Seminole Saturday Summary: Norvell Completes Noles’ Staff, FSU Hoops Soars Into Top 10

With the addition of former Tennessee assistant David Johnson as running backs coach, new Florida State head coach Mike Norvell finally has his complete staff in place.

Johnson is among a handful of coaches who have familiarity with Norvell. Norvell had also previously worked with Kenny Dillingham, who comes over from Auburn to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Joining Norvell from Memphis are defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, defensive backs coach T.J. Rushing and strength and conditioning coach John Storms.

Norvell retained FSU wide receivers coach Ron Dugans and defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins, who had been serving as the interim head coach. Norvell added former TCU offensive line coach Chris Thompsen, who will serve as deputy head coach and tight ends coach. Former Charlotte offensive line coach Alex Atkins, Mississippi State linebackers coach Chris Marve and Maryland special teams coordinator John Papuchis have all been hired by FSU for the same roles.

Papuchis will also coach defensive ends. Former Los Angeles Rams’ director of operations Bruce Warwick will serve as the Seminoles’ chief of staff.

Trent Forrest is the senior leader for a top-10 Florida State team. (Jeremy Esbrandt/D’Vel Photography/FSU athletics)

For the third time in four seasons, Florida State basketball will make an appearance in the top 10.

Fresh off a 78-65 road upset of No. 7 Louisville, the Seminoles climbed to No. 10 in both the AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll. That was an 8-spot rise in the AP Poll and a 10-spot surge in the Coaches Poll.

FSU finished No. 10 in the final AP Poll last season, but was unranked to open the 2019-20 campaign. In its first game of the season as a top-10 team, FSU record a second straight double-digit road win by knocking off Wake Forest on Wednesday night, 78-68.

FSU will likely remain in the top 10 as it doesn’t return to action until Wednesday when it hosts reigning national champion and No. 18 Virginia. The Seminoles are off to a 14-2 start and are 4-1 in ACC play.

Football

Recognitions: None
Weekly Commitments: None
2020 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 21 nationally, fourth in ACC (18 total commitments)*

Men’s Basketball

Record: 14-2 (4-1 ACC)
Ranking: No. 10 AP Poll; No. 10 USA Today Coaches Poll
Past Week: (1-0), defeated Wake Forest, 78-68
Upcoming: vs. Virginia (Wednesday); at Miami (Saturday)
Recognitions: None
Weekly Commitments: None
2020 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 27 nationally, sixth in ACC (3 total commitments)*
Big Picture: After another strong start to the season, Florida State is ranked in the top 10 for a third time in four years.

Weekly Review

(10) FSU 78, Wake Forest 68
Wednesday, Jan. 8
After Florida State led by 12 early in the game, Wake Forest opened the second half on an 11-0 run to take a 45-41 lead. The Seminoles responded with the next seven points and never trailed again. Devin Vassell paced FSU with 17 points on just eight field goal attempts. M.J. Walker added 15 points in the victory while Trent Forrest tallied 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Wake Forest’s Brandon Childress led all scorers with 20 points. FSU forced 17 turnovers in the victory.

Women’s Basketball

Record: 14-2 (3-2 ACC)
Ranking: No. 11 AP Poll; No. 11 USA Today Coaches Poll
Past Week: (1-1), defeated Miami, 73-62; lost to Georgia Tech, 67-52
Upcoming: vs. North Carolina (Sunday); at NC State (Thursday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: After setting a program record for consecutive wins, FSU has dropped two of its last three games, including an embarrassing home loss on Thursday night to Georgia Tech.

Weekly Review

(8) FSU 73, (23) Miami 62
Sunday, Jan. 5
Florida State shot 52 percent from the field and led from the start as it took the first of two meetings from rival Miami. The Seminoles saw their lead balloon to as many as 18 early in the third quarter. Kiah Gillespie paced FSU with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Mykea Gray led the Hurricanes with 21 points. Also scoring in double-figures for FSU were Morgan Jones with 16 points, Nicki Ekhomu with 15 points and Nausia Woolfolk with 11 points.

Georgia Tech 67, (11) FSU
Thursday, Jan. 9
After never trailing in a win at Miami, FSU never led in its return home against Georgia Tech. FSU trailed by just four at halftime, but turned the ball over 21 times in the defeat. Georgia Tech’s Jasmine Carson led all scorers with 21 points. Francesca Pan finished with 16 points and six rebounds for the Yellow Jackets. Nicki Ekhomu led the Seminoles with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Nausia Woolfolk added 13 points in the loss.

