August 13, 2025 • 25 mins
Florida State University Director of Athletics, Michael Alford, joined Preston for his annual look at Seminole athletics, as well as an update on facilities, notably, Doak Campbell Stadium.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
All right, it's the third hour of the Morning Show
with Preston's Gut. Come morning, friends, thanks for joining us. Thursday,
August seventh, it is show fifty four to twenty sixties,
ose Im Preston and this is the Director of Athletics
Florida State University once again with our State of the
Knowles visit Michael Alford.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Hello, how are you, sir? I'm doing excellent. How are
you doing? You look great? Yeah, thanks, appreciate it. Much's
been good to you. You got a nice ten. Yeah,
well that's golf. That's getting out on the golf course
a little bit. But thank you. You've been busy, You've
been traveling around a little bit to solve the world
have being a collegiate athletics and I'm sure we represent
(00:45):
the Knowles well before we drill down into Florida State
for a second, just kind of broadly speaking, do you
think we're going to finally get something solved with nil
and some of the controversies that surround legiate sports right now? Well,
I'm a firm believer in the settlement something some of
(01:06):
these guardrails is something that we presented in twenty nineteen
to the NCAA, and what we're implementing now of the
exact same guardrails we wanted put in place back then.
One thing we're missing is registration of agents, and we'll
touch base on that a little bit later. Define guardrails
for listeners. Well, you wanted parameters, you wanted set of
(01:28):
rules that everybody was to play for. You wanted a
cap and we talked about that, and you wanted a
third what I would refer to as a TPA, a
third party administrator. And we have that Deloitte that is
now looking with their algorithm looking at these arrangements that
student athletes have with corporations and evaluating them to make
(01:49):
sure that they fit the fair market value as we
call it, range of compensation, So making sure that you
don't have donor a who also owns a Toyota dealership
paying a quarterback a rate that is not correct in
the marketplace just to give them money. And I'm a
(02:10):
believe in Deloitte's algorithm because I'm accustomed to it. I
worked with it for twelve years in the NFL. If
I was going to do a Tony Romottle starter deal
with that company, starter and he promoted them. We had
to run it through the algorithm, and Deloitt was one
of the companies we would utilize to make sure that
we weren't in the NFL cheating the cap, discounting our
(02:34):
arrangement and our assets that we were providing starter to
cheat the cap to pay Tony more as it stands
right now, broadly speaking, because we could take an entire
show three hours to drill into the specific details of
this one topic alone. Broadly speaking, how much money does
each d one school have to work with? Twenty point five?
(02:55):
Everyone's working with twenty point five. You can do two
point five in scholarships, which that is something that I
really wanted to do because that allowed me to give
more student athletes the opportunity to leave college debt free. Okay,
and so we're maximizing the two point five. You have
a choice, but we are maximizing us above and beyond
(03:15):
what we were currently doing. And what it's great about
our situation it allows me to give more student athletes
the opportunity because the cost of attendance of Florida State
is at the price where it is if you take
the University of North Carolina, for example. Unlet's just take
our two soccer programs, I can give three scholars full
scholarships to their one moving forward because of the great
(03:39):
cost of attendance and what the BOG and the state
has done tuition and by bog you're referring to the
border governors keep that down here in the state of Florida.
So it gives us an advantage be able to offer
more scholarships full rides and maximize that two and a
half than other institutions, even within our own conference.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Before we get into Florida state specifics on facilities and
the upcoming seasons, which is really exciting to talk about. Michael,
do you see a scenario coming as an inevitability where
student athletes are going to be required to sign some
form of a contract to stay at a given school
(04:21):
and not jump ship.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, that we're doing that right now. We have a contract.
As much I have great experience in the NFL. As
you know, I have Bruce Warwick on our staff, who
was Sean mcvay's chief of operations for fifteen years on
our staff and he's our chief of staff for football.
So the NFL experience, we were able to work with
our council on campus and develop a contract. That's very
(04:46):
professional and that's something that we're doing rolling out right now.
Student athletes going through their agents. Some have great agents.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
But it limits the jumping around that we're seeing by
out that all of the coaches are looking at and
saying this is this is going to hurt athletics and
collegiate sports.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
There's a buye of Hile State wants to come get
our quarterback, there's a buyout at our quarterbacks claus. Okay
that Ohio State not only would have to pay us
that buyout, but then that buyout also counts against their
cap gotcha of what they can do, so it's almost
double whammy for them.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Never get tired of hearing it, especially this time of
year as we start a new school year, academic school
year at Florida State University and universities across the country.
Michael Alford, director of Athletics with me from Florida State Facilities. Obviously,
let's start with the big one, and that's Doe Campbell Stadium.
I asked you before we even started, what are you
most happy about the things that people will see, the
(05:46):
things that most people won't.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
See, What people won't see? Okay, what's what people are
going to see is going to be breathtaking when they
first walk in. Just the comfort, the size, you can
walk around the concourse, be able to see the difference
between the old stadium and what is there now. But
what really excites me is just the opportunity to provide
the fan experience, and that's things behind the scenes. The
(06:09):
kitchens we were able to put in the concessions, the
number of bathrooms and everything here. That lady's effort. If
you have a problem going to the bathroom, now we've
got issues because there is so many and we wanted
to make sure of that sure, but just you know,
we talked a little bit about it. But in the
(06:30):
old stadium, seventy five year old dog is beautiful. But
we had ninety seven suites in the stadium. We had
no kitchens in the facility. That's hard to get your
brain around, so to service our fans. And we had
no burners because it wasn't a fire It wasn't up
to fire code, so we couldn't fry anything in the stadium.
