after firing Mike Norvell, Schumann stands out as the sort of defensive-minded hire that could bring a clear identity from day one. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Coaching Search Just Hit A Brutal Reality Check
Florida States coaching search is already running into the kind of public resistance that tends to come with a high-profile opening. Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz addressed the speculation directly and said he is not interested in the Seminoles job, a notable development as Florida State works through a national search after firing Mike Norvell.
Even with a firm denial on the record, the situation is rarely that simple in a search of this magnitude. Florida State would still have to navigate the financial and contractual realities of making a hire like Drinkwitz, and the broader truth of coaching searches is that public comments do not always end the conversation. [Read more 🡒]