The movement around FSU has been non-stop over the past week. There have been several transfers and some coaching departures. But the biggest changes may still be ahead.
When the announcement was made to retain Mike Norvell for the 2026 season, it was with the promise that changes in the infrastructure of the program and now the first domino in the front office has fallen, with GM of Personnel Darrick Yray leaving Tallahassee to take a similar role at UCLA.
Florida State GM Darrick Yray has now accepted the general manager job at UCLA, sources tell me, @chris_hummer, @BSonnone and @ZBlostein247.Has been at FSU since 2022, including playing a key role in constructing the roster for FSU’s 13-win team in 2023. Before FSU, worked at… https://t.co/200Ow8letBpic.twitter.com/90MAG3Lkfv
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 12, 2025
Yray has been with FSU since 2022, coming to Tallahassee from Oregon State. He and Norvell built a large portion of the roster that helped the Seminoles go 23-4 over a two-season span in 2022 and 2023. FSU had a 19-game win streak and won an ACC championship in 2023. The Seminoles, however, were denied an opportunity to participate in the CFP when the committee instead chose a 12-1 Alabama team. FSU went on to the Orange Bowl with a roster gutted by players opting out and llost to Georgia, 63-3.
Yray’s run at FSU ends after failure to adjust
Norvell has rightfully taken most of the heat for FSU’s 7-17 run over the past two seasons, but Yray has also been a target for fan displeasure for his role in the roster construction. Both men have been criticized for a lack of focus on high school recruiting and a failure to develop the blue-chip players on the roster. This was compounded by a heavy reliance on the transfer portal as the market has adjusted itself and left FSU taking risks on players that were once highly recruited but had failed to produce at their first stops…