(06:52):
So just the ability now to go through and provide
an upscale service, regular concessions to founder suites is going
to be a different experience. What are you most proud
of that the fans will see when they come to
Dote Campbell for the opening kickoff against Alabama on the thirtieth.
Just the size of the concourses, the freedom to walk
(07:15):
around to see things. I highly want people to get
there early and be able to walk around the stadium
and see the changes. Even on the east side. You know,
last year we put in those caps, so everybody had
to find eighteen inch seat because it was a sixteen
inch before. And I don't know about you, but no
one could fit in a sixteen inch seat eighteen inch
(07:36):
to find caps we had put it, installed the handrails
for safety. This year we've gone and put a coding
on the concourses, kind of like you do your garage.
You're going to notice that we redid the ramps. So
there's been a lot of life safety changes made on
the east side as well as the west. And that's
just something that we're really proud of of getting the
stadium to modernize because it's it's beautiful, it's historic, but
(08:02):
we need to keep the update every year.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Now, well, I was going to ask you if making
those types of changes is one part of it, then
you get to the real challenge of maintaining those investments correct.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
And that's something that we were lacking in previous years
because there was times before games, before seasons we had
structure engineers go through there, and that we were spending
a lot of money on defer maintenance to keep it standing.
And now this gives us the ability to keep it
more regulated and making those changes, especially on the east
(08:38):
side and the south, and we did a lot of
work on the South as well, but it just allows
us to go in and be more proactive in making
sure we're on top of all those We.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Got about a minute left in this segment, Michael, what's
left to do at Doe Campbell and what is next
on the list of things that are going to get done?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Oh boy, you open up a whole kenn of wit
I did ask last here at Dope is you know
that wore in the finishing touches, right? And regardless of
what anybody says. Somebody sent me something on X the
other day that says we're playing in Jacksonville and no,
we're playing right here. The stadium's ready that I've actually
already turned it over to us. We're going through and
(09:16):
putting the finixing touches on it. Right now, burning the ovens.
We have an event on the sixteenth, kind of a showcase.
I'm really excited about to get our fans in it
for the first time. So just getting that off finished,
and then we have a list of projects coming in
the future. At one point right now, we're looking we're
going to touch every program probably over the next five
(09:38):
years on some major renovations to our projects. Twenty one
past the hour.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
It is Thursday here on the Morning Show and ad
Michael Offered from Florida State University with me in studio,
and we're talking about the facilities, and I kind of
nudged you and made you speak a little too quickly
on things that take a little more time. So let's
continue talking about where we are a facilities. You said
Doak is pretty much done. There's very a little bit
(10:07):
left to do. Football facility. Where's that at?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
One thing about dog before we transition to football facility.
I don't know if people realize we're putting all new
video boards. Oh, really nice bright video boards. So it's
going to be like a brand new place top to bottom. Now,
when you say putting up, when exchange it. They're going
in right now. They're going in as we speak in Okay,
North End zones going in right now. Nice big crane there.
(10:31):
I love cranes and hard ads. Yeah, it gets me excited,
it makes me nervous. I love cranes and hard ads.
What's the status of the football facility right now? Is
going perfectly as planned. We're planning to move the team
in the second by week and the building will be
ready before then, but we don't want to disrupt the
operations of football. Moving into that facility would be a
(10:55):
chore sure during the middle of the season and disrupt practice,
disrupt routine, but also gives us the opportunity to to
walk some fans through, walk donors through the facility without
football being in there, so they can see it, touch it,
see what it's like before the chaos gets in there
and runs a day to day.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
You mentioned that your goal is to touch every program
with some form of facility improvement or adjustment or.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
What have you. What's tops on that list of other programs.
When we're doing a shade structure for soccer, we're putting
chair backs in at soccer this upcoming year. There'll be
in about mid season, just to deliveries new shades, certain
portions or the whole thing, certain proportions of Okay, we'll
get through. You know, we've done a lot of softball already.
(11:42):
You're looking at making changes. I'm putting out an RFP
for doing things at Houser. What can we do to
upgrade Houser and get it more competitive with our peers
across the country. What do you think that is? Because
you're a baseball guy, you love the game. Got to
change the seats down the line they get right now
you sit there in your angle towards center field, you
(12:03):
got to angle those and put a chair back on them.
Looking at home plate, Just little fixes I want to
put investigating putting something in right field fence.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Wise, I was just going to are we looking at
bleachers around the circumference of the outfielders.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
We want to enclose that stadium and then the left
above the bullpen, do some very fan friendly different areas
that really brings a different atmosphere, and then redo the
seating them in the whole bowl. So there's a lot
we want to do there, some office stuff, and so
that project's going to be going out here pretty soon.
