Florida State’s 2027 class already looks shaky, and Za’Kari Johnson just poured gasoline on the fire.
The four-star safety’s Thursday night visit to Miami produced exactly the kind of quote that makes a committed program sweat. After watching the Hurricanes hammer Florida A&M 77-7 at Hard Rock Stadium, Johnson didn’t hide how he felt about the Canes.
“I’d love to be a Cane, man,” the Opa Locka, Florida native said.
That came only days after he called Miami his “dream school” before the trip.
Johnson committed to Florida State in July, shortly after reclassifying from the 2028 class, but the momentum around that pledge is clearly changing. If Mike Norvell’s hold on the job keeps weakening after Florida State opened 2026 at 1-1 and stumbled badly in a Week 1 loss to SMU, Johnson may not be the only name in the Seminoles’ 17-player class who starts looking around.
The timing makes this even worse for Florida State. Johnson had just taken a gameday visit to Tallahassee for the Seminoles’ ACC opener, and that trip apparently did little to steady things. FSU lost a tight one, and the result could have looked a lot uglier after a long power outage delay stretched the night out.
Miami is now the obvious threat here. Texas A&M and Auburn are also in the mix to pull Johnson away from Florida State, but neither school has the pull of a place he already called his “dream school.” At this point, the Canes look like the favorite to land him when signing day arrives in December.
And Miami’s already built for this. The Hurricanes hold the No. 2 class in the country, with A’mir Sears leading the way as a similar two-way athlete.
Sears appears firmly committed to Mario Cristobal’s program, so Johnson wouldn’t seem to be a fallback option. With Johnson ranked No. 344 nationally by 247Sports, there’s also no obvious reason Miami couldn’t fit him into the class.
That’s why the delay here feels notable. It makes you wonder whether Miami is waiting, or whether Johnson is using the situation to push his value higher.
For Florida State, keeping him likely means paying up. In the state of the program right now, there probably isn’t a recruit in the country eager to take a discount to end up in Tallahassee. That could shift if and when the coaching situation changes, which is why a loss to Alabama in Week 3 and a possible fall to 1-2 could make the next move feel inevitable.
If a current commit openly saying he wants to be with your biggest conference rival doesn’t force action, maybe a blowout in Tuscaloosa will.
The Seminoles still have some strength in the defensive back portion of the class, which matters given the current state of Tony White’s pass defense. But that group has already taken hits. Mekhi Williams flipped to Wisconsin, and Dayon Cooper flipped to Tennessee, where he’ll play wide receiver.
Johnson helped cover those losses. Ta’Shawn Poole did too.
If Johnson leaves, Florida State would need to cling tightly to Poole, its top-ranked commit and the No. 6 safety in the country, while also searching for another flip target to replace Johnson. That’s a tough ask no matter who is coaching the Seminoles when early signing day arrives.
In Other News...
Lee Corso Update Will Hit Florida State Fans Right In The Heart
Lee Corsos connection to Florida State has always carried a little extra weight, and his recent reunion with Kirk Herbstreit in Orlando only underscored why. Herbstreit described the retired College GameDay fixture as dealing with physical ailments at 91, but still sharp enough mentally to hold court, which is the part longtime fans tend to latch onto when they think about Corso now. Since stepping away after the 2025 season, he has kept public appearances rare, but the ones he has made have still felt meaningful, especially around a program and fan base that have long felt part of his orbit.
Corsos ties to Florida State have stayed visible in those limited moments, including an appearance at an event on campus and watching the national championship from home. For Seminole fans, it is the kind of update that lands with a little more emotion than most because it speaks to both the passage of time and the staying power of one of college footballs most familiar voices. The physical side of the story is impossible to ignore, but Herbstreits account offered a reminder that Corso still has the mind and presence that made him a weekend staple for so long. [Read more 🡒]
FSU May Be Nearing A Mike Norvell Decision Fans Dread
Florida States rough start has only sharpened the pressure around Mike Norvell, with two losses to open the season adding to the broader concerns that have followed the program since 2024. The Seminoles are now in the familiar spot of trying to balance patience with performance, and when a season gets sideways this early, the conversation quickly shifts from what the team wants to be to what the school can realistically afford to do.
The next stretch could tell the story, with Alabama and Miami looming as the kind of games that tend to shape the public and private temperature around a coachs future. If things continue to slide, Florida State would have to weigh the complications of an in-season move, the search for an interim option already on staff, and the massive financial hit attached to any decision on Norvells buyout. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Norvell Enters FSU Bye Week With Pressure About To Spike
Mike Norvell has spent the last two seasons trying to steady Florida State through a stretch that has looked nothing like the programs standard. After a 2-10 collapse in 2024 and a 5-7 finish last year following a strong start, the Seminoles enter their bye week in 2026 with a chance to catch their breath before the schedule tightens again. The break comes at a useful time, but it also serves as a pause before the kind of test that tends to reveal where a program really stands.
Alabama waits next, and not just any Alabama game, but a road trip against the No. 12 Crimson Tide that could push the pressure around Norvell even higher. His job security is already a real conversation point, with a notable buyout clause tied to his contract if Florida State moves on after that game. For a coach trying to rebuild confidence, the bye week is less an escape than a runway to one of the most consequential stretches of his tenure. [Read more 🡒]