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Which Florida School is most likely to return to prominence?

By Dante Pryor

Oct 9, 2021; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell leads his players out onto the field before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 2021; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell leads his players out onto the field before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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Florida State Seminoles running back Jashaun Corbin (0) sprints down the field. The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Miami Hurricanes 31-28 Saturday, Nov 13, 2021.Fsu V Miami787
Florida State Seminoles running back Jashaun Corbin (0) sprints down the field. The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Miami Hurricanes 31-28 Saturday, Nov 13, 2021.Fsu V Miami787 /

1. Which school is set up for the long term?

Miami had some turnover this offseason. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was fired and replaced by Houston offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. This move makes a ton of sense because Tyler Van Dyke succeeded Rhett Lashlee as offensive coordinator.

Lashlee is from the Gus Malzahn coaching tree, but he spent time with Sonny Dykes at SMU in 2018. It was obvious from Miami’s offense in 2020 that there were air raid principles in what Lashlee was doing offensively. That continued in Dallas when Lashlee took over for Dykes at SMU. Dawson is also from the Air Raid tree, coaching under Dana Holgersen.

Florida State football has a Heisman Trophy candidate in Jordan Travis. Florida has a lot to replace from last season. How do these things affect the long term?

It will be hard for Florida and Florida State because they might not be able to spend the way Miami has decided to spend money. There is no question that Norvell has turned the culture at Florida State, something both Billy Napier and Mario Cristobal have to work on at their respective schools.

All three have to fortify the state and sign more of the top players in the state.

Conferences and schedules have a lot to do with this turnaround. Neither Florida State nor Miami has to deal with a behemoth like Georgia every season; Florida does. Both schools must deal with Clemson, but they must step it up and compete with the Tigers on the recruiting trail.

Next. 6 biggest winners from CFB transfer portal. dark

Florida State can succeed in the short term, but is the model sustainable? Cristobal is building the Hurricanes from the inside out, and Napier is doing something similar in Gainsville.

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