(12:39):
You're looking at Totally. We play in Totally, which is
pretty old for volleyball, looking at changing what can we
do there, and we have some concepts and looking at
working with campus on that new lacrosse is getting built
right now, So there'sn't a lot going on.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I want to touch on Tully. Tully is, as you said,
it's old. That said boy when when there's a crowd
in there, it's rocking.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
It is a great atmosphere for collegiate sports. It just is.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
So are you looking at replacing Tully or renovating Tully?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
A little bit of both? Okay, well, coming in and
looking at what can be done. But if you were
to ask me right now, I'm going to say we'll
be looking to a place and find something, but we
would make sure that we bring that atmosphere. It's any
same location or different location, but we would bring that
same environment and create that with what we build that
(13:33):
you have that fifteen hundred seat environment that can really
compact things. Yeah, like when you're getting there in a
good volleyball match, it's rocking. Yeah, it is. It is rocking.
It's a fun place to be. So we would make
sure we kept that environment.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
You know, Michael, You've got to be proud because if
you just step back and let's set aside the last
football season as an anomaly, because I think even people
that don't necessarily care for Florida State seminoles would admit
that that's that's not going to happen. The bottom line is, overall,
the sports programming at Florida State is remarkably successful. Every
(14:08):
single program.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Well, we have the greatest set of coaches in the country,
and I firmly believe that. I go around the country
and look and study other programs, put analytics to them,
but you see how much they pour into their programs
and how much success they have, whether it's the Brian
Pinsk's in soccer, the Brook White coff some women's basketball,
lot Almet and what she does in softball. Chris Pull,
(14:32):
I mean you look Brooke Niles and Beach Father. I
mean you just go Amy Bond. Yeah, you keep throwing
out names, just keep throwing the very best in their profession.
I think it allows me to go a track at
Luke Laws back, go a track of Brian Love that
higher get here. Yeah, because our coaches have a culture
amongst each other that is second to none.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Would I be stretching things to say that that culture
was really maybe the most complete legacy.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Of Bobby Bowden's You would not, because you know, he
touches everything his core value. Still.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I just remember his interaction with the coaches of all
the other programs and how much they looked to how
he did what he did and the way he went
about executing his job.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Yeah, and you see that the camaraderie, the way they
communicate with each other. There are none of our coaches
are in silos. Yeah, it's a great culture we have.
They work together, they support each other. When I go
hire Luke Luds, when I go hire Bron Penske, you know,
one of my main goals is to make sure they
come in and fit the culture we have. I can't
(15:40):
be hiring someone who's going to come in and disrupt that,
or come in and disrupt and want to be on
a sideloe and not work with the other ones. And
so that is a big tool that I have to evaluate. Yeah,
I'm bringing someone in that they're going to fit what
we currently have doing because we do it so well.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Having a laugh here with Michael Alford, Director of Athletics FSU,
the seminoles and your adulca tones are just are not
projecting loud enough, sir, So we're gonna.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
I'll speak up. There we go, There we go.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
So thanks for the phone call, but I know you
could hear him.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Football season. How's the team look? Very well? I went
to practice the other day, you know, so many different changes,
and you and I have talked about this before, just
going into the past about you know, it was a
great lesson of how you always, no matter what success
you're having and how you feel, you need to self
evaluate and make sure you're preparing yourself for the next year.
(16:44):
And I think we were able to make those changes
this upcoming year and do some better self evaluation on
what needs to keep the program moving forward. I love
what Gus been able to go get Gus and one
of the most prolific offensive coordinators in the history of
the sport.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
And to those of you that don't know Gus Malzone,
former head coach at Auburn and UCF.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Being able to come him, get him here and just
concentrate on the offense and to see that he is
really pouring into that and just work with him day
by day and talk a little football with him has
just been just been great. You've seen Mike kind of
kind of grow in my opinion. He's he's working with
the special teams, he's out working with the defense. He's
(17:28):
he's around being the CEO.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
And speaking of Tony White coming to Florida State did
the biggest favorite of the Big Ten the conference has
ever seen because they are glad to get that guy
out of the Big Ten and be able to go
get Tony Yeah and talk to him about coming to
Tallahassee and Florida State and what it means.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
And you know, I love the three three five. It
creates problems. You don't see it that often. But what
I love about it is the type of athlete we
have at Florida State. You're going to have that six
two six three two thirty five. We got a lot
of them, and in that scheme, it really allows us
to get the best athletes we have on the field
(18:08):
and to see the pressure that it's going to put
on the quarterback. I'm a big believer in making the
quarterback uncomfortable. Always making that guy uncomfortable, whether it's a
read or with his feet, You've got to make him
uncomfortable to have success. We weren't able to do that
last year, and now with this they're going to be
coming and you don't know where they're coming from. And
it's a pressure defenses, which I think gets back to
(18:31):
what Mickey had at Florida State. In the history of
Florida State football, we always had pressure defense. We set
a tone on defense, and we're getting back to that
style and I think that's something our fan base is
really going to love when they see it.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Aginst thirtieth as the athletic director, how do you measure
a successful season?
Speaker 2 (18:52):
For this upcoming season? Always growth? You know, I get
that question to find crime you look, you're going to
look at it as wins and losses, going to look
at culture. You're going to look at how the young
kids are doing? Uh, the Charles Lester's, the Kaibads. Are
those kids growing? Are we prepared true freshman? True for
(19:13):
retro freshmen? Are we prepared for the next phase of
Florida State football? Kind of projecting your lineup a year ahead,
and where are we are we getting our guys ready
that are playing. Maybe you're not a household name right now,
are we getting them prepared to they developing the right way?
