FSU Football: 🚨 Initial DB Coach Hot Board 🚨
We take a look at potential candidates in-house and across college football as Mike Norvell's coaching tree and credibility expands rapidly.
Twitter | @Lets_Go_Noles
In House Options
The least popular solution among the fanbase and boosters would be to promote within. It’s a fair assessment of Norvell’s FSU tenure but a bit short sighted. Three big promotions under Norvell include superstar Alex Atkins, and prodigy Tony Tokarz, who this staff coud NOT let walk and are both A+ hires.
Randy Shannon is the one that has been heavily criticized and widely debated amongst Nole Nation. He grew on me and I think the move was giant for improving the linebacking room and setting a foundation. There are no options on staff that match that special circumstsance but we will discuss the most likely.
Keiwan Ratliffe
From Seminoles.com
Keiwan Ratliff was named Florida State football’s assistant director of high school relations on Jan. 28, 2022.
Ratliff joined FSU after three seasons as assistant director of player personnel at his alma mater. As a player, he appeared in 49 games with 27 starts from 2000-03 and recorded 133 tackles, including 7.0 for loss with 2.0 sacks, 12 interceptions, 17 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He was a Consensus All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, first-team all-conference and a finalist for the Thorpe Award his senior season when he grabbed a single-season program-record nine interceptions.
Ratliff, who also broke the program’s career record with 860 punt return yards, was picked in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft and played eight seasons in the NFL. He saw action in 76 games as a professional, making 161 tackles, 5.0 for loss, five interceptions, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. He is a member of the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2021 was inducted into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame.
He began his coaching career in 2012 as an intern coach with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League and also spent time as an intern coach with the Miami Dolphins working with defensive backs that same year. He also founded the Rat Pak 7-on-7 program in 2012, which has helped more than 200 student-athletes earn college scholarships. Current FSU student-athletes Stephen Dix Jr., Gino English and Brendan Gant are part of a group of nearly 20 Seminoles who played for Ratliff’s 7-on-7 program.
Ratliff earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Florida in 2018.
Corey Fuller
Fuller is an FSU alumni and great Seminole football player. He is currently Florida State’s director of football relations since being appointed almost a year ago on January 28th, 2022.
From Seminoles.com
Fuller, a four-year letterman for the Seminoles at defensive back, played from 1990-94 and was part of 54 wins, three ACC championships and Florida State’s first national championship in 1993. Florida State was undefeated in bowl games during his tenure, five years of the program’s 14-year unbeaten streak in bowl games, with two wins in the Orange Bowl, a win in the Sugar Bowl and victories in the Cotton Bowl and Blockbuster Bowl. He was a first-team All-ACC selection in 1994 when he recorded 41 tackles, 1.0 for loss, one interception, 10 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Fuller played in 41 games in his collegiate career and totaled 106 tackles, 1.0 for loss, two interceptions, 23 pass breakups, six forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
A Tallahassee native, Fuller was selected in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and played 10 seasons. He was named to the 1995 All-Rookie Team and played in 152 professional games with 127 starts, recording 597 tackles, 13.0 for loss with 1.5 sacks, 17 interceptions, 80 pass breakups, 10 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
Fuller has been a successful coach at four area high schools and also coached at FAMU. He coached at Rickards, West Gadsden, East Gadsden and Godby. He then returned to East Gadsden to lead the renamed Gadsden County High School. He was the head coach at Godby in 2017 and 2018, leading the Cougars to 11 wins and the regional semifinal round of the 5A state playoffs each season. He had two stints as head coach at East Gadsden, including a run to the state semifinals in 2011, before returning to Gadsden County from 2018-21 and guiding the Jaguars to the 4A state semifinal round in 2019. He coached cornerbacks at FAMU and served as interim head coach for the last four games in 2014.
Fuller earned his bachelor’s degree in child development from FSU in 1995.
Likely Candidates
Since the season kicked off in late August, Florida State and Mike Norvell’s staff’s stock has risen precipitously. With Woodson headed to Arkansas and an opening at defensive back coach, the ‘Noles have a prime oppurtunity to make a splash hire and improve the defensive back room.
