Florida State will probably be making at the very least one change to its teaching employees this offseason after former defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson accepted an analogous place at Arkansas on Monday. The transfer did not come as a shock to the Seminoles as Woodson’s contract expired on December 31 and there wasn’t a lot of a rush to push for an extension.

Head coach Mike Norvell has already made a few modifications since he arrived in Tallahassee in December 2019. Coincidentally, Norvell introduced on Woodson to switch his inaugural rent as defensive backs coach at Florida State, TJ Speeding, who left for Texas A&M weeks after being introduced on board. 

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Final offseason, Norvell made a trio of promotions from inside the program to switch on-field losses. He elevated offensive line coach Alex Atkins to offensive coordinator and senior offensive analyst Tony Tokarz to quarterbacks coach after Kenny Dillingham was employed in the identical position at Oregon. Norvell additionally promoted senior defensive analyst Randy Shannon to switch linebackers coach Chris Marve after he departed to be the defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech.

This is not precisely a brand new state of affairs for Norvell however now he will not should take care of the whispers of probably being on the recent seat after a profitable marketing campaign in 2022. There will probably be a wide range of candidates that categorical curiosity within the job, each with ties to present members of the employees and shock names that come out of the woodwork.

Regardless, the Seminoles haven’t got a timeline for an official rent. They wish to make the fitting addition to this system whether or not it takes a few days or a couple of weeks. It could make sense if this will get carried out sooner quite than later as Florida State most likely did not let Woodson stroll with out an thought of who will probably be changing him.

Listed here are some potential candidates to switch Woodson that come from a wide range of backgrounds.

Candidates which can be already on Florida State’s teaching employees:

— Greg Moss, Defensive Analyst

— Corey Fuller, Director of Soccer Relations

— Keiwan Ratliff, Director of Participant Relations

Moss was employed as a member of Florida State’s employees in February 2022 after spending three seasons at Charleston Southern as defensive backs coach. In his first season with the Buccaneers, the workforce recorded 14 interceptions and had the No. 21 cross protection within the FCS. Moss has ten years of school teaching expertise and 7 seasons as a highschool coach at a wide range of stops comparable to FIU, Miami Carol Metropolis Excessive College, Nova Excessive College, and Miramar Excessive College.

Fuller joined the Seminoles in January 2022 after success at 4 native excessive faculties; Rickards, West Gadsden, East Gadsden, and Godby. He was most just lately the top coach at Gadsden County Excessive College (previously East Gadsden) earlier than being employed by Florida State. Fuller served as cornerbacks coach at FAMU in 2014 and was promoted to interim head coach for the workforce’s closing 4 video games that very same 12 months. He received a nationwide championship at FSU in 1993 and performed within the NFL.

Ratliff was additionally employed by Florida State in January 2022 after three seasons as assistant director of participant personnel at his alma mater, Florida. He started his teaching profession as an intern with the Orlando Predators in 2012 and likewise labored with the Miami Dolphins that very same 12 months. Ratliff based the Rat Pak 7-on-7 program over a decade in the past, which helped greater than 200 student-athletes earn school scholarships. He was promoted to Director of Participant Relations after Kenyatta Watson Sr. left for Georgia Tech. Ratliff was a consensus All-American and SEC Defensive Participant of the 12 months in 2003 earlier than taking part in within the NFL.

Whereas there are some attention-grabbing choices already in Tallahassee which have sturdy recruiting ties, this could be a giant leap for Moss whereas Ratliff and Fuller have but to carry on-field jobs on the FBS stage. The Seminoles are most likely looking for a extra established choice that generates a bigger buzz nationally.

Candidates which have ties to Mike Norvell or an assistant coach:

— Tre’ Bell, Akron (cornerbacks coach)

— TJ Speeding, Texas A&M (defensive backs coach)

— Mike Treier, New York Giants (assistant defensive backs coach)

— Wesley McGriff, Auburn (defensive backs coach)

— Scott Symons, SMU (defensive coordinator)

Bell was most just lately at Florida State in 2021 as a graduate assistant earlier than being employed by Akron final offseason. His position with the Zips as cornerbacks coach is the primary on-field job of his younger profession. Previous to his time with the Seminoles, Bell spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State underneath now Akron head coach Joe Moorhead. He is obtained familiarity with the employees and gamers at Florida State however could also be missing in expertise.