And that's something we didn't think we were developing. We
weren't developing our offensive line like I thought we should,
(19:35):
weren't developing some of our defensive backs like I thought
we should. And getting those guys ready for the next
step a year ahead is something I'm always looking at.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Is it fair in this modern era to measure culture
by how many kids transfer in or out?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
It's tough. I think we're now with the house settlement,
that's going to change. You're going to have less kids
go going into the portal. But I think you'll be
able to get back to what we used to have.
But it's tough to measure that culture because of it
was a money situation. Yeah, it wasn't a culture, So
we had a lot of kids leave. Didn't want to leave,
(20:14):
they left finances. But it's also what I measure the
type of kids we bring in also, does that fit
our culture? Are they yes or no? Cert guys like
Mike requires? Are they taking their hat off when they
enter the building? Sure that that is a staple of
our program, a staple of coach nor Vellekins of the
kids he's bringing in. Are those type of young men
(20:36):
that fit Florida.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
State final segment with the director of Athletics at Florida
State Michael Alford. All right, so we've got soccer starting up,
We've got volleyball starting up. I would imagine there's the
fall golf season starting up. What are you most excited
about outside of football? You know, this is getting the
kids back on campus. Now, you kind of kick off
(20:57):
my year every year when I know how to come
on this show, it's still time.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
It's time to go. But getting our student athletes back
on campus and just getting around them, and do you
ever meet with all of them at once? We have, Yes,
we bring them back. So the Sunday night before opening day,
open the day of classes, we have what we call
the Fear of the Spear games. So we bring them back,
get all five hundred plus athletes in the same building,
(21:22):
get out of here in the real PF. We have dinner,
I talk, I welcome them back, and then we have contests. Okay,
football won at last year, women's volleyball one at the
year before. Go online and watch it and we're going
to cover it live on the Unconquered app this year.
But be able to watch what they do, and you
(21:43):
talk about competing and marshmallow throwing and everything else. Then
we give them ice cream and we go. But it's
two times a year that in the Golden at the
end of the year. Then we get them all together
and get them around each other other than the training table.
You know, we're expanding our training table. You and I
were talking and we're moving it into Doak Stadium go
Campbell's Stadium right now, and it's going to be in
the West Side Club Monday through Friday when there's not
(22:05):
football games going on, and that's going to allow more
student athletes to eat together. The fig was so small, Yeah,
you've had lunch with me there before. It's as small.
We can only get about seventy five people in there
at one time. We got five hundred athletes. Now we're
going to be able to feed them all together and
get that camaraderie, not that it wasn't there, but just
expand well, it enhances, it enhances it correct.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
So you've got a change in the basketball program. Luke Loux,
we talked about him being hired. Shortly after he was hired,
What are your early reflections on how things are going there?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Going great? You see the type of young man he
brings to the table. He's going to follow that Leonard Tree,
you know, the same core values. And that's something that's
really attracted me to Luke. But his personality, how much
he loves Florida State. But his analytical part of the game.
I mean, it's amazing when he breaks it down for
me on Okay, if you're taking an eight footer from
this corner, thirty seven percent chance NBA metter. But so
(23:02):
you could take a nine foot or your thirty five percent,
So we need to get the ball right here. You know,
it's just amazing to see him break it down in
his whole staff and what they're doing. And the young
men have really bought in. You go to practice up tempo.
They know that they're just really bought in to making
the program better. And that's something that's really exciting right now.
(23:22):
With and then we got Lonnie. They're over in London
right now playing some games. Yeah, and taking a foreign tour.
How is she She's doing great. I check on her
all the time and make sure we're providing everything we need.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
For prognosis she's dealing with she's been dealing with the
breast cancer is good.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Good. Everything we hear. Same with Brooke Doctors. Same with
Brooke Wonderful coming on the back end of it, and
she's doing just great, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Let's kind of end with what's coming I think in
everybody's radar first, and that's a national game with Alabama
on the thirtieth. It's a big weekend of college football.
There's some big games. This game, though, is a very
interest sting, kind of has a curiosity factor to it.
A lot of people wanting to know is Florida State back?
(24:09):
You know, question mark, exclamation pot, question mark? So what
are your what are your expectations for that first game? Well,
you know, anytime you play in Alabama, it's a coin
flip game. You got the great athletes of Florida State,
you got the great coaches. You're going to have dope.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Campbell's going to be electric with with the new west Side. Well,
do you wish it were a nighttime game? I wish
you always uh Dog and Knight dokat Knight is the
most special place ever, But I don't I'm not worried
about that. Yeah, it's going to be electric. Absolutely fans
of the greatest in America and that's something we can't
wait to showcase. Everything that we've put in this offseason
(24:46):
into that game. You know, at the end of the day,
it's Florida State and the brand will always live on,
and the brand is the brand, The standard is the standard.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Any surprises for the pregame or halftime may be a
few things. Personally, I'm not gonna ask for it. I'm
just curious building up the suspense.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Thanks for coming in. Always a pleasure. Appreciate it, truly
appreciate it. Kicks off my year every year and go
knows absolutely. Michael Alford, director of Athletics, Florida State. My guest,
it's the morning show.
