Florida State’s already shaky season took another hit this week when the program dismissed freshman cornerback Chuck Kennon, the top-rated signee in its 2026 recruiting class.
A university spokesman confirmed Tuesday that Kennon was removed for “conduct detrimental to the team,” and he no longer shows up on the official roster. The school did not provide any additional explanation.
The timing stings for a 3-3 Florida State team that is trying to steady itself under seventh-year head coach Mike Norvell before heading to unbeaten Miami. Kennon’s departure doesn’t change much on the field right away, but it does wipe out a player the staff viewed as a major long-term piece.
Kennon arrived in Tallahassee carrying plenty of hype. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back from Booker High School was the Seminoles’ only top-100 recruit in the class, and the 247Sports Composite had him at No. 41 overall and No. 3 among cornerbacks nationally. Florida State beat out Georgia, Florida, Miami and LSU for his commitment in July 2025.
Even as questions swirled around Norvell’s job security during Kennon’s senior year, he stuck with his pledge. He put that loyalty plainly at the time.
“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.
There was at least some optimism that Kennon could carve out a role quickly once he got to campus. Defensive coordinator Tony White said earlier this year that he had a path into the rotation as a freshman, and cornerbacks coach Blue Adams offered similar praise during preseason 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 early buzz never turned into a real contribution. Kennon did not dress for games early in the season and logged just one snap in Florida State’s 38-7 win over Virginia on Oct. 3.
His dismissal comes after a rough outing for the Seminoles’ defense in a 44-20 loss at Louisville last Friday. White’s group had just posted 10 sacks against Virginia, the program’s most since 1997, only to follow it by giving up 397 rushing yards to the Cardinals. Louisville running back Isaac Brown had 235 yards on 17 carries.
After the loss, Norvell didn’t sugarcoat the performance.
“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 defeat stretched Florida State’s road losing streak that dates to 2023 and kept Norvell in the latest college football hot seat index.
Florida State, now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the ACC, heads to Miami on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Kennon had turned down the Hurricanes when he picked the Seminoles.
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