The aforementioned Speeding is a former tremendous bowl champion whose teaching profession started at Arizona State. He was with Florida State for a short interval earlier than former head coach Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M stole him away. With that being stated, he has ties to Norvell after teaching defensive backs underneath Norvell at Memphis in 2018. Speeding was helpful on the recruiting path in School Station and could also be trying to half methods with this system following a complicated season.

Treier joined Florida State as a defensive analyst as a member of Norvell’s inaugural teaching employees. Nevertheless, he too, like Speeding, was shortly employed away from the Seminoles when Colorado elected to supply him a promotion to safeties coach. That is when the New York Giants swooped in and made him assistant defensive backs coach. Treier labored at Marshall when defensive coordinator Adam Fuller held the identical place for the Thundering Herd. An intriguing identify with NFL expertise and familiarity with the employees.

McGriff truly labored underneath present linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator Randy Shannon as defensive backs coach when the latter was head coach at Miami from 2007-10. There is a respectable relationship there and he spent ample time within the SEC at Auburn and Ole Miss. Although he only in the near past accepted a proposal to return to the Tigers for his third stint, crazier issues have occurred at the moment of the game.

Symons spent 2018 as the within linebackers coach underneath Norvell at Memphis however he has a whole lot of expertise teaching safeties. He was employed because the defensive coordinator and safeties coach by Hugh Freeze at Liberty in 2019. Symons served for 3 years at Liberty earlier than taking the identical place at SMU underneath head coach Rhett Lashlee this previous season, who he labored with at Arkansas State in 2012. A younger coach, it might not take a lot to pry him away to varsity soccer’s highest stage however he must surrender a defensive coordinator job to maneuver again right down to a place coach.

Candidates that make sense given their connections to FSU or the state:

— Torrian Grey, South Carolina (defensive backs coach)

— Demarcus Van Dyke, Miami (defensive analyst)

— Terrell Buckey, Orlando Guardians (head coach)

— Antonio Cromartie, beforehand with Texas A&M (graduate assistant)

— Rod Likelihood, beforehand with Colorado (cornerbacks coach)

Grey matches the invoice as an on-field coach and recruiter. He has 22 years of expertise throughout school soccer and the NFL which incorporates a number of stops within the SEC with Florida and South Carolina in addition to the ACC with Virginia Tech. Grey has developed a number of gamers into draft picks together with Brandon Flowers, Kam Chancellor, Kyle Fuller, and Kendall Fuller at Virginia Tech and Teez Tabor, Marcus Maye, Quincy Wilson, Duke Dawson, and C.J. Henderson at Florida. A local of Lakeland, one of many richest swimming pools of expertise within the state, Grey is smart as a candidate.

Van Dyke performed for Shannon at Miami for 4 years in school earlier than shifting to the NFL. He transitioned into teaching inside the final couple of years, beginning off because the cornerbacks coach for ASA school in Miami. Van Dyke transitioned to his alma mater as a defensive high quality management analyst in 2018 and assistant director of recruiting in 2019-20. He was promoted to cornerbacks coach the next season however moved again to an analyst position this season after former head coach Manny Diaz was changed by Mario Cristobal. Not a ton of expertise however some stripes on the recruiting path.

Buckley is approaching his first season as head coach for the XFL’s Orlando Guardians however has expressed curiosity within the job at Florida State previously. A legendary participant for the Seminoles who spent over a decade within the NFL, Buckley is among the extra skilled choices on the board. He labored at FSU beforehand underneath Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher earlier than serving as cornerbacks coach at Louisville (2014-15), Mississippi State (2016-19), and Ole Miss (2020-21).