All right, it's the third hour of the Morning Show
with Preston's Gut. Come morning, friends, thanks for joining us. Thursday,
August seventh, it is show fifty four to twenty sixties,
ose Im Preston and this is the Director of Athletics
Florida State University once again with our State of the
Knowles visit Michael Alford.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Hello, how are you, sir? I'm doing excellent. How are
you doing? You look great? Yeah, thanks, appreciate it. Much's
been good to you. You got a nice ten. Yeah,
well that's golf. That's getting out on the golf course
a little bit. But thank you. You've been busy, You've
been traveling around a little bit to solve the world
have being a collegiate athletics and I'm sure we represent
(00:45):
the Knowles well before we drill down into Florida State
for a second, just kind of broadly speaking, do you
think we're going to finally get something solved with nil
and some of the controversies that surround legiate sports right now? Well,
I'm a firm believer in the settlement something some of
(01:06):
these guardrails is something that we presented in twenty nineteen
to the NCAA, and what we're implementing now of the
exact same guardrails we wanted put in place back then.
One thing we're missing is registration of agents, and we'll
touch base on that a little bit later. Define guardrails
for listeners. Well, you wanted parameters, you wanted set of
(01:28):
rules that everybody was to play for. You wanted a
cap and we talked about that, and you wanted a
third what I would refer to as a TPA, a
third party administrator. And we have that Deloitte that is
now looking with their algorithm looking at these arrangements that
student athletes have with corporations and evaluating them to make
(01:49):
sure that they fit the fair market value as we
call it, range of compensation, So making sure that you
don't have donor a who also owns a Toyota dealership
paying a quarterback a rate that is not correct in
the marketplace just to give them money. And I'm a
(02:10):
believe in Deloitte's algorithm because I'm accustomed to it. I
worked with it for twelve years in the NFL. If
I was going to do a Tony Romottle starter deal
with that company, starter and he promoted them. We had
to run it through the algorithm, and Deloitt was one
of the companies we would utilize to make sure that
we weren't in the NFL cheating the cap, discounting our
(02:34):
arrangement and our assets that we were providing starter to
cheat the cap to pay Tony more as it stands
right now, broadly speaking, because we could take an entire
show three hours to drill into the specific details of
this one topic alone. Broadly speaking, how much money does
each d one school have to work with? Twenty point five?
(02:55):
Everyone's working with twenty point five. You can do two
point five in scholarships, which that is something that I
really wanted to do because that allowed me to give
more student athletes the opportunity to leave college debt free. Okay,
and so we're maximizing the two point five. You have
a choice, but we are maximizing us above and beyond
(03:15):
what we were currently doing. And what it's great about
our situation it allows me to give more student athletes
the opportunity because the cost of attendance of Florida State
is at the price where it is if you take
the University of North Carolina, for example. Unlet's just take
our two soccer programs, I can give three scholars full
scholarships to their one moving forward because of the great
(03:39):
cost of attendance and what the BOG and the state
has done tuition and by bog you're referring to the
border governors keep that down here in the state of Florida.
So it gives us an advantage be able to offer
more scholarships full rides and maximize that two and a
half than other institutions, even within our own conference.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Before we get into Florida state specifics on facilities and
the upcoming seasons, which is really exciting to talk about. Michael,
do you see a scenario coming as an inevitability where
student athletes are going to be required to sign some
form of a contract to stay at a given school
(04:21):
and not jump ship.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, that we're doing that right now. We have a contract.
As much I have great experience in the NFL. As
you know, I have Bruce Warwick on our staff, who
was Sean mcvay's chief of operations for fifteen years on
our staff and he's our chief of staff for football.
So the NFL experience, we were able to work with
our council on campus and develop a contract. That's very
(04:46):
professional and that's something that we're doing rolling out right now.
Student athletes going through their agents. Some have great agents.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
But it limits the jumping around that we're seeing by
out that all of the coaches are looking at and
saying this is this is going to hurt athletics and
collegiate sports.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
There's a buye of Hile State wants to come get
our quarterback, there's a buyout at our quarterbacks claus. Okay
that Ohio State not only would have to pay us
that buyout, but then that buyout also counts against their
cap gotcha of what they can do, so it's almost
double whammy for them.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Never get tired of hearing it, especially this time of
year as we start a new school year, academic school
year at Florida State University and universities across the country.
Michael Alford, director of Athletics with me from Florida State Facilities. Obviously,
let's start with the big one, and that's Doe Campbell Stadium.
I asked you before we even started, what are you
most happy about the things that people will see, the
(05:46):
things that most people won't.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
See, What people won't see? Okay, what's what people are
going to see is going to be breathtaking when they
first walk in. Just the comfort, the size, you can
walk around the concourse, be able to see the difference
between the old stadium and what is there now. But
what really excites me is just the opportunity to provide
the fan experience, and that's things behind the scenes. The
(06:09):
kitchens we were able to put in the concessions, the
number of bathrooms and everything here. That lady's effort. If
you have a problem going to the bathroom, now we've
got issues because there is so many and we wanted
to make sure of that sure, but just you know,
we talked a little bit about it. But in the
(06:30):
old stadium, seventy five year old dog is beautiful. But
we had ninety seven suites in the stadium. We had
no kitchens in the facility. That's hard to get your
brain around, so to service our fans. And we had
no burners because it wasn't a fire It wasn't up
to fire code, so we couldn't fry anything in the stadium.