Men’s Tennis

Record: 3-0
Ranking: None
Past Week: (3-0), defeated Florida Atlantic, 7-0; defeated Louisiana-Lafayette, 5-2; defeated Florida A&M, 4-0
Upcoming: vs. South Alabama (Friday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: Florida State began its season with three straight wins. Two of the victories came without FSU losing a set.

Weekly Review

Florida Atlantic 0, FSU 7
Friday, Jan. 10
Florida State didn’t lose a single set in its season opener against Florida Atlantic. Loris Pourroy clinched the victory for FSU with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Florida Atlantic’s Yovan Lambros. Alex Knaff, Juan Martin Jalif, Sebastian Arcila, Marcus Walters and Chase Wood all collected singles victories for the Seminoles.

Louisiana-Lafayette 2, FSU 5
Saturday, Jan. 11
After losing the doubles point, Florida State won five of the six singles matches to improve to 2-0. Marcus Walters clinched the match with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette’s Kacper Dworak. Sebastian Arcila, Rana Roop Bhullar and Richard Thongoana won in straight sets for the Seminoles. Ivailo Keremedchiev claimed the only singles win for the Ragin’ Cajuns, topping FSU’s Juan Martin Jalif, 7-5, 6-4.

Florida A&M 0, FSU 4
Saturday, Jan. 11
As was the case in the season opener against Florida Atlantic, FSU didn’t lose a single set in its win over Florida A&M on Saturday. Enzo Le Seguillon clinched the victory for FSU with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Florida A&M’s Rodney Sturgis. FSU also used a forfeit on Court 6 and a straight-set win from Rana Roop Bhullar over the Rattlers’ Robert Hayden.

Women’s Tennis

Record: 0-0
Ranking: No. 16 ITA
Upcoming: vs. Washington (Friday, Hawaii); at Hawaii (Saturday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: After a strong showing last season, FSU will begin the year ranked just outside the top 15. The Seminoles will open their season in Hawaii.

Track and Field

Ranking: Men No. 1 USTFCCCA; Women No. 11 USTFCCCA
Past Week: FSU participated in the Orange and Purple Elite
Upcoming: Vanderbilt Invitational (Friday)
Recognitions: Trey Cunningham (The Bowerman preseason watch list)
Big Picture: FSU’s highly-ranked track and field teams began the indoor season at Clemson for the Orange and Purple Elite and enjoyed several victories.

Weekly Review

Orange and Purple Elite
Saturday, Jan. 11
FSU notched multiple victories in its first event of the season. On the men’s side, sprinter Kasaun James won in the 300 meters while Trey Cunningham and Caleb Parker took first and second in the 60-meter hurdles. Taylor Banks won in the 60-meter dash. Sprinter Jayla Kirkland claimed first place in the 60 meters on the women’s side.

Swimming and Diving

Ranking: Men No. 14 CSCAA
Past Week: The FSU men and women lost at home to Alabama.
Upcoming: at LSU (Friday)
Recognitions: None
Big Picture: After more than a month off, FSU was swept by Alabama at home on Saturday. The Seminoles will have three more events before the ACC Championships.

Weekly Review

Men: Alabama 156, (14) FSU 138; Women: (17) Alabama 180, FSU 120
Saturday, Jan. 11
In its first action in more than a month, FSU was swept by Alabama at home. Perhaps the best event of the day for the Seminoles was the men’s 200-yard freestyle as they claimed the top four spots with Aziz Ghaffari claiming the victory. FSU did have a nice day on the board. On the women’s side, Ayla Bonniwell took first place in the 1-meter dive and second in the 3-meter. FSU teammate Molly Carlson claimed first place in the 3-meter dive. Cameron Thatcher claimed first place in the 1-meter dive on the men’s side.

Other News

Jeff Kupper and Carlos Locklyn were named to FSU football’s support staff this week.

FSU cornerback Kyle Meyers has entered the transfer portal.

FSU defensive tackle Cedric Wood will not return next season after being medically disqualified.

FSU starting tight end Tre’ McKitty has entered the transfer portal and will be a graduate transfer.

FSU’s Jauan Williams, a former starting tackle, will enter the transfer portal.

Safety Hamsah Nasirildeen is expected to return to FSU for a senior season.

FSU football newcomers have received jersey numbers for the spring.

Former FSU wide receiver Tre’Shaun Harrison is no longer with the program.

FSU baseball pitcher C.J. Van Eyk was named a second-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball.

Purdue linebacker Cornel Jones will transfer to FSU as a walk-on.

*247Sports Composite rankings

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook. To pitch an idea, author a post or to learn more about The Daily Nole, email Mike Ferguson at Mike@TheDailyNole.com.