Cromartie is a Tallahassee native who flashed potential at Florida State and was nonetheless drafted regardless of not taking part in in 2005. He was an All-Professional nook within the NFL who’s pretty new to the teaching ranks. Cromartie was employed by Texas A&M as a graduate assistant in 2021 and labored with cornerbacks previous to departing this system this fall.

Likelihood would not have ties to Florida State however did spend his prep profession at St. Thomas Aquinas and is a local of Fort Lauderdale. He was most just lately with Colorado as cornerbacks coach previous to former head coach Karl Dorrell being fired. He is coached eight seasons at P5 packages in three totally different conferences (Pac-12, SEC, Huge Ten). Likelihood’s earlier expertise contains stints at Oregon, Minnesota, Vanderbilt, Southern Utah, Rhode Island, and Alpharetta Excessive College.

Different candidates which can be value monitoring:

— Chip West, Syracuse (cornerbacks coach)

— Nick Monroe, Syracuse (safeties coach)

— Darcel McBath, Mississippi State (cornerbacks coach)

— Jay Valai, Oklahoma (co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach)

— Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin (interim head coach/defensive coordinator)

— Shiel Wooden, Troy (defensive coordinator)

West has been at Syracuse for the final three years as cornerbacks coach and this system has developed a few outstanding gamers together with Ifeatu Melifonwu (Detroit Lions), Duce Chesnut (third-team All-ACC) and Garrett Williams (All-ACC honorable point out). He’s well-traveled and has 25 years of expertise – plus the outcomes in addition. This might additionally assist Florida State’s recruitment of former Syracuse security, Ja’Had Carter.

Monroe has an extended tenure with the Orange, as he is been with this system since 2016 in a wide range of roles. He began off as a secondary coach earlier than shifting to safeties/nickelbacks coach in 2018. Monroe added rovers coach to his duties in 2020 and was named defensive passing sport coordinator this previous season. Like West, he is confirmed that he can recruit, develop, and put gamers within the NFL. Earlier skilled prospects embrace Andre Cisco (Jacksonville Jaguars), Trill Williams (Miami Dolphins), and Melifonwu (Detroit Lions). Plus, Monroe was Carter’s main place coach at Syracuse, which may help Florida State’s probabilities in courting him.

McBath is a rising coach to observe who has been gaining expertise within the SEC at Mississippi State during the last three seasons. He performed underneath Mike Leach at Texas Tech earlier than spending a number of years within the NFL. McBath started his school teaching profession at North Texas as a defensive high quality management coach in 2016 earlier than rejoining Leach in the identical position at Washington State the next season. He is been together with his former head coach ever since however it’ll be intriguing to see if he explores different avenues after Leach’s unlucky passing in December.

Valai is a coach that Florida State just lately obtained a have a look at with the Seminoles defeating Oklahoma within the Cheez-It Bowl. He is somebody that has been on the transfer early in his teaching profession, spending time with six totally different groups since 2016. Valai started as a defensive high quality management coach for Georgia in 2016-17 earlier than accepting the identical place with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. He coached cornerbacks at Rutgers (2019), Texas (2020), and Alabama (2021) earlier than touchdown at Oklahoma with the identical title plus co-defensive coordinator duties underneath Brent Venables. Valai was briefly with the Philadelphia Eagles too.

Leonhard is extra of a attain than something because it seems not even lacking out on a promotion to go coach than pry him away from Wisconsin. With that being stated, he’d be precisely what Florida State is searching for in a younger, energetic coach who’s confirmed and battle-tested on the highest ranges of school soccer. On the very least, it is value giving him a name however it’s unlikely he’d transfer right down to a place coach position. This may take one thing like shifting on from defensive coordinator Adam Fuller which seems unlikely after the 2022 season.

Wooden is a rising identify to know on the G5 stage after a productive first season with Troy as defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The Trojans restricted opponents to 325.6 yards (No. 20) and 17.5 factors (No. 8) per contest in 2022 and completed with a 12-2 report, Solar Belt Championship, and a win over UTSA within the Treatment Bowl. Wooden has beforehand frolicked at Military, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Wofford. 

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