After a rollercoaster season for the Florida State Seminoles, head coach Mike Norvell acknowledged the team is not where it wants to be. However, he remains cautiously optimistic that it’s getting close.
The Seminoles opened 3-0, including a win over Alabama Crimson Tide in the opener, but then dropped six of their next eight games, including a 2-6 run in ACC play. Norvell said that while flashes of elite play exist, the program has lacked consistency. He addressed reporters this week after news broke about his future with the program and being retained for the 2026 season.
“I believe that we are close,” Norvell said via On3. “You lose six games, and it sucks. … We’ve earned the results of games, but we’ve also had some very unique dynamics … and to some of the negative outcomes that we’ve had.”
Norvell believes the right culture is in place and the collective mindset of the players is still positive. In a recent loss to NC State, despite a muffed punt giving NC State a short field late, he highlighted defensive back Darrell Jackson’s effort in rallying the team on the sidelines as evidence of buy-in. Not all hope is lost in Tallahassee.
Norvell arrived in 2020 to revive the Florida State program and has since guided the team to a 38-33 record, including a 13-1 Playoff miss in 2023.
"It still ultimately comes down to making the plays in those critical situations," Norvell added. "We’ve done that against really good teams this year, and we’ve done it to where multiple score wins over really, really good teams, but we’ve also put ourselves in position to have some production in a game but not do the things that are necessary to go win the game.”
With the season winding down, Norvell and the Seminoles appear to be at a crossroads, but can soon bridge that gap.
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