Florida State's top cornerback just got booted from the program after police say he topped 150 mph on a Tampa highway with a screaming woman begging to get out.
And that was before the felony false imprisonment charge.
Now find out what the woman inside that car went through – and what it means for a program already on life support.
What Happened Inside That Durango
A woman got into Chuck Kennon's SUV in Ybor City early Sunday morning and asked to be let out more than ten times.
He never stopped.
The Dodge Durango topped 150 mph, ran a red light, and hit a curb.
A flat tire finally ended it.
When police searched the vehicle, they found her with lacerations on her arm.
She was placed in handcuffs and detained at the scene.
Kennon had already fled on foot into a nearby industrial plant.
He turned himself in the next day.
He is now facing aggravated fleeing to elude – a second-degree felony – plus false imprisonment, a third-degree felony, and a misdemeanor for resisting an officer.
He is sitting in Falkenburg Road Jail.
Florida State confirmed his dismissal Tuesday for conduct detrimental to the team.
What This Costs a Program Already on Life Support
Kennon wasn't just any recruit.
He was the 51st overall prospect in the nation and the sixth-best cornerback in the 2026 class, per 247Sports.
He chose Florida State over more than three dozen offers – Texas, Louisville, Texas A&M among them.
He was the highest-ranked defensive back FSU had signed in two years.
This was supposed to be the foundation of a rebuilt secondary.
Now he's gone after one stat-less appearance in a blowout win over Virginia.
Florida State is 3-3 heading into Saturday's game against No. 3 Miami.
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The Seminoles just got torched 44-20 by Louisville – a program they should be competing with, not getting embarrassed by.
Norvell is 7-18 since FSU's unbeaten 2023 regular season – four losing seasons in seven years, matching what Bobby Bowden had in the previous 44 years combined.
The buyout keeping him employed runs to $45.6 million after this season.
That's the only thing between Norvell and the parking lot.
Zero Tolerance Means Something – Or It Means Nothing
She asked to be let out more than ten times and he kept driving.
That's not a mistake. That's not immaturity. That's a decision.
Nick Saban built a dynasty at Alabama by making sure his players understood the difference.
When defensive lineman Jonathan Taylor showed up with a domestic violence arrest, Saban was direct: opportunity given, strict guidelines set, zero tolerance violated.
Taylor was gone.
Saban's zero-tolerance policy wasn't a talking point for press conferences.
It was the operating culture of the program – the thing that told every 18-year-old walking into Tuscaloosa exactly where the line was and exactly what crossing it cost.
Norvell came into 2026 saying he doesn't fear failure.
He told The Athletic: "I don't fear failure. I never have. I do fear regret."
The coaches who build winning cultures mean it when they say that.
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The coaches who are fighting to survive under a $45 million buyout – coaches who desperately needed Kennon's talent to save their season – don't always build the right culture.
They sign the talent and hope for the best.
Personal responsibility isn't complicated.
You don't trap a woman in a car going 150 mph.
You don't run from the police.
You don't ignore someone asking to get out more than ten times.
Now Miami week arrives with a depleted secondary, a battered coaching staff, and a head coach who may not survive November – and somewhere in Hillsborough County, a young woman is dealing with a lot more than a football team's problems.
Sources:
- Donovan Gibbs, "Florida State Dismisses Top Football Recruit Chuck Kennon After Felony Arrest," New York Post, October 13, 2026.
- UPI, "Florida State Football: Chuck Kennon Dismissed," October 13, 2026.
- 247Sports, "FSU Top Signee 2026 Freshman Cornerback Chuck Kennon Removed," October 13, 2026.
- Associated Press, "Mike Norvell on the Proverbial Hot Seat as Florida State Tries to Avoid Another Losing Season," August 19, 2026.
- Pete Thamel, "How Much Patience Does Florida State Still Have With Mike Norvell?" Newsweek, 2026.