These are candidates Ive heard real smoke about and believe are the most likely to end up the Seminole’s new DB Coach.
Demarcus Van Dyke
Last year when Mario Cristobal arrived in Miami he pretty much cleaned house but one guy he kept around was young aspiring DB coach and recruiting stud, Demarcus Van Dyke. However, in order for Van Dyke to be on staff of his hometown team and alma mater he would have to accept an off-field role.
Much to the benefit of the Miami staff Van Dyke accepted the off field position. The Hurricanes are in the midst of a top five recruiting class in no small part thanks to Demarcus Van Dyke. Two of the most well known secrets in college football are that one, DVD is ready to get back onthe field and two, Cormani McClain is likely to follow him wherever he lands.
From MiamiHurricanes.com
Van Dyke spent 2019 as assistant director of recruiting and was a defensive quality control analyst in 2018.
Van Dyke, who played six seasons in the NFL, graduated from Miami in 2010. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft after a standout playing career with the Hurricanes.
The Miami Gardens, Fla., native spent the 2017 season as cornerbacks coach at ASA College in Miami. Van Dyke and his wife, Kiawana Van Dyke, live in Miramar. The couple has a son, DeMarcus, Jr., and daughter, Kai.
Antonio Cromartie
Antonio Cromartie, the prototype modern corner, has retired from the NFL and pushed full speed ahead into his coaching career. He has been off to an amazing start and has spent the last few years in an off field role for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M. This past year in College Station was tumultous at best and Cromartie has been extremely active and open on social media.
When it comes to the attributes I’m looking for in this hire on the surface “Cro” has it all and in spades. All but one thing that is; on-field coaching experience. To be quite honest the DB coach role at FSU would be absolutely perfect for him to make the next step. Norvell could bring in an older, more experienced DB coach in an off field position and whatever else need be to make this happen.
Whether or not Antonio Cromartie is hired as FSU’s DB coach has nothing to do with whether he would be a good one or not. I think we all know he is and will be a great DB coach the only question is when and how bumpy will the road be. Mike Norvell has everything on the line in 2023 and needs an instant and major upgrade at defensive back coach.
My gut is telling me he is not the current leader but very much so a candidate and I would definitely be on board with his hiring. I expexct recruiting at the DB position to be a point of emphasis in the 2024 and 2025 classes and to improve greatly. Antonio could get it done and we will stay tuned.
From 12thman.com
Antonio Cromartie
Defensive Grad Assistant
This is embarrassing and disrespectful in my opinion and regardless of where he ends up he is to be treated with the respect a man of his stature requires.
Pie In the Sky Candidate
Terrell Buckley
The Hall of Fame Florida State Alumnus is currently the Head Coach of the Orlando Guardians XFL Football Team. We’ve seen guys like Bob Stoops turn down destination Power 5 jobs in leiu of the XFL. As amazing as this would be it is a dream and nothing more up to this point.
All that said make no mistake Buckley would be the perfect hire and I’ve wanted him on staff for a long time. If we get the slightest smoke on any contact between the two parties we will update our faithful subscribers as soon as possible.
From XFL.com
Buckley was previously at the University of Mississippi, where he spent two years as the Cornerbacks Coach. He previously was the Safeties Coach at Mississippi State, the Cornerbacks Coach at University of Louisville and University of Akron and a Coaches Assistant at his alma mater, Florida State.
He is a 14-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl XXXVI Champion. He was selected fifth overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 1992 draft and went on to play for the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, New York Jets and New York Giants. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Buckley attended Florida State University where he played both football and baseball. He is the school’s all-time leader in interceptions (21) and interception return yards (501), the latter of which is an NCAA record. In 1991, he won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back as a Junior and is one of just 11 players to have his Jersey retired (#27).
Names to keep an eye on*
Tj Rushing | Texas A&M
Chip West | Syracuse
Torrian Gray | South Carolina
*Stay tuned as we are monitering the situation extremely close.