What did Florida State do to attract NCAA violations? A breakdown of Seminoles' NIL recruiting violations

The NCAA recruiting violations dropped some penalties on the Florida State Seminoles football program over NIL.

According to reports, Florida State's assistant coach, offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, is found to have committed two Level II violations, which is due to impermissible recruiting and impermissible contact with a NIL booster.

The report indicates that Atkins drove a prospect and his parents to a meeting with an NIL booster. During the meeting, the booster reportedly offered the prospect approximately $15,000 per month during his first year at FSU if he enrolled with the school.

Following the NCAA's investigation, Atkins will be suspended for the first three games of the 2024 season. The NCAA also ruled that the NCCA must disassociate with the NIL collective representative for a term of three years. The school also must disassociate from the NIL collective for one year.

The other penalties that the NCAA handed FSU are as follows:

- two years of probation

- scholarship reductions of 5% over the next two academic years

- a reduction by seven in official recruiting visits for 2023-24

- a prohibition on recruiting communication for six weeks over the next two academic years, including this next week (Jan. 12-18)

- a prohibition on communication with athletes in the transfer portal from April 15-21

- a reduction by 18 evaluation days this spring

- a financial penalty of 1% of the athletic department’s budget

According to the NCAA, the sanctions were processed through a negotiated resolution procedure, meaning that FSU and Atkins agreed the violations. But, after the ruling, FSU declined to comment on the sanctions handed down.

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Florida State left out of college football playoff

Along with the sanctions by the NCAA, Florida State's end to their college football season was full of controversy.

The Seminoles went 13-0 and won the ACC, but the college football playoff committee left them out of the playoffs. It was the first time an undefeated Power Five Conference winner didn't make the playoffs, which frustrated the program.

"I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee's decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games," Norvell said in a statement.

"What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is OK to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury? Where is the motivation to schedule challenging nonconference games?

"We are not only an undefeated P5 conference champion, but we also played two P5 non-conference games away from home and won both of them. I don't understand how we are supposed to think this is an acceptable way to evaluate a team. ... What happened today goes against everything that is true and right in college football."

Florida State ended up getting blown out by Georgia in the Orange Bowl after dealing with several players opting out.