The nature of sports is such that success is short-lived and issues are incessant. Especially College Football, where dynamics are shifting constantly. Not just as the game undergoes modernization with the advent of the transfer portal and NIL, but because, at its crux, you only have players for a finite amount of time. You can go from being an invincible juggernaut to the absolute pits within a single recruiting cycle. This has transpired with Mike Norvell’s Florida State Seminoles in 2024. But at the same time, the inverse is also true. You can, in theory, go from vanquishing at the bottom to the upper echelons if you make the right personnel moves in the off-season.
Not to flare any PTSD within Florida State fans, who’ve already suffered enough- not just via events on the gridiron but also the tragic shooting on campus earlier this month. But their team did just finish the year 2-10, rock bottom of the ACC. A twisted, unfathomable turn of events after their 13-0 regular season the year prior. Alas, there’s no time to sulk. Not for that playoff snub, still a fresh wound, and certainly not for last season. HC Mike Norvell has got to put that egregious 2-10 record in their rear-view mirror and drive forward. Which, to his credit, he is. The transfer portal afforded him a chance to bring some quality to Tallahassee. Coach Norvell has taken that chance and onboarded a 340lb man mountain.
On3’s Pete Nakos has some very good news for the FSU faithful. He reports that the program has acquired the services of Rutgers transfer offensive lineman Jaelyne Matthews. Matthews only enrolled with Rutgers in January ‘25, and leaves the Scarlet Knights without ever playing a game for them. A 4-star recruit, the New Jersey native initially chose to remain in-state in the northeast. However, Jaelyne Matthews is trading the familiarity of NJ for the Sunshine State. The exact reason is inconspicuous, but Mike Norvell sure doesn’t care. It’s more depth for him at the line of scrimmage, and rather large ones at that!
BREAKING: Rutgers transfer OL Jaelyne Matthews has signed with Florida State, @PeteNakos_ reportshttps://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/72w2iFapqR
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) April 30, 2025
The post Mike Norvell Receives Surprising 340lb News After FSU’s Biggest ‘Embarrassment’ Exposed in Brutal Blow appeared first on EssentiallySports.
