There are a long list of factors that go into the decision-making process of top college football prospects.

Location. Education. Atmosphere. Playing time. Coaching Stability. Offensive and defensive schemes. Facilities and so on.

Many of those are negotiable, but one that is not is belief in a program. Prospects need to have confidence that a college football program is going to give them every opportunity to reach their potential, and that they will get to enjoy success during their careers.

Florida State's 31-28 victory this past Saturday against No. 5 North Carolina was perhaps the first tangible proof to recruits that Florida State can be that type of program under head coach Mike Norvell. And the Seminoles already are seeing the fruits of that labor.

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While he cannot speak about specific recruits, FSU recruiting coordinator David Johnson said he has already seen a spike in interest in the Seminoles in just the 72 hours since that game.

"I think that's major. That's the momentum you're looking for," Johnson said. "That's one of your major recruiting points -- you have to win in order to get big-time kids. They're looking to come into a winning program. So we let them know that we're heading in the right direction. They want to see wins.

"That was really big for us to go against a quality opponent like North Carolina, and now the recruits have been calling and texting. And they were excited about it."

It certainly helped that the game was broadcast on ABC in prime time.

"To have it played on national television, everybody gets a chance to see you play," Johnson said. "That's what you want."

It's not just the fact that the Seminoles won the game that likely captured recruits' imagination, it's how they looked doing it.

Mike Coe, head coach at nearby Madison County High, which has won multiple state championships and had numerous alumni go on to play at Florida State, said he and other prep coaches have been impressed by how much more organized the Seminoles look during games this season. He said that goes a long way in letting recruits know that the program is heading in the right direction.

Coe said the North Carolina game was just the latest in a string of positive signs for the Seminoles.

"Their response to the Miami loss is what stands out to me," said Coe, who coached current FSU defensive back Travis Jay in high school. "Even in a loss to Notre Dame, when they finished with a defensive stand, that spoke volumes to me. Then they came out [against North Carolina] and looked even better. All three phases are improving."

Orlando Edgewater coach Cameron Duke said the improvement he's seen from Florida State's offensive and defensive lines has been eye-opening. He said that type of growth in such a brief period of time is indicative of future success.

"The development in the players and how they are controlling the trenches is evident because it all starts there," Duke said. "But you also see a different effort with these kids laying it out there. Jordan Travis has also been remarkable in the flow of this offense. Then to get two huge punt blocks was so big on special teams.

"Then on defense, I've seen a big change from the start of the year. This week, they were winning the battles up front. And you just see a different energy. You can see it in the eyes of the players and Coach Norvell in how they are believing in the challenge and this staff."

*ALSO SEE: Which FSU prospects could be most affected by FSU's win over UNC?

Before Saturday's game, Norvell and his staff were coping with a long line of challenges in recruiting. They only had a couple of weeks in the spring to bring recruits in on visits before the coronavirus pandemic struck, and they also lost the opportunity to get out on the road and watch prospects during the spring evaluation period.

While those issues are affecting all programs, they are particularly problematic for first-year coaching staffs. And that's likely a key factor in why the Seminoles currently rank 29th in the Rivals recruiting rankings with 16 commitments and an average star rating of 3.19.

But both Coe and Duke said recruits will be impressed by what they saw on Saturday, especially if it continues through the course of this season.

"It was a tremendous win for FSU and fun to watch," Duke said. "Coach Norvell has done such a great job turning the culture around, and he's also so humble in accepting blame when things aren't going right -- and kids notice that stuff. And you can see it with the effort these kids are bringing on the field."

Said Coe: "It was great to see joy on those kids' faces. They've been through so much, and you can tell the impact that Coach Norvell and staff are having on them. [Cory] Durden stayed engaged after the targeting. [Tamorrion] Terry was engaged and cheering his teammates on the whole game. So impressed with [James] Blackman's attitude. You have to learn how to crawl before you walk, and [Saturday] night, they took a huge step. I think any kid watching that would want to be a part of it and the future at FSU.

"Really happy for Coach Norvell and staff. The scary part is he's getting this done without a spring, a normal summer and a normal season. It will only get better and better in my opinion."

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