(06:52):
So just the ability now to go through and provide
an upscale service, regular concessions to founder suites is going
to be a different experience. What are you most proud
of that the fans will see when they come to
Dote Campbell for the opening kickoff against Alabama on the thirtieth.
Just the size of the concourses, the freedom to walk
(07:15):
around to see things. I highly want people to get
there early and be able to walk around the stadium
and see the changes. Even on the east side. You know,
last year we put in those caps, so everybody had
to find eighteen inch seat because it was a sixteen
inch before. And I don't know about you, but no
one could fit in a sixteen inch seat eighteen inch
(07:36):
to find caps we had put it, installed the handrails
for safety. This year we've gone and put a coding
on the concourses, kind of like you do your garage.
You're going to notice that we redid the ramps. So
there's been a lot of life safety changes made on
the east side as well as the west. And that's
just something that we're really proud of of getting the
stadium to modernize because it's it's beautiful, it's historic, but
(08:02):
we need to keep the update every year.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Now, well, I was going to ask you if making
those types of changes is one part of it, then
you get to the real challenge of maintaining those investments correct.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
And that's something that we were lacking in previous years
because there was times before games, before seasons we had
structure engineers go through there, and that we were spending
a lot of money on defer maintenance to keep it standing.
And now this gives us the ability to keep it
more regulated and making those changes, especially on the east
(08:38):
side and the south, and we did a lot of
work on the South as well, but it just allows
us to go in and be more proactive in making
sure we're on top of all those We.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Got about a minute left in this segment, Michael, what's
left to do at Doe Campbell and what is next
on the list of things that are going to get done?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Oh boy, you open up a whole kenn of wit
I did ask last here at Dope is you know
that wore in the finishing touches, right? And regardless of
what anybody says. Somebody sent me something on X the
other day that says we're playing in Jacksonville and no,
we're playing right here. The stadium's ready that I've actually
already turned it over to us. We're going through and
(09:16):
putting the finixing touches on it. Right now, burning the ovens.
We have an event on the sixteenth, kind of a showcase.
I'm really excited about to get our fans in it
for the first time. So just getting that off finished,
and then we have a list of projects coming in
the future. At one point right now, we're looking we're
going to touch every program probably over the next five
(09:38):
years on some major renovations to our projects. Twenty one
past the hour.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
It is Thursday here on the Morning Show and ad
Michael Offered from Florida State University with me in studio,
and we're talking about the facilities, and I kind of
nudged you and made you speak a little too quickly
on things that take a little more time. So let's
continue talking about where we are a facilities. You said
Doak is pretty much done. There's very a little bit
(10:07):
left to do. Football facility. Where's that at?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
One thing about dog before we transition to football facility.
I don't know if people realize we're putting all new
video boards. Oh, really nice bright video boards. So it's
going to be like a brand new place top to bottom. Now,
when you say putting up, when exchange it. They're going
in right now. They're going in as we speak in Okay,
North End zones going in right now. Nice big crane there.
(10:31):
I love cranes and hard ads. Yeah, it gets me excited,
it makes me nervous. I love cranes and hard ads.
What's the status of the football facility right now? Is
going perfectly as planned. We're planning to move the team
in the second by week and the building will be
ready before then, but we don't want to disrupt the
operations of football. Moving into that facility would be a
(10:55):
chore sure during the middle of the season and disrupt practice,
disrupt routine, but also gives us the opportunity to to
walk some fans through, walk donors through the facility without
football being in there, so they can see it, touch it,
see what it's like before the chaos gets in there
and runs a day to day.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
You mentioned that your goal is to touch every program
with some form of facility improvement or adjustment or.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
What have you. What's tops on that list of other programs.
When we're doing a shade structure for soccer, we're putting
chair backs in at soccer this upcoming year. There'll be
in about mid season, just to deliveries new shades, certain
portions or the whole thing, certain proportions of Okay, we'll
get through. You know, we've done a lot of softball already.
(11:42):
You're looking at making changes. I'm putting out an RFP
for doing things at Houser. What can we do to
upgrade Houser and get it more competitive with our peers
across the country. What do you think that is? Because
you're a baseball guy, you love the game. Got to
change the seats down the line they get right now
you sit there in your angle towards center field, you
(12:03):
got to angle those and put a chair back on them.
Looking at home plate, Just little fixes I want to
put investigating putting something in right field fence.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Wise, I was just going to are we looking at
bleachers around the circumference of the outfielders.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
We want to enclose that stadium and then the left
above the bullpen, do some very fan friendly different areas
that really brings a different atmosphere, and then redo the
seating them in the whole bowl. So there's a lot
we want to do there, some office stuff, and so
that project's going to be going out here pretty soon.
