OT Michael Ionata reacts to FSU offer, talks family history with Seminoles
Class of 2026 offensive tackle Michael Ionata was one of about 75 high school prospects who worked out at Florida State's Elite Camp this Sunday. The rising junior had an outstanding camp with the Seminoles and left Tallahassee with an offer from head coach Mike Norvell. Ionata spoke with the Osceola about receiving the offer and his family history with the FSU program.
"I received an offer from Florida State University in Mike Norvell's office," Ionata told the Osceola shortly after camp concluded on Sunday. "I was pretty pumped about it."
Ionata discussed his conversation and relationship with the Seminoles head coach.
"He's not going to sugarcoat stuff with you, he is going to be straight forward," said Ionata. "He wants it to be the place for you. But if it's not, he's not going to change everything to make it the place for you. He wants you here but if you don't want to be here, he's not going to force you."
He also talked about his experience with and what learned working with offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Alex Atkins.
"He's great, I loved all the stuff we did today," began Ionata on Atkins. "Kept me in my stance a little better and like at the end when we did one-on-ones, I felt like what he taught us definitely correlated into what we were doing."
If the Ionata name sounds familiar it should. Michael’s father, Joe Ionata, and his uncle John Ionata both started on the offensive line for FSU in the early and mid-1980s. So, the offer from Norvell and his father's alma mater held some special meaning.
"It would be pretty cool," said Ionata of potentially following in his father's footsteps. "My dad and my uncle both played here a long time ago before like everything was built up and stuff. He's introduced me to everyone who's been here forever and it's great to have that connection and I think it would be pretty cool if I got the opportunity to be able to follow in his footsteps and my uncle's footsteps, playing at this level where they played and get to do what they did."
Among the other schools to offer Ionata are USF, West Virginia, FAU and Kentucky. Ionata also plans to take unofficial visits to Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia this summer.
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