Florida State’s recruiting class may not be the loudest thing on Seminole fans’ minds right now, but one of the biggest names in the group is already putting together a monster senior season.
Top-100 recruit and four-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole, who picked Florida State over Georgia and Tennessee in July, has wasted no time showing why he drew that kind of attention. On Friday, he put together a huge all-around performance in a 49-43 win over Baldwin High School, piling up 9 catches for 245 yards and 6 touchdowns while also adding 7 tackles and 1 tackle for loss on defense. He averaged 27.9 yards per reception.
Poole is expected to line up on defense when he gets to Florida State, but his senior tape keeps making the case that he can impact a game in plenty of ways. In his first four games this season, he has caught 16 passes for 367 yards and 8 touchdowns, rushed 7 times for 59 yards and another score, and added 14 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 interceptions on defense.
At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Poole is rated as the No. 64 overall prospect, the No. 6 safety, and the No. 6 player in Georgia in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite Ratings.
Florida State currently has 17 verbal commitments in #Tribe27, a group that ranks No. 34 nationally. The coaching staff is trying to keep those pledges intact, and Poole is giving them plenty to like on both sides of the ball.
“He’s still hungry, humble, and hustling. Keep impacting games on all three phases @poole_tashawn . Give 5 , 5 ⭐️”
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Florida States Passing Struggles Put One Norvell Staff Decision Under Fire
Florida States passing game has been searching for traction this season, and the scrutiny is starting to reach the coaching staff. Austin Tucker, a former wide receiver who had not previously coached quarterbacks, is serving as the Seminoles quarterbacks coach, a placement that has become a talking point as the offense has struggled to find consistency through the air.
The results have not helped quiet the discussion. Florida State sits 65th in the FBS in passing offense, and starter Ashton Daniels has thrown four touchdown passes against four interceptions. With Tom Herman and Brady White also on the staff and bringing more quarterback experience, the question around Mike Norvells decision-making is only getting louder as the Seminoles look for a way to steady the position. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Could Finally Get Answer On Its Backup QB Battle
Florida State has spent the opening stretch of 2026 with its starters carrying the load, and that has left one of the quieter roster questions hanging in the background. Behind Ashton Daniels, the Seminoles have been sorting out a backup quarterback battle between Malachi Marshall and Kevin Sperry, with Marshall getting second-team reps in pregame as the staff continues to evaluate the depth chart.
Central Arkansas on Sept. 26 could finally offer a clearer look at where things stand. If Florida State gets the chance to turn to its reserves, the game may provide the first meaningful snap-to-snap test for the backups and, perhaps, a better sense of whether the battle behind Daniels is starting to tilt in one direction. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States QB Situation Suddenly Feels Open This Week
Ashton Daniels has given Florida State a clear enough picture of what it has at quarterback, and it is not a simple one. Through this season, he has thrown four touchdown passes and four interceptions, and three of those picks came in the recent game against Alabama, a performance that still drew praise from coach Mike Norvell for the way Daniels handled himself.
Now the Seminoles are weighing whether it makes sense to get the backup quarterbacks more live reps as a way to build depth and maybe inject a little more life into the passing game. It is the kind of midseason conversation that can say a lot about where a quarterback room stands, even when the head coach is publicly sticking with the starter. [Read more 🡒]