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The evolution of college football has left programs across the nation grappling with questions over the future of the sport and how best to compete in the modern era.
One of the biggest? How do you turn monetary investment into winning football?
It's one that Florida State football general manager John Garrett is still navigating in his new role.
While the answer will vary based on which GM you ask in college football, Garrett's philosophy leans on fit over excess spending. When speaking at FSU's annual preseason luncheon, he stressed that big-money rosters don't always equate to strong talent.
"It's always about the fit for your university. It's not just this broad stroke of evaluation, 'Oh, he can just fit into any team," Garrett said at FSU's annual preseason coaches luncheon. "There are players who can transcend that because they are really talented, but I think it's important to really know if they're a fit for us. That's what we try to do.
If they don't fit for us, they can choose to go elsewhere."
With constant roster churn in the transfer portal era, Garrett said teams are built with the understanding that they'll be set for six months before retention talks and portal movement start.
Despite arriving in January, days before the transfer portal opened, Garrett helped secure the immediate future of the program. FSU retained the likes of the Desir twins, defensive lineman Darryll and Mandrell, defensive backs Ja'Bril Rawls and Ashlynd Barker, and wide receiver Duce Robinson.
It allowed the program to have a more narrow focus on portal targets. Garrett felt the additions and retainments have put the Seminoles in a strong spot going into the 2026 season.
"We stabilized the roster. We resigned and retained the guys that we wanted to. Then we brought in significant experience and production from the transfer portal, that are people that we belive that will step right in and play a lot for us this year," Garrett said. "Pleased with that, and then pleased with the development of our younger players through the spring."
Even with multi-year contracts popularized across the sport, those deals aren't always honored, adding additional hurdles to clear when thinking for the future. The Seminoles experienced it with the Desir twins, who initially announced intentions to enter the transfer portal, despite having a buyout, before returning to the program on new deals.
It's added a level of complexity to a convoluted process of roster construction. Despite that, Garrett maintains that producing good evaluations on players will always supersede excess spending.
"No matter how much money you have or how long the contract is, the real decision is bringing in people in the organization that are going to help you. Good players, the evaluations are really critical no matter if you have this revenue share or this revenue share," Garrett said while making a hand motion to suggest one share being larger than the other.
"You still have to make good decisions. Just take a look at pro sports; those that have the most money, if that was the case, they would win their championship every year. And we know that's not always true. You still have to make good decisions if you have $20 or $200. It's the same thing."
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: How John Garrett is approaching roster construction with FSU football
Continue reading...
One of the biggest? How do you turn monetary investment into winning football?
It's one that Florida State football general manager John Garrett is still navigating in his new role.
While the answer will vary based on which GM you ask in college football, Garrett's philosophy leans on fit over excess spending. When speaking at FSU's annual preseason luncheon, he stressed that big-money rosters don't always equate to strong talent.
"It's always about the fit for your university. It's not just this broad stroke of evaluation, 'Oh, he can just fit into any team," Garrett said at FSU's annual preseason coaches luncheon. "There are players who can transcend that because they are really talented, but I think it's important to really know if they're a fit for us. That's what we try to do.
If they don't fit for us, they can choose to go elsewhere."
With constant roster churn in the transfer portal era, Garrett said teams are built with the understanding that they'll be set for six months before retention talks and portal movement start.
Despite arriving in January, days before the transfer portal opened, Garrett helped secure the immediate future of the program. FSU retained the likes of the Desir twins, defensive lineman Darryll and Mandrell, defensive backs Ja'Bril Rawls and Ashlynd Barker, and wide receiver Duce Robinson.
It allowed the program to have a more narrow focus on portal targets. Garrett felt the additions and retainments have put the Seminoles in a strong spot going into the 2026 season.
"We stabilized the roster. We resigned and retained the guys that we wanted to. Then we brought in significant experience and production from the transfer portal, that are people that we belive that will step right in and play a lot for us this year," Garrett said. "Pleased with that, and then pleased with the development of our younger players through the spring."
Even with multi-year contracts popularized across the sport, those deals aren't always honored, adding additional hurdles to clear when thinking for the future. The Seminoles experienced it with the Desir twins, who initially announced intentions to enter the transfer portal, despite having a buyout, before returning to the program on new deals.
It's added a level of complexity to a convoluted process of roster construction. Despite that, Garrett maintains that producing good evaluations on players will always supersede excess spending.
"No matter how much money you have or how long the contract is, the real decision is bringing in people in the organization that are going to help you. Good players, the evaluations are really critical no matter if you have this revenue share or this revenue share," Garrett said while making a hand motion to suggest one share being larger than the other.
"You still have to make good decisions. Just take a look at pro sports; those that have the most money, if that was the case, they would win their championship every year. And we know that's not always true. You still have to make good decisions if you have $20 or $200. It's the same thing."
Florida State football schedule 2026
- vs. New Mexico State | Aug. 29
- vs. SMU* | Sept. 7
- Bye
- at Alabama | Sept. 19
- vs. Central Arkansas | Sept. 26
- vs. Virginia* | Oct. 3
- at Louisville* | Oct. 9
- at Miami* | Oct. 17
- Bye
- vs. Clemson* | Oct. 31
- at Boston College* | Nov. 7
- at Pittsburgh* | Nov. 13
- vs. NC State* | Nov. 21
- vs. Florida | Nov. 27
FSU football 2027 recruiting class
- Ta'Shawn Poole, S, 4-star, Howard (Macon, Georgia)
- Sean Green, WR, 4-star, Camden County (Kingsland, Georgia)
- Meshi Dobson, edge, 4-star, Cypress Bay (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
- Za'Kari Johnson, DB, 4-star, Miami Carol City (Miami, Florida)
- Sam LeJeune, DL, 4-star, Poplarville (Poplarville, Mississippi)
- Jayden Miles, RB, 4-star, Baton Rouge Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
- Jernard Albright, LB, 3-star, Effingham County (Springfield, Georgia)
- Majay Thompson, WR, 3-star, Crest (Shelby, North Carolina)
- CJ Ohuabunwa, LB, 3-star, Greater Atlanta Christian School (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Jaxon Holly, edge, 3-star, Roswell (Roswell, Georgia)
- Olrick Johnson III, LB, 3-star, Harrison (Kennesaw, Georgia)
- Eric Vaulx, DL, 3-star, Lake Cormorant (Lake Cormorant, Mississippi)
- Anthony Cavallaro, Edge, 3-star, Indian Rocks Christian School (Largo, FL)
- Jemari Forman, S, 3-star, Cypress Bay (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
- Logan Flaherty, QB, 3-star, Port Charlotte (Port Charlotte, FL)
- Connor Winn, TE, 3-star, Bartram Trail (St. Johns, FL)
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: How John Garrett is approaching roster construction with FSU football
Continue reading...
