5* Recruit Who Flipped From Miami To FSU Talks About Impact Seminoles’ Atmosphere Had On His Decision

Getty Image / Don Juan Moore

The Florida State Seminoles capped off a massive win ACC conference win over the 16th ranked Duke Blue Devils by flipping 5* recruit Armondo Blount from the Miami Hurricanes, a bitter in-state and conference rival for the Seminoles.

Miami Central defensive end Armondo Blount is the 4th overall ranked player in the ESPN 300 for the Class of 2025. That is a bit misleading though as Blount is expected to be on campus in Tallahassee in January where he’ll join the Seminoles.

Mike Norvell flipping Armondo Blount to FSU’s current recruiting class vaulted the Seminoles to the 4th spot in the 247sports team rankings. He is also the third 5-star recruit in this class for my alma mater (did I mention that?) but the fact that he flipped from Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes to FSU after Miami lost 2 of their past 3 games.

After flipping, Blount told ESPN “I feel like Florida State can develop me better as an athlete and as a person” when discussing his decision. Later, while peaking with Noles247 YouTube after flipping from Miami to Florida State, Armondo Blount discussed the atmosphere at Doak Campell Stadium and how incredible of an experience that was.

Noles247: “What was it like experiencing that game… what was the atmosphere like for you?”

Armondo Blount: “Well, it was a different environment. I’ve never been in front of a crowd that was that hot. The last game that I went to that was that hot was the Florida Gators and I think they played South Florida. And the environment and interaction with the players and the crowd… It means a lot.”

Notice how he listed three Florida schools there: FSU, UF, and USF while calling out an electric atmosphere but fails to mention UCF or Miami, two of the most vocal fanbases in the nation, and the other two big College Football programs in the Sunshine State. I hate to draw UCF into this because they were never a consideration for Armondo Blount but I’m just calling out the 5 most prominent football programs in Florida.

Miami famously plays at the Hard Rock Stadium which they share with the Dolphins and it has been a struggle for the Hurricanes to fill seats since leaving the Miami Orange Bowl stadium back in 2008. The Florida Gators play in ‘The Swamp’ inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium which can provide an electric atmosphere when the Gators are putting a good team on the field.

I went to FSU. Miami dominated us during my time there and that’s an understatement. Some students at FSU had watched the Seminoles lose to Miami 5 times in 4 years because the Noles also lost to UM in a bowl game. I didn’t get to watch FSU beat Miami until my senior year and hooooo boy, when I tell you it was the College Football game I’ve ever been to in person, I mean it.

#4 ranked FSU will face the Miami Hurricanes on November 11th. The game is in Tallahassee this year. It remains to be seen if 5* Armondo Blount will be in attendance.