Joel Klatt criticizes Florida State for relying too much on the transfer portal

In the era of the transfer portal, college programs can build entire rosters with it. However, with Florida State being 0-3 as a team that is known for using and relying on it, Joel Klatt sees them as a cautionary example.

Klatt discussed the Seminoles’ struggles during the episode of his show on Wednesday. He noted the inconsistent returns within it by looking at what they brought in over past offseasons compared to what the brought in over this last one. Those have since led to far different results for FSU.

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“I think that when you look at last year – and it was a remarkable season. Yes, I think they got screwed by not going to the playoff being an undefeated. But, if you really take a look, you’ll see that that team was largely built on the transfer portal,” Klatt said. “A lot of their main contributors were from the transfer portal – not every single one but a lot of them. A lot of their main guys were from the transfer portal and they’re all gone. So they needed the transfer portal again to hit at the level it did a year ago, namely the quarterback.”

“When it didn’t? Man, it didn’t. I know they spent a lot of money on this but they missed it. They missed it. They missed on the transfer portal,” said Klatt. “When you miss, it ain’t good. Your floor goes way down because there’s nothing to fall back on. You know, I hate to say this. But when you try to build your entire program off of the transfer portal, which they’ve largely done? Again, not completely but largely done. When it doesn’t work, there’s nothing to fall back on. Like, what’s the foundation there? I think that’s the risk. It’s just a miss.”

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Florida State added 17 transfers in 2024 after having 14 in 2022 and 12 in 2023. Those first classes included names like Jared Verse, Trey Benson, Johnny Wilson, Keon Coleman, and Braden Fiske. That’s without even mentioning Jordan Travis from when he came in back in 2018.

While this year’s collection had its own top names, they clearly haven’t worked out with the ‘Noles still being winless so far this fall.

With that, Klatt suggests Florida State review what went wrong here and study how other teams are using the portal in what he thinks is a more productive way.

“Mike Norvell, who’s not going anywhere. He’s got a $65 million buyout because of the contract that he got off the back of the 13-0 season. Now, he’s going to be charged with fixing it,” said Klatt. “I think he’s learning a valuable lesson. It might take them a couple of years but I do think they’re going to pull out of this. The reason is is because you look around and you start to realize, like, ‘Okay, I can’t go all-in on the transfer portal like I did and put all my chips in that basket. I’ve got to also build through recruiting because it has got to be supplemental.'”

“I think teams like what Michigan did a year ago or what Texas is doing this season is more sustainable,” Klatt said. “The real foundation of the team is already there and then you supplement in areas of need with some guys that can really contribute. When you’ve got that style of model, it’s more sustainable and that’s when you can use the portal, you know, to its fullest.”

Florida State has now both benefitted from and lost because of its dependence on transfers. That type of risk is why Klatt thinks they must now manage it better with how they construct their roster moving forward.

“Last year’s portal usage? Unsustainable for Florida State,” said Klatt. “Mike Norvell needs to turn the page and kind of move forward by also recruiting high school talent.”