(12:39):
You're looking at Totally. We play in Totally, which is
pretty old for volleyball, looking at changing what can we
do there, and we have some concepts and looking at
working with campus on that new lacrosse is getting built
right now, So there'sn't a lot going on.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
I want to touch on Tully. Tully is, as you said,
it's old. That said boy when when there's a crowd
in there, it's rocking.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
It is a great atmosphere for collegiate sports. It just is.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
So are you looking at replacing Tully or renovating Tully?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
A little bit of both? Okay, well, coming in and
looking at what can be done. But if you were
to ask me right now, I'm going to say we'll
be looking to a place and find something, but we
would make sure that we bring that atmosphere. It's any
same location or different location, but we would bring that
same environment and create that with what we build that
(13:33):
you have that fifteen hundred seat environment that can really
compact things. Yeah, like when you're getting there in a
good volleyball match, it's rocking. Yeah, it is. It is rocking.
It's a fun place to be. So we would make
sure we kept that environment.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
You know, Michael, You've got to be proud because if
you just step back and let's set aside the last
football season as an anomaly, because I think even people
that don't necessarily care for Florida State seminoles would admit
that that's that's not going to happen. The bottom line is, overall,
the sports programming at Florida State is remarkably successful. Every
(14:08):
single program.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Well, we have the greatest set of coaches in the country,
and I firmly believe that. I go around the country
and look and study other programs, put analytics to them,
but you see how much they pour into their programs
and how much success they have, whether it's the Brian
Pinsk's in soccer, the Brook White coff some women's basketball,
lot Almet and what she does in softball. Chris Pull,
(14:32):
I mean you look Brooke Niles and Beach Father. I
mean you just go Amy Bond. Yeah, you keep throwing
out names, just keep throwing the very best in their profession.
I think it allows me to go a track at
Luke Laws back, go a track of Brian Love that
higher get here. Yeah, because our coaches have a culture
amongst each other that is second to none.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Would I be stretching things to say that that culture
was really maybe the most complete legacy.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Of Bobby Bowden's You would not, because you know, he
touches everything his core value. Still.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I just remember his interaction with the coaches of all
the other programs and how much they looked to how
he did what he did and the way he went
about executing his job.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Yeah, and you see that the camaraderie, the way they
communicate with each other. There are none of our coaches
are in silos. Yeah, it's a great culture we have.
They work together, they support each other. When I go
hire Luke Luds, when I go hire Bron Penske, you know,
one of my main goals is to make sure they
come in and fit the culture we have. I can't
(15:40):
be hiring someone who's going to come in and disrupt that,
or come in and disrupt and want to be on
a sideloe and not work with the other ones. And
so that is a big tool that I have to evaluate. Yeah,
I'm bringing someone in that they're going to fit what
we currently have doing because we do it so well.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Having a laugh here with Michael Alford, Director of Athletics FSU,
the seminoles and your adulca tones are just are not
projecting loud enough, sir, So we're gonna.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
I'll speak up. There we go, There we go.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
So thanks for the phone call, but I know you
could hear him.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Football season. How's the team look? Very well? I went
to practice the other day, you know, so many different changes,
and you and I have talked about this before, just
going into the past about you know, it was a
great lesson of how you always, no matter what success
you're having and how you feel, you need to self
evaluate and make sure you're preparing yourself for the next year.
(16:44):
And I think we were able to make those changes
this upcoming year and do some better self evaluation on
what needs to keep the program moving forward. I love
what Gus been able to go get Gus and one
of the most prolific offensive coordinators in the history of
the sport.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
And to those of you that don't know Gus Malzone,
former head coach at Auburn and UCF.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Being able to come him, get him here and just
concentrate on the offense and to see that he is
really pouring into that and just work with him day
by day and talk a little football with him has
just been just been great. You've seen Mike kind of
kind of grow in my opinion. He's he's working with
the special teams, he's out working with the defense. He's
(17:28):
he's around being the CEO.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
And speaking of Tony White coming to Florida State did
the biggest favorite of the Big Ten the conference has
ever seen because they are glad to get that guy
out of the Big Ten and be able to go
get Tony Yeah and talk to him about coming to
Tallahassee and Florida State and what it means.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
And you know, I love the three three five. It
creates problems. You don't see it that often. But what
I love about it is the type of athlete we
have at Florida State. You're going to have that six
two six three two thirty five. We got a lot
of them, and in that scheme, it really allows us
to get the best athletes we have on the field
(18:08):
and to see the pressure that it's going to put
on the quarterback. I'm a big believer in making the
quarterback uncomfortable. Always making that guy uncomfortable, whether it's a
read or with his feet, You've got to make him
uncomfortable to have success. We weren't able to do that
last year, and now with this they're going to be
coming and you don't know where they're coming from. And
it's a pressure defenses, which I think gets back to
(18:31):
what Mickey had at Florida State. In the history of
Florida State football, we always had pressure defense. We set
a tone on defense, and we're getting back to that
style and I think that's something our fan base is
really going to love when they see it.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Aginst thirtieth as the athletic director, how do you measure
a successful season?
Speaker 2 (18:52):
For this upcoming season? Always growth? You know, I get
that question to find crime you look, you're going to
look at it as wins and losses, going to look
at culture. You're going to look at how the young
kids are doing? Uh, the Charles Lester's, the Kaibads. Are
those kids growing? Are we prepared true freshman? True for
(19:13):
retro freshmen? Are we prepared for the next phase of
Florida State football? Kind of projecting your lineup a year ahead,
and where are we are we getting our guys ready
that are playing. Maybe you're not a household name right now,
are we getting them prepared to they developing the right way?
And that's something we didn't think we were developing. We
weren't developing our offensive line like I thought we should,
(19:35):
weren't developing some of our defensive backs like I thought
we should. And getting those guys ready for the next
step a year ahead is something I'm always looking at.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Is it fair in this modern era to measure culture
by how many kids transfer in or out?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
It's tough. I think we're now with the house settlement,
that's going to change. You're going to have less kids
go going into the portal. But I think you'll be
able to get back to what we used to have.
But it's tough to measure that culture because of it
was a money situation. Yeah, it wasn't a culture, So
we had a lot of kids leave. Didn't want to leave,
(20:14):
they left finances. But it's also what I measure the
type of kids we bring in also, does that fit
our culture? Are they yes or no? Cert guys like
Mike requires? Are they taking their hat off when they
enter the building? Sure that that is a staple of
our program, a staple of coach nor Vellekins of the
kids he's bringing in. Are those type of young men
(20:36):
that fit Florida.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
State final segment with the director of Athletics at Florida
State Michael Alford. All right, so we've got soccer starting up,
We've got volleyball starting up. I would imagine there's the
fall golf season starting up. What are you most excited
about outside of football? You know, this is getting the
kids back on campus. Now, you kind of kick off
(20:57):
my year every year when I know how to come
on this show, it's still time.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
It's time to go. But getting our student athletes back
on campus and just getting around them, and do you
ever meet with all of them at once? We have, Yes,
we bring them back. So the Sunday night before opening day,
open the day of classes, we have what we call
the Fear of the Spear games. So we bring them back,
get all five hundred plus athletes in the same building,
(21:22):
get out of here in the real PF. We have dinner,
I talk, I welcome them back, and then we have contests. Okay,
football won at last year, women's volleyball one at the
year before. Go online and watch it and we're going
to cover it live on the Unconquered app this year.
But be able to watch what they do, and you
(21:43):
talk about competing and marshmallow throwing and everything else. Then
we give them ice cream and we go. But it's
two times a year that in the Golden at the
end of the year. Then we get them all together
and get them around each other other than the training table.
You know, we're expanding our training table. You and I
were talking and we're moving it into Doak Stadium go
Campbell's Stadium right now, and it's going to be in
the West Side Club Monday through Friday when there's not
(22:05):
football games going on, and that's going to allow more
student athletes to eat together. The fig was so small, Yeah,
you've had lunch with me there before. It's as small.
We can only get about seventy five people in there
at one time. We got five hundred athletes. Now we're
going to be able to feed them all together and
get that camaraderie, not that it wasn't there, but just
expand well, it enhances, it enhances it correct.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
So you've got a change in the basketball program. Luke Loux,
we talked about him being hired. Shortly after he was hired,
What are your early reflections on how things are going there?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Going great? You see the type of young man he
brings to the table. He's going to follow that Leonard Tree,
you know, the same core values. And that's something that's
really attracted me to Luke. But his personality, how much
he loves Florida State. But his analytical part of the game.
I mean, it's amazing when he breaks it down for
me on Okay, if you're taking an eight footer from
this corner, thirty seven percent chance NBA metter. But so
(23:02):
you could take a nine foot or your thirty five percent,
So we need to get the ball right here. You know,
it's just amazing to see him break it down in
his whole staff and what they're doing. And the young
men have really bought in. You go to practice up tempo.
They know that they're just really bought in to making
the program better. And that's something that's really exciting right now.
(23:22):
With and then we got Lonnie. They're over in London
right now playing some games. Yeah, and taking a foreign tour.
How is she She's doing great. I check on her
all the time and make sure we're providing everything we need.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
For prognosis she's dealing with she's been dealing with the
breast cancer is good.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Good. Everything we hear. Same with Brooke Doctors. Same with
Brooke Wonderful coming on the back end of it, and
she's doing just great, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Let's kind of end with what's coming I think in
everybody's radar first, and that's a national game with Alabama
on the thirtieth. It's a big weekend of college football.
There's some big games. This game, though, is a very
interest sting, kind of has a curiosity factor to it.
A lot of people wanting to know is Florida State back?
(24:09):
You know, question mark, exclamation pot, question mark? So what
are your what are your expectations for that first game? Well,
you know, anytime you play in Alabama, it's a coin
flip game. You got the great athletes of Florida State,
you got the great coaches. You're going to have dope.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Campbell's going to be electric with with the new west Side. Well,
do you wish it were a nighttime game? I wish
you always uh Dog and Knight dokat Knight is the
most special place ever, But I don't I'm not worried
about that. Yeah, it's going to be electric. Absolutely fans
of the greatest in America and that's something we can't
wait to showcase. Everything that we've put in this offseason
(24:46):
into that game. You know, at the end of the day,
it's Florida State and the brand will always live on,
and the brand is the brand, The standard is the standard.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Any surprises for the pregame or halftime may be a
few things. Personally, I'm not gonna ask for it. I'm
just curious building up the suspense.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Thanks for coming in. Always a pleasure. Appreciate it, truly
appreciate it. Kicks off my year every year and go
knows absolutely. Michael Alford, director of Athletics, Florida State. My guest,
it's the morning show.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!