Markeston Douglas Re-Enters Transfer Portal After Explosive Clash with Mike Norvell
TALLAHASSEE — Markeston Douglas’s second stint with Florida State ended even more dramatically than his first. After a promising return this spring, the veteran tight end has once again decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal—this time following a serious and highly publicized altercation with head coach Mike Norvell.
Sources inside the program describe the confrontation as “intense and deeply personal,” igniting during a closed-door team meeting last week. Douglas, frustrated over what he perceived as broken promises regarding his role in the offense, confronted Norvell in front of players and staff. Voices escalated quickly. Witnesses say that at one point, Douglas slammed his playbook onto the table, shattering the room’s tense silence.
“What’s the point of coming back if nothing’s changed?” Douglas reportedly shouted, pointing directly at Norvell. “You talk about trust, but it’s a one-way street!”
Norvell, not one to back down from confrontation, fired back. The exchange grew so heated that assistants had to step between the two. While no physical altercation occurred, the emotional damage was irreparable.
Those close to Douglas reveal he felt “misled” about the promises made during his recruitment back to Tallahassee. Coming off a productive 2023 season at another program, Douglas returned to FSU expecting a primary role in the Seminoles’ new-look offense. Instead, practices consistently showed him buried on the depth chart behind younger, less experienced players. To Douglas, it felt like a betrayal.
“It wasn’t just about playing time,” said a source familiar with the situation. “It was about respect. Markeston felt disrespected and unheard.”
The fallout was swift. Less than 24 hours after the incident, Douglas cleared out his locker. His name was officially entered into the NCAA transfer portal Friday afternoon. In a brief statement, he thanked his teammates and Seminole fans for their support but made no mention of the coaching staff.
Coach Norvell addressed the situation tersely during Saturday’s media availability.
“We appreciate Markeston’s contributions and wish him the best moving forward,” Norvell said, refusing to elaborate.
Privately, the program is scrambling to contain the damage. Losing a player of Douglas’s size, experience, and leadership so close to the start of summer workouts is a significant blow. More concerning for FSU is the message this incident sends to potential recruits and transfer portal targets: cracks may be forming behind the scenes.
For Douglas, the road ahead remains uncertain but hopeful. With his size (6’5″, 250 pounds) and athleticism, he is expected to draw immediate interest from Power Five programs seeking an experienced, physically imposing tight end. Early whispers suggest that SEC and Big 12 schools are already inquiring.
Meanwhile, Florida State faces difficult questions about culture and communication under Norvell. One fiery exchange may not define a program—but in an era where player movement is more fluid than ever, relationships matter. For now, the Seminoles have lost a key piece, and Markeston Douglas is once again a free agent in the wild world of college football.
As one source close to Douglas put it: “He’s done being silenced. Wherever he goes next, he’s going to make sure he’